The construct of “ The Other ” was foremost introduced by Hegel in his philosophical authorship “ Phenomenology of Spirit. ” He posited that in detecting a division between you and another, a feeling of disaffection signifiers, which one tries to decide by subjugation or riddance. Throughout history, societies and groups have outcast and marginalise “ Others ” who did non suit into their society. Through demonisation and disapprobation, these others are friendless and denied integrating. Bram Stoker ‘s Dracula and Mary Shelley ‘s Frankenstein both act to light the predicament of “ The Other ” and how the demonisation of the unknown or unfamiliar can take to the fosterage of freak and immorality.

The narrative of Dracula can be interpreted as an fable for the anxiousness nowadays within England and the remainder of the Western universe at the terminal of the eighteenth century towards an encroaching and impending “ Other. ” This other took on many signifiers, both actual and ideological. England at the clip of Dracula ‘s publication was arguably the universe ‘s largest power, but its power was declining. A changeless addition in in-migration brought an increased degree of disparate civilization and ethnicity to England, a state profoundly rooted in category, tradition and nobility that was non needfully encompassing of racial diverseness and nonconformity. Reactions toward aliens and immigrants were frequently rough. Count Dracula embodies the rise of the unknown alien into the insider universe of the West. He is an immigrant from one of the easternmost parts of Europe, and the manner in which his fatherland of Transylvania is described in the book is really revealing of the Western biass of the clip.

Stoker work was profoundly influenced by the clip and topographic point in which he lived. Bing born in Ireland between two of the trademarks of western laterality, Great Britain and the state that branched off from it, America, Stoker was probably influenced by the popular biass of the clip. Johnathan Harker ‘s sentiments and attitude towards his trip to Transylvania are really declarative of England ‘s place towards people from countries of the universe they deemed less civilised so themselves. With Count Dracula as the narrative ‘s cardinal representative of Transylvania and the East, unfavorable judgment in the text of the foreign are entwined with Dracula ‘s individuality as an foreigner from one of these unusual lands.

“ I had to sit in the passenger car for more than an hr before we began to travel. It seems to me that the farther E you go the more unpunctual are the trains. What ought they to be in China? ” ( 4 )

This quote pin-points the kind of chesty high quality nowadays within Victorian England ; non merely is Johnathan knocking Transylvania for its deficiency of modern promotion, he is blindly grouping all eastern states together as one cohesive whole, wholly ignoring the huge differences between Eastern Europe and a geographic country as far removed physically and in footings of civilization and complexness as China. As Johnathan ‘s journey continues, his associated letters continue to reflect ignorance and contempt for the other that favours stereotype, imitation and generalisation over tolerance or apprehension.

“ The strangest figures we saw were the Slovaks, who were more barbaric than the remainder, with their large cow-boy chapeaus, great loose-fitting dirty-white pants, white linen shirts, and tremendous heavy leather belts, about a pes broad, all studded over with brass nails. They wore high boots, with their pants tucked into them, and had long black hair and heavy black mustaches. They are really picturesque, but do non look prepossessing. ” ( 5 )

Johnathan categorically claims one group of people are uniformly “ more barbaric ” and seems to ogle them as some kind of freshness, a people less civilised and less human than those of his native England. The people of Transylvania live a different manner of life than those of England, and this difference is confounding and endangering to Johnathan. The contrast can be seen as a duality between the new universe of the West and the old universe of the E.

