Victor and Clerval are both scholars, but their
intellectual pursuits differ greatly. First of all, Victor is drawn towards the
sciences; it is "the secrets of heaven and earth that [he] desire[s] to learn." Victor
seeks to understand the physical universe; his inquiries are focused on discovering "the
physical secrets of the world."
Clerval, on the other hand,
is interested in understanding the nature of man. He studies "the moral relations of
things...the busy stage of life, the virtues of heroes...the actions of men." Clerval
hopes one day to be recognized as one of the "gallant and adventurous benefactors of our
species."
In addition to their differences in interests,
Victor and Clerval also show a dispararity between their manner of pursuing their goals.
Victor is single-minded, likely to cut himself from others in his passion to increase
his understanding of the physical world. He tends to become consumed in his studies, and
indeed descends to the brink of insanity as he isolates himself and involves himself,
body and soul, in his quest to replicate life. Clerval, on the other hand, never loses
his sense of humanity; he is stable, dependable, and well-rounded. Clerval's
intellectual pursuits only serve to make him a stronger, more fully-realized human
being, and when Victor is nearly destroyed by the consequences of his own educational
strivings, Clerval is there to nurture him and restore him to
health.
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