Ever since childhood, I have been fascinated by the two most recognizable icons of gothic fiction: Frankenstein’s monster and Dracula. Many afternoons were spent watching Hammer adaptations starring Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing. Many late fees were incurred by copious viewings of the Universal films starring these beloved characters, yet I didn’t discover the texts until my high school years. When I did finally read the novels, they opened a whole new world of appreciation. One of my favorite scenes within Bram Stoker’s most famous work is the moment when Jonathan runs afoul of Dracula’s three brides. The scene is still chilling even by today’s standards. Part of what makes the scene work is the weaving of taboos in a relatively short
