# Merrival — The Last Man character guide

> Merrival in The Last Man by Mary Shelley.

**Role:** minor

**First appearance:** 0002-the-last-man

## Who they are

An astronomer who remains absorbed in his studies even as the world collapses around him.

## In the story

### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_last_man_se/chapters/volume-ii-iv)

A little old astronomer who comments on the slow precession of the poles.

### [IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_last_man_se/chapters/volume-ii-ix)

Merrival, once a visionary astronomer, has lost his entire family to the plague and is now grief-stricken and mad, cursing the heavens.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_last_man_se/characters/merrival
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_last_man_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_last_man_se/characters