Debbie Zheng

English 10

Comparison Paper on Dracula and Frankenstein

September 1, 2010

The Deviation of Monsters, Inc.

Being a monster requires a character to possess either a frightful appearance or

personality. Fictional monsters have journeyed across the Earth for centuries, destroying many

things that stand in their path. They are a threatening force that deviates from the normal shape

or behavior. In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Frankenstein,

Frankenstein’s creation, and Dracula each have a dreadful personality and appearance that

equates to the qualities of monstrosity. The impact that these characters have on their

surroundings is what sets them apart and shapes them into their own individual monster.

Even though Victor Frankenstein is undoubtedly human, his personality displays the

qualities that belong to a monster. His personality is monstrous because of his single-minded

drive. In Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein is a selfish man that secludes himself from others by his

drive for scientific knowledge and his everlasting guilt in creating a horrendous beast. He is

always thinking about how things affect him, which creates problems for himself and others.

When the creature threatens him on his wedding night, he is too self-centered to realize that the

creature may not be talking about killing him, but his loved one. Frankenstein is worried about

what others will think of him, and is always trying to make the choices that will give him fame

and a good name for himself. When carrying out the request of Frankenstein’s creature to build a

female monster, Frankenstein writes to Walton, “I shuddered to think that future ages might

curse me as their pest, whose selfishness had not hesitated to buy its own peace at the price,
perhaps, of the existence of the whole human race” (56). Frankenstein is afraid of what society

would think of him if he released another villainous monster out to freely do as she pleases with

his creature. Even though he thinks that he should stop the invention for the good of the people,

the idea of him destroying the hopes and dreams of his creature doesn’t ever come to

Frankenstein’s mind. Instead, he selfishly worries about his appearance in the eyes of others,

dismissing his own creation’s feelings. Frankenstein considers his own creation as an inhumane

monster without emotions. Denying the creature of a wife because of his selfish reasoning causes

it to revolt and kill all of Frankenstein’s loved ones, which leads to Frankenstein’s character

developing into a vengeful man who stops at no end to kill his enemy.

Living a luxurious childhood caused Frankenstein to become spoiled and abandon his

responsibilities, leaving the creature to fend for himself and develop particular emotions. Born

into an aristocratic family, Frankenstein was always treated with respect and dignity by his peers.

He has always been handed life on a silver platter, but when his creation doesn’t turn out as

planned, he cruelly abandons it because of his aversion to the creature’s appearance. The creature

is left alone to figure out the ways of life, and it eventually starts to develop a fondness for

humans. But unlike Frankenstein’s easy access to the world, the creature isn’t accepted into

society due to his horrid appearance. Upon seeing the creature, young William Frankenstein

shouts in horror, “Monster! Ugly Wretch! You wish to eat me and tear me to pieces. You are an

ogre” (131). William automatically assumes the worst of the creature because of his looks,

presuming that he is a monster that is going to devour him. After realizing that humans would

never allow him into their society, the creature becomes a savage monster that destroys many

things to get back at its creator. Instead of feeling satisfied with murdering humans, the creature

experiences a gut-wrenching guilt in performing the crime. If Frankenstein wouldn’t have

deserted his creation, the creature would have become a thoughtful, emotional being instead of a

terrifying killer that is consumed with guilt and revenge. The creature’s personality amounts to

one of a monster’s because his never-ending revulsion towards Frankenstein causes him to rashly

harm others.

Similar to Shelley’s Frankenstein, Stoker’s Dracula is a selfish man that is used to getting

what he wants because of his family lineage and power he holds, creating an appalling monster.

Threatened with the prospect of the female vampires draining Jonathon Harker of blood, Dracula

intervenes and abuses his vampire minions. Jonathon Harker writes in his diary, “With a fierce

sweep of his arm, he hurled the woman from him, and then motioned to the others, as though he

were beating them back; it was the same imperious gesture that I had seen used to the wolves”

(39). Dracula treats the vampires he creates no better than dogs, acting like he is much more

important than his creations, just as Frankenstein acts towards his creature. Dracula only cares

about himself, greedily indulging himself with his victims’ blood without a thought of how they

would feel. While Frankenstein and the creature have once had a somewhat gentle nature,

Dracula does not possess affectionate or kind characteristics; instead, he is an evil creature of the

night who murders people to sustain himself. Although Frankenstein and his creation allow their

guilt to control their lives, Dracula doesn’t suffer from the guilt of his actions, so he continuously

repeats his monstrous deeds in order to keep himself alive and healthy. His greedy, wicked

characteristics make his personality revolting and monstrous.

The creature and Dracula are aware of their threatening appearance and where they stand

to others, but Frankenstein is a well respected man to people’s eyes, so he is oblivious to his own

monstrosity. The creature understands how hideous Frankenstein made him, so he shouts to the

skies, “Accursed creator! Why did you form a monster so hideous that even you turned from me
in disgust? God, in pity, made man beautiful and alluring, after his own image; but my form is a

filthy type of yours, more horrid even from the very resemblance” (119). The creature knows

how his appearance affects others, that he has such an appalling appearance that people

automatically assume he is a monster. Since his looks are so terrifying, people are petrified by

him, despite the fact that he is quite subdued and tender at times. Frankenstein’s creature is

produced out of dead materials, defying the laws of creation. He is a creature brought from the

dead, coming to life unnaturally. Similarly, Dracula is a creature that rose from the dead; a

parasite that sucks the life out of others. His mortal feelings have no weight against his desire to

consume life for his pleasure. Both these characters give off the appearance of being unnatural.

Dracula is also conscious of the affect he has on others, but unlike the creature, he uses it to his

advantage. Dracula casually barges into Renfield’s room uninvited, causing Renfield to think,

“He sneered at me, and his white face looked out of the mist with his red eyes gleaming, and he

went on as though he owned the whole place, and I was no one” (281). Dracula uses his inhuman

strength and intimidating looks to his advantage, easily controlling everything because he knows

others are too scared and powerless to stop him in doing anything. He is more human in his form

than the Frankenstein’s creation is, but he carries an air of mystery that repels people from him.

In contrast, Frankenstein is not at all aware of his monstrous personality, believing he is an

innocent and respectable man. Since he is completely human, it is not obvious to him and others

that his personality is atrocious. Other than the monster, there has never been a witness to

Frankenstein’s character, so there hasn’t ever been anyone utterly sickened by him like the

creature and Dracula has had. Frankenstein and Dracula are both upper class nobles, appearing to

others as dignified aristocrats, but in reality, they are cruel beings who abandon their belongings.

Instead of staying in one country, Dracula moves from one place to another in search of draining
the life out of many various people. He has no concern for the vampires he has created or the

victims that he has once consumed. Likewise, Frankenstein leaves his home for long periods of

time without a consideration for his close ones, while his family worries about him constantly.

He also deserts his monstrous creation in order to maintain his distinguished appearance to

others.

Monsters have been presented in novels throughout the centuries, each possessing

menacing characteristics that have petrified people for ages. Frankenstein, his creation, and

Dracula are monsters in their own individual way, but also share some bit of resemblance to each

other. With their unpleasant personality, thoughtless attitude towards others, and distinctive

appearance, they are well known monsters that are set apart from the norm, horrifying people for

decades.