Frankenstein vs. Dracula: A Literary Battle

The nineteenth century gave us all of our best monsters: Frankenstein, Dracula, Dr. Jekyll, the creatures of the Island of Dr. Moreau and the undersea horrors of Captain Nemo, to name a few. Just in time for the Halloween season we will look at Mary Shelley's greatest creation—Frankenstein's creature—and Bram Stoker's Dracula, the villain who shaped the modern idea of vampires. We won't be asking "who would win in a fight?" (Dracula, hands down!) so much as "what kinds of fears do these monsters represent, and why do we keep coming back to them?"

The lecture will include an optional happy hour, with time to mix and mingle, get a drink from the Mini Bar, and do a little browsing or book buying.

All participants will receive Penguin Classics versions of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and Bram Stoker's Dracula.

Robert Archambeau teaches 19th century British literature at Lake Forest College where (may the gods forgive him) he chairs the English department. His most recent books are the comic novel Alice B. Toklas is Missing and a translation of the Belgian Surrealist writers Gabriel and Marcel Piqueray's very weird Beyond Gestures.

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