In chapter 18, in Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, Shelley uses a piece of William Wordsworth “Tintern Abbey” to illustrate Henry Clerval’s, Victor Frankenstein’s best friend, inner feelings and add in a piece of romanticism toward her work. In the introduction of the section where Henry Clerval came in, Henry first speaks about the inspiring sights he was experiencing and seeing while taking part in Frankenstein’s voyage. Though Clerval had been known for a while before this point of the book, this scene was more of the clearer moments of Clerval and Frankenstein’s friendship because Clerval, for the first time, shares his own “tragically beautiful” emotions. He tells Victor, “I have seen the most beautiful scenes in our own country…but there is a charm in the banks of this divine river that I never saw equaled.” Though he continues in his loving persona by complimenting his country, he admits to Victor that even he feels incomplete and unsatisfied with what he has, and wishes to see more. Mary Shelley says afterword, quoting William Wordsworth:

“The sounding cataract

Haunted him like a passion: the tall rock,

The mountain, and the deep and gloomy wood,

Their colours and their forms, were then to him

An appetite; a feeling, and a love,

That had no need of a remoter charm,

By thought supplied, or any interest

Unborrow’d from the eye.”

William Wordsworth brought out the same message. Though the speaker may be satisfied in his life, the speaker will never be “full” without experiencing the beautiful nature that the speaker is experiencing at that exact moment. Being familiar with the feeling makes the speaker long for who he once was, though holding onto who the speaker is at the present moment. It also questions the speaker’s innocence versus maturity. By the line, “haunted him like a passion” the speaker is questioning who he was when he was younger, and when he had less knowledge and possibly more naive. The beautiful outlook also haunted the speaker with the person the speaker once was. Clerval relates to this because though he does not make the same mistakes as Frankenstein, Clerval is infamous for making the “right choices” that Frankenstein does not. Clerval must have made his own mistakes when he was younger, causing him to be sure what the right choices in his problems are. The scene brings Clerval back to that, forcing him to reminisce over the nature that forces him back to his younger state.

                Also, Shelley uses this to bring in a dose of romanticism. Though her novel was written as, for the most part, a gothic novel, she was inspired by many romantic poets, such as William Wordsworth. Bringing in this section of Wordsworth’s poem does not only add to Clerval’s character, but in the nature of the book and her era. It also noted that she brings this quote in while being in a calm scene, rather than a rough excillirating scene. She wants to capture the moment of peace and tranquility.