Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Bram Stoker’s Dracula Essay -- Shelley

Mary Shelleys Frankenstein and Bram Stokers DraculaEvil features in both Dracula and Frankenstein but the prosopopoeia of this evil is different in both sweets. A feeling of menace and doom pervades Dracula because of his supernatural powers. One feels that he has control of the evil and he has the power to manipulate the environment and pack for his own ends. Frankenstein centres on the creation of a monstrosity made from parts of dead bodies and the fear created by the monster due to circumstance and the ignorance of society. Also, one feels a certain amount of apprehension that the monster is deserted by his creator and loses control without his support and guidance.The novels were written in the 19th century, Frankenstein was first published in 1818 and Dracula was first published in 1897. In this century there was a fanaticism with Gothic repulsion stories and these novels reflect this. In the last century, a wide audience would have appreciated these novels, although they a re not great literary accomplishments, people of that period enjoyed development this type of story, filled with horror, suspense and intrigue. The very idea that such an evil and f salutaryening creature could exist shocked and aroused the curiosity of many people at this time. Society in the last century was extremely corrupt and immoral, the novel Frankenstein reflects this, in which an innocent creature is shunned by society because of its unnatural and somewhat shocking appearance.Nowadays, people are still enticed by fear, they have a curiosity for the supernatural, evil and frightening. Although modern day society is supposedly politically correct, we are still an immoral society and many of us would treat a creature like Frankensteins creation or a lamia like Dracula like a monster. In this way, the novels still have social significance. The atmosphere of each novel plays a significant role in setting the scene for the ensuing horror to evolve. The atmosphere in each nove l is different the horror in each novel is differentThe concomitant that Frankensteins monster kills out of revenge and anger is a form evil but one can understand and to a certain fulfilment sympathise with his inability to reason right from wrong. Many examples of this inability are shown, for example, the creature strangles Frankensteins innocent young brother because he cannot under... ... although his pin comes because he has limitations, such as, his power ceases, as does that of all evil things, at the coming of the day. Then there are things which so afflict him that he has no power, as the garlic that we know of, and as for things sacred, my crucifix These reassure one that there is a means to destroy Dracula.Frankenstein did not frighten me at all, I merely found it a very tragic story demonstrating both the corruption of an innocent being by an immoral society and the dangers of playing deity with science. Frankenstein was responsible for the creature and as soon as h e showed signs of life, instead of deserting him due to fear and embarrassment because of the ugliness of the creature, he should have taught the creature right from wrong and accepted him as a person, not a monster. Any brutality in Frankenstein was due to Victor Frankenstein himself and not his monster.Dracula is a novel that probes deeply into peoples superstitions, fears and beliefs of the supernatural. The creature Dracula is an evil being with no concern for others, he kills for his own ends and cannot be stopped, and this is what makes Dracula truly frightening.