Monster In Dracula

Monster is a subjective term. Depending on the culture, people view different things as monsters. There’s the well-known Dracula, werewolf, and the Loch-Ness monster; however there are many different things that people consider monstrous. Webster’s dictionary defines a monster as a threatening force. For something to be considered threatening, it must invoke fear, and since fear is subjective, one can conclude that monsters are subjective. We can see this subjectivity across several cultures. For example, in the Scottish Highlands there is ancient myth of a giant sea serpent who consumed those who swam to far into the loch. While this would be terrifying to those who lived in the area, to a child in England or America this ‘Loch-Ness monster’ would not be a threat or fright. The same goes for a blood sucking human that lives in the extravagant castles of Romania. Dracula, this mythical monster, actually has very realistic origins. Author Bram Stoker loosely based the mythical Count Dracula off of the very real Emperor Vlad the …show more content…
In today’s society there are many global cultures that still believe in murder as an acceptable punishment for a woman who dates outside of her religion or even dates at all. In our society to take the life of another human being is a monstrous and evil thing to do; however, in some traditional Indian, Oriental, and Middle Eastern cultures these are known as honor killings and they are a completely acceptable punishment. To commit murder in the United States is a heinous crime that strips the individual of their basic human right to life. Our law makers thought that murder was so monstrous of a crime that in most states the penalty for murder is life in prison or even death. Another example of a ‘modern monster’ is a pedophile. The thought of someone committing such a heinous crime against a child is terror inducing for parents. This fear classifies these fear invoking people as