Dracula vs. the Beetle : How Science is Used as a Rhetorical Tool to Bring the Monsters to Life

Sammanfattning: This essay is a cultural/historical analysis of the role of science in the books Dracula by Bram Stoker and The Beetle by Richard Marsh. The aim is to investigate how science is used to lessen the amount of critical judgment the reader has to suspend while reading these two Gothic stories, as well as identifying what contexts science is part of. Initially, there is an introduction of the late nineteenth century Britain and the social and scientific events of that era, focusing on Darwinian ideologies, imperialism, and fear of degeneration. The conclusion reached is that science is used to inspire realism by increasing the feeling of authenticity, by erasing the boundaries of facts and beliefs with a juxtaposition of science and superstition, and by creating and upholding an uncanny effect.