“ These are itinerants. I have notes of them in my book. They are curious to this portion of the universe, though allied to the ordinary itinerants all the universe over. There are 1000s of them in Hungary and Transylvania, who are about outside all jurisprudence. They attach themselves as a regulation to some great baronial or boyar, and name themselves by his name. They are unafraid and without faith, salvage superstitious notion, and they talk merely their ain assortments of the Romany lingua. “ ( 66 )

Johnathan, Seward and Morris represent scientific discipline, logic and rational idea. Johnathan talks slightingly about the itinerants, automatically denominating a life free of jurisprudence or control as something negative. Transylvania, inhabited by lamias and itinerants, is a symbol of the old universe E, stand foring superstitious notion, the cryptic and the irrational. Johnathan, himself a Christian, implies that his belief system is acceptable and preferable, where as theirs is dismissed without consideration. Dracula is the extreme of this foreign other in many ways ; holding lived in feudal times, he literally comes from an older universe, an older clip. Because he is representative of a land that is unconquered by the modern universe and its thoughts of scientific discipline and ground, he is labeled as the other, something that is unknown and unfamiliar, and therefore in demand of contempt and extinction.

“ We are in Transylvania, and Transylvania is non England. Our ways are non your ways, and there shall be to you many unusual things. ” ( 33 )

Dracula himself is cognizant of his position as “ the Other ” and anticipates the possible problem that will originate as those disparities between him and the other characters become clear. There is grounds in the text that Dracula feels scorned in his effort to bridge the spread between the two universes. Johnathan complements his proficiency with English but Dracula shrewdly states the rough world of being a “ alien in a unusual land. ”

“ Well, I know that, did I move and speak in your London, none there are who would non cognize me for a alien. That is non plenty for me. Here I am baronial. I am a Boyar. The common people know me, and I am master. But a alien in a unusual land, he is no 1. Work force know him non, and to cognize non is to care non for. I am content if I am like the remainder, so that no adult male stops if he sees me, or intermissions in his speech production if he hears my words, ‘Ha, hour angle! A alien! ‘ I have been so long maestro that I would be maestro still, or at least that none other should be maestro of me. You come to me non entirely as agent of my friend Peter Hawkins, of Exeter, to state me all about my new estate in London. You shall, I trust, rest here with me a piece, so that by our speaking I may larn the English modulation. And I would that you tell me when I make mistake, even of the smallest, in my speech production. ” ( 32 )

This subdivision from the text, possibly more than any other, reflects Dracula ‘s interior feelings of being the castaway, and keep relevancy when understanding the mentality of all immigrants and aliens. Like many immigrants, his English is flawed and his apprehension of the norms of the society he seeks credence to is uncomplete. These castawaies must voyage the move into lands that are frequently judgmental and unwelcoming, disparaged before even given a opportunity to be understood.

The western universe succeeds in destructing Dracula, but they ne’er bother to understand him. This is reflected in the narrative apparatus of the work ; the diary entries are looks of English nobility. No journal entries or positions from Dracula are present, reenforcing his position as the other. Alternatively the reader is given positions of people raised in the western universe, on the interior of modernness such as a physician and a attorney, representatives of scientific discipline and jurisprudence, all who show unease towards the unfamiliar. This contempt exists in malice of Dracula ‘s involvement and fondness for their civilization.

“ In the library I found, to my great delectation, a huge figure of English books, whole shelves full of them, and bound volumes of magazines and newspapers. A tabular array in the Centre was littered with English magazines and newspapers, though none of them were of really recent day of the month. The books were of the most varied sort, history, geographics, political relations, political economic system, vegetation, geology, jurisprudence, all associating to England and English life and imposts and manners. “ ( 32 )

Dracula is clearly interested in being a portion of this universe that wants no portion of him. Surely understanding English civilization would be good in his end of eating and endurance due to its big population, but it seems as though there is more to his involvement than merely endurance. Dracula seems to be hankering for credence.

