NINETEENTH-CENTURY MONSTERS AND TYRANNY: FRANKENSTEIN AND DRACULA IN THE CONTEXT OF TIMOTHY SNYDER’S ON TYRANNY

Abstract

The article examines nineteenth-century Gothic novels – Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Bram Stoker’s Dracula – as sources of reflection on the mechanisms that lead to the rise of tyranny, as described by Timothy Snyder in On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century. By relating the literary characters and their recent film adaptations to the ideas presented in Snyder’s work, the article highlights the parallels between the creation of the monster and the formation of oppressive political systems, as well as between Dracula’s actions and the tendency of societies to remain passive, which enables tyranny to impose its rules. The analysis shows that themes present in classic works of horror – such as dehumanization, manipulation of narrative, and the silence surrounding actions that endanger socjety – remain relevant and continue to serve as warnings in the modern era. The aim of the article is to encourage a critical
reading of both fantastic narratives, past events, and today’s political landscape, so that, following Snyder’s advice, we do not repeat the mistakes of previous generations.