Imaginary Worlds Creature Double Feature
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Oct 22, 2025 Dive into the eerie origins of two iconic monsters! Explore how a volcanic eruption inspired Mary Shelley's vision for Frankenstein, intertwined with her tumultuous romance. Discover why Bram Stoker might have drawn from the flamboyant Buffalo Bill in crafting Dracula, reflecting Victorian anxieties. Uncover the theatrical ties that shaped both characters and the lasting impact each has on horror. This Halloween season, prepare for a spine-chilling journey through literary history!
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Frankenstein Born In A Stormy Summer
- Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein during a stormy, bored summer at Lake Geneva while Lord Byron and others challenged each other to write ghost stories.
- The cramped, rain-soaked retreat and dramatic company directly sparked her continuous writing of the novel.
Volcanic Winter Shaped Frankenstein's Themes
- The 1816 "Year Without a Summer" followed Tambora's eruption and produced crop failures, displacement, and social panic across Europe.
- Gillen D'Arcy Wood links this climatic crisis to Frankenstein's themes of displacement, hospitality, and ecological anxiety.
The Creature As A Refugee Figure
- The creature in Frankenstein can be read as a refugee figure, rejected by towns and cities during crisis-driven migrations.
- Mary Shelley's novel experiments with hospitality and ethical imagination toward those 'radically other' than ourselves.