“ Through them I have come to cognize your great England, and to cognize her is to love her. I long to travel through the crowded streets of your mighty London, to be in the thick of the commotion and haste of humanity, to portion its life, its alteration, its decease, and all that makes it what it is. But unfortunately! As yet I merely know your lingua through books. ” ( 32 )

The reader can experience his sense of despair, of exclusion, and desire to experience connected to something. When he attempts to travel at that place, he is expelled because of biass. While the English merely disregard and blindly deride his people and their manner of life, he actively attempts to at least comprehend and be cognizant of these same people who are so removed from him. Dracula engages in “ monstrous ” behaviour, at least harmonizing to the potentially colored testimony of the western storytellers who convey the narrative through their diaries and letters. However, feeding on blood is something that he must make to last. Traditional society sees him as different and therefore he lives as an castaway. It makes sense so that his pattern of vampirism has double intents ; to prolong himself, but besides to possibly dull his sense of isolation. He hopes to diminish the grade to which he is the castaway by doing others go what he is. If his program had been executed, finally the western universe would be permeated with others like him. He would go the bulk, and no longer hold to endure as “ the other ” , as an castaway of society. This kind of hankering for credence and connexion is cosmopolitan and places him in a more sympathetic visible radiation.

Mary Shelley ‘s Frankenstein can besides be analyzed to light the experience of “ the other. ” There are many qualities that merit Frankenstein ‘s monster ‘s inclusion and credence into society, instead than the castaway position he holds as a consequence of his unnatural nature and physical abnormalcy. He displays many facets that show elements of a sophisticated being seeking to seek credence and connexion with society and world. Unfortunately, Shelley shows us how the unknown is frequently feared and hated, irrespective of their efforts to incorporate.

An scrutiny of animal ‘s immediate journey following his creative activity and rejection by Victor Frankenstein forms an insightful lens into the nature of the other. Having been rejected and sworn off by his maestro and Godhead, the animal has justification to be angry at the universe. Alternatively of choler, he is overcome with solitariness, wretchedness and fright. Even so, he attempts to link with world by looking inside a bungalow.

“ I had barely placed my pes within the door before the kids shrieked, and one of the adult females fainted. The whole small town was roused ; some fled, some attacked me, until, grievously bruised by rocks and many other sorts of missile arms, I escaped to the unfastened state and fearfully took safety in a low hut. ” ( 136 )

This transition is the animal ‘s first effort to prosecute in society. Unfortunately, he is brutally beaten. The people of the small town take no clip to inquire inquiries or seek apprehension of the monster ; instead, they instantly and blindly attack him because of his physical malformations that mark him as “ the other ” . If the cottage dwellers had looked past his distinctness and his ugly exterior and treated him with compassion, he probably would hold embraced it. Alternatively, he is psychologically scarred from the incident. Even with such a bad initial experience interacting with world, the monster still attempts to link and understand the De Lacey household. He shows considerable human-like compassion in his acknowledgment and regard for their dearth.

“ They frequently, I believe, suffered the stabs of hungriness really affectingly, particularly the two younger cottage dwellers, for several times they placed nutrient before the old adult male when they reserved none for themselves. “ This trait of kindness moved me sanely. I had been accustomed, during the dark, to steal a portion of their shop for my ain ingestion, but when I found that in making this I inflicted hurting on the cottage dwellers, I abstained and satisfied myself with berries, nuts, and roots which I gathered from a neighbouring wood. ” ( 144 )

The monster non merely is aware and respectful of their nutrient deficit, but besides wants to assist buoy up their burden given that they are sing adversity. This is evidenced in the undermentioned text.

“ I discovered besides another means through which I was enabled to help their labors. I found that the young person spent a great portion of each twenty-four hours in roll uping wood for the household fire, and during the dark I frequently took his tools, the usage of which I rapidly discovered, and brought place fire sufficient for the ingestion of several yearss. “ ( 144 )

This transition reflects a general sense of good and kindness bing within the animal. Isolating the analysis of the animal to this part of the text, he clearly seems to be interested in practising compassion and has a echt wonder and avidity to larn, understand, and derive connexion to people. He devotes his clip to larning English and history of world by listening and watching the De Lacey ‘s Teach Safie. What he gathers nevertheless farther defines his function as castaway ;

“ And what was I? Of my creative activity and Godhead I was perfectly nescient, but I knew that I possessed no money, no friends, no sort of belongings. I was, besides, endued with a figure horridly deformed and nauseating ; I was non even of the same nature as adult male. ” ( 157 )

This cognition and self contemplation brings about a great trade of cold, rough truth to the animal. Between seeing his ain contemplation in the mirror and deriving an apprehension of how credence and esteem in society is accomplished, the animals begins to acknowledge his individuality as castaway and becomes overwhelmed by the trouble an castaway such as himself would hold in deriving human connexion.

