Essay Comparing Frankenstein 'And Bram Stoker'
Dizon, Ilah
Ms. Merrill
Sophomore’s Honors English
March 5th 2014 Harbingers of Horror Highly celebrated authors of both their era and that of the modern era respectively, Bram Stoker and Mary Shelley are regarded as monumental writes of the classical horror/gothic genre, making great strides towards modern literature, earning their rights to fame and becoming as iconic as their monstrous creations (Skal 1). Born on August 30th 1797 to philosopher William Godwin and Shelley Wollenstonecraft, Mary Shelley was destined for literary success, having been born as the affluent daughter of two of London’s most renowned enlightened thinkers (Bilger 10). Born nearly half a century later, Abraham “Stoker” Stoker was the son of a middle …show more content…
Despite the fact that both novels are told through a series of journal entries and accounts given by characters themselves, the sheer variety of personas displayed in Dracula allow for a textuality and completeness that Frankenstein lacks (Schaffrath 5). That being said however, Frankenstein utilizes its narrow perspective as a way to appeal to audiences with its added suspense, and does so whilst providing audiences with the mental accounts of the antagonist himself; an effective method of establishing character development of the antagonist which Dracula lacks greatly (Britton 2; Schaffrath 5). Though seen as a true horror story, unlike Shelley Shelley’s Frankenstein, Dracula ends on a rather pleasant note, saturated with the atmosphere of unity and relief, while Frankenstein ends in a calamity of death and destruction (Britton 2; Schaffrath 5). Through their novels however, both authors effectively project their desires and interpretations of their life and emotions, as seen through Stoker’s creation of Dracula and Van Helsing, and Shelley’s creation of doctor Frankenstein and “the monster” (Hindley 2; Frankenstein: the 1). Where Stoker fashions an idealized male version of himself through Van Helsing, and expresses his sexual desires through Dracula, Shelley conveys her frustration towards her unfortunate situation of being abandoned by a mother she never knew, and embodies herself as “the monster,” which had been created irresponsibly (Hindley 4; Frankenstein: the 1). In addition to this similarity, both Shelley and Stoker boldly defied the social boundaries of their time, Stoker alluding to homosexuality and several other phobias that circulated the European community and Shelley, critiquing the male contemporaries of her time (Wohlport 2; Hindley 7). Though despite
Ms. Merrill
Sophomore’s Honors English
March 5th 2014 Harbingers of Horror Highly celebrated authors of both their era and that of the modern era respectively, Bram Stoker and Mary Shelley are regarded as monumental writes of the classical horror/gothic genre, making great strides towards modern literature, earning their rights to fame and becoming as iconic as their monstrous creations (Skal 1). Born on August 30th 1797 to philosopher William Godwin and Shelley Wollenstonecraft, Mary Shelley was destined for literary success, having been born as the affluent daughter of two of London’s most renowned enlightened thinkers (Bilger 10). Born nearly half a century later, Abraham “Stoker” Stoker was the son of a middle …show more content…
Despite the fact that both novels are told through a series of journal entries and accounts given by characters themselves, the sheer variety of personas displayed in Dracula allow for a textuality and completeness that Frankenstein lacks (Schaffrath 5). That being said however, Frankenstein utilizes its narrow perspective as a way to appeal to audiences with its added suspense, and does so whilst providing audiences with the mental accounts of the antagonist himself; an effective method of establishing character development of the antagonist which Dracula lacks greatly (Britton 2; Schaffrath 5). Though seen as a true horror story, unlike Shelley Shelley’s Frankenstein, Dracula ends on a rather pleasant note, saturated with the atmosphere of unity and relief, while Frankenstein ends in a calamity of death and destruction (Britton 2; Schaffrath 5). Through their novels however, both authors effectively project their desires and interpretations of their life and emotions, as seen through Stoker’s creation of Dracula and Van Helsing, and Shelley’s creation of doctor Frankenstein and “the monster” (Hindley 2; Frankenstein: the 1). Where Stoker fashions an idealized male version of himself through Van Helsing, and expresses his sexual desires through Dracula, Shelley conveys her frustration towards her unfortunate situation of being abandoned by a mother she never knew, and embodies herself as “the monster,” which had been created irresponsibly (Hindley 4; Frankenstein: the 1). In addition to this similarity, both Shelley and Stoker boldly defied the social boundaries of their time, Stoker alluding to homosexuality and several other phobias that circulated the European community and Shelley, critiquing the male contemporaries of her time (Wohlport 2; Hindley 7). Though despite