Drance

The Drance is a river in the Swiss Alps that appears at a pivotal moment in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. On the day of his wedding to Elizabeth Lavenza, Victor Frankenstein and his bride travel by boat along the lake from Geneva toward Evian. As the sun sinks lower in the heavens, they pass the river Drance and observe its path through the chasms of the higher and the glens of the lower hills. This moment is the last peaceful interlude before the catastrophe that will claim Elizabeth's life, making the Drance a quiet but ominous landmark in the narrative.

The Wedding Journey and the Drance

The Drance is introduced during the couple's nuptial embarkation, a journey that Victor describes as the last moments of his life during which he enjoyed the feeling of happiness. The day is fair and the wind favourable, and the couple is sheltered from the sun by a canopy as they take in the beauty of the scene. They see Mont Saleve, the pleasant banks of Montalegre, and, at a distance, the majestic Mont Blanc and the assemblage of snowy mountains. As they continue, they pass the river Drance, which flows through the chasms of the higher hills and the glens of the lower ones. The Alps here come closer to the lake, and they approach the amphitheatre of mountains that forms its eastern boundary. The spire of Evian shines under the woods that surround it, and the range of mountain above mountain overhangs the scene.

The River as a Symbol of Transition

The Drance marks a threshold in the narrative. It is the point at which the natural beauty of the journey begins to give way to the impending horror. After passing the river, the wind, which had carried them along with amazing rapidity, sinks at sunset to a light breeze. The soft air ruffles the water and causes a pleasant motion among the trees as they approach the shore, from which it wafts the delightful scent of flowers and hay. The sun sinks beneath the horizon as they land, and Victor feels those cares and fears revive which soon are to clasp him and cling to him forever. The Drance, therefore, is not merely a geographical feature but a symbolic boundary between the transient happiness of the wedding day and the tragedy that follows.

The Drance in the Context of Nature's Role

In the novel, natural landscapes often reflect or contrast with the emotional states of the characters. The Drance, like the lake and the mountains, is part of the sublime scenery that Victor and Elizabeth admire. However, unlike the majestic peaks that inspire awe, the river's passage through the chasms and glens suggests a more intimate and transient beauty, mirroring the fleeting nature of the couple's joy. The river's flow, moving inexorably toward the lake, can be seen as a metaphor for the course of events that Victor cannot control, leading him toward the destruction of his happiness.

The Aftermath and the River's Significance

After Elizabeth's murder, Victor's memory of the journey, including the Drance, becomes a source of anguish. He recalls the scenes he had contemplated but the day before in the company of her who was now but a shadow and a recollection. The river, once a pleasant landmark, is now associated with the loss of his beloved. The Drance thus serves as a poignant reminder of the happiness that was so briefly enjoyed and the tragedy that followed, reinforcing the novel's themes of loss and the consequences of unchecked ambition.