“ I can non depict to you the torment that these contemplations inflicted upon me ; I tried to chase away them, but sorrow merely increased with cognition. “ ( 157 )

His find of the books and articles further allows him to research hankering for cognition. However, what he finds farther points out his position as an castaway, as the other and of the corruption of world. The narratives of creative activity and devastation within Paradise lost do him contemplate his forsaking by his ain Godhead.

“ Many times I considered Satan as the fitter emblem of my status, for frequently, like him, when I viewed the cloud nine of my defenders, the acrimonious saddle sore of enviousness rose within me. “ ( 172 )

Further damaging the animal ‘s sentiment of humanity is his determination of Victor ‘s documents sing his ain creative activity. Victor, his Godhead and his male parent figure, refers to him with disgust, his beginning as “ accurst. ” With even his Godhead abandoning him, the animal, who had already lost his farther loses his ability to link with Adam, loses his ability genuinely connect even with Satan. The animal ‘s internal function as the other is solidified. He realizes he is all entirely in this universe, with no family or people willing to associate to him.

“ Satan had his comrades, chap Satans, to look up to and promote him, but I am lone and abhorred. “ ( 172 )

Detecting the human connexion among the De Lacey ‘s and within the books he reads is climbing nightshade ; he additions knowledge, but the cognition makes him recognize the absence of such kindness in his ain life. Missing societal individuality or interaction, his lost societal individuality and sense of distinctness are intensified. Although he learns English and read the books, he is alienated from society and therefore has no manner of pass oning with others. In malice of all of this, the humanity and compassion in the monster proves to be resilient and really human.

“ I contemplated the virtuousnesss of the cottage dwellers, their good-humored and benevolent temperaments, I persuaded myself that when they should go acquainted with my esteem of their virtuousnesss they would feel for me and overlook my personal malformation. Could they turn from their door one, nevertheless monstrous, who solicited their compassion and friendly relationship? ” ( 173 )

Shunned by all people he has interacted with, the animal holds on to a gleam of hope. He is inspired by the kindness of the De Laney kin and wants to believe in the goodness of world despite the figure of atrocious feelings worlds have made on him. It is this longing for good and credence that leads to his effort to eventually near the old, unsighted patriarch of the De Lacey kin. The animal does non hotfoot into this procedure. His continued wonder and intense fright of rejection causes him to wait a great piece before eventually trying credence. With his horrid and otherly visual aspect non playing a factor, the animal is able to discourse in a composure, civilised manner, indicating to his ability to associate and interact with people. Unfortunately, this credence is impermanent ; the animal bares his psyche, uncovering his deepest insecurities about being an foreigner, and is met yet once more with contempt. The De Lacey household instantly Judgess him based on his ugly physical visual aspect and attacks him. The people he had grown to love rejected him, but instead than ache them or revenge, he flees in desperation.

“ For the first clip the feelings of retaliation and hatred filled my bosom, and I did non strive to command them, but leting myself to be borne off by the watercourse, I bent my head towards hurt and decease. ” ( 185 )

It is merely after all of this hurting and disapprobation that we see the animal Begin to openly encompass his monstrous side. The animal still attempts to anchor himself by believing about the positive facets of humanity he had witnessed.

“ When I thought of my friends, of the mild voice of De Lacey, the soft eyes of Agatha, and the keen beauty of the Arabian, these ideas vanished and a flush of cryings slightly soothed me. But once more when I reflected that they had spurned and deserted me, anger returned. “ ( 185 )

We can see a great trade of internal battle in the animal at this point of the book. He is torn between his natural affinity towards love, compassion and apprehension and his experience of being universally shunned at every bend. It merely makes sense so that immorality and freak would attest itself in a being who has been wholly and entirely rejected by the bias and dogmatism of society. As he journeys towards Geneva, he once more finds the good in life:

“ The twenty-four hours, which was one of the first of spring, cheered even me by the comeliness of its sunlight and the softness of the air. I felt emotions of gradualness and pleasance, that had long appeared dead, revive within me. Half surprised by the freshness of these esthesiss, I allowed myself to be borne away by them, and burying my purdah and malformation, dared to be happy. “ ( 188 )

It is the mending power of nature that renews Victor ‘s liquors, once more demoing the animals propensity for optimism and joy as his natural province. He seems to be a floaty figure, invariably forcing in front towards empathy and love regardless of what has happened. Still in fright on worlds and their bias towards him, the animal travels at dark, trusting to hedge affray and farther rejection. Inspired by the spring, he ventures out during the twenty-four hours. Coming across a immature miss who has fallen into a watercourse, he ignores the promise of retribution he had antecedently made against humanity and saves her from death, merely to be changeable and wounded for his attempts. It is with this incident that we see his sense of hope and optimism may eventually hold been smothered.

“ This was so the wages of my benevolence! I had saved a human being from devastation, and as a recompense I now writhed under the suffering hurting of a lesion which shattered the flesh and bone. The feelings of kindness and gradualness which I had entertained but a few minutes before gave topographic point to hellish fury and gnashing of dentitions. Inflamed by hurting, I vowed ageless hate and retribution to all world. “ ( 189 )

It genuinely seems as though he is seeking and trusting for merely one individual to demo him some kind of embracing, merely to be repeatedly proven incorrect. Accepting that humanity will ne’er accept him, the monster becomes resigned to merely holding a female opposite number, created by Victor, so that he can hold merely one being to link with and love. By denying him even this, Victor is depriving the animal down to nil, devoid of any hope or possibility. It makes sense so that the animal turns towards immorality and his justification seems to be sound and reflects person that has been made the other.

“ When I foremost sought it, it was the love of virtuousness, the feelings of felicity and fondness with which my whole being overflowed, that I wished to be participated. But now that virtuousness has become to me a shadow, and that felicity and fondness are turned into acrimonious and abhoring desperation, in what should I seek for understanding? aˆ¦Once my illusion was soothed with dreams of virtuousness, of celebrity, and of enjoyment. Once I falsely hoped to run into with existences who, excusing my outward signifier, would love me for the first-class qualities which I was capable of blossoming. I was nourished with high ideas of honor and devotedness. But now offense has degraded me beneath the meanest animate being. No guilt, no mischievousness, no malevolence, no wretchedness, can be found comparable to mine. When I run over the atrocious catalogue of my wickednesss, I can non believe that I am the same animal whose ideas were one time filled with empyreal and surpassing visions of the beauty and the stateliness of goodness. ” ( 307 )

This extract provokes a great trade of idea about the nature of “ the other ” and how the intervention of the other can frequently force them towards freak. In the instance of the monster, it can be argued that his freak is a erudite behaviour, or at least one activated by experience. The animal merely becomes genuinely monstrous after being disrespected and outcast by society. The possibility exists that had he been tolerated or embraced by society, he might hold lived a more baronial, peaceable life. The transmutation from good to evil, as a merchandise of disaffection and banishment, can be recognized in both Shelley ‘s Frankenstein and Stoker ‘s Dracula. These plants allow the reader to analyse the being of the other and how it intertwines with thoughts about bias, the true nature of life, of good and evil, of learned and innate, and of what factors contribute to the monstrous.