Classics of Horror: Frankenstein, Dracula, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

De: James Krasner, The Great Courses

Narrado por: James Krasner

A reanimated corpse lumbering from the shadows with outstretched arms. A vampire creeping toward a bared throat with fangs exposed. A scientist’s brutish alter ego stalking the shadows of gas-lit London. Chances are that you’re familiar with the literary monsters of Frankenstein, Dracula, and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde—even if you haven’t read the novels that portray them.

In Classics of Horror: Frankenstein, Dracula, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, James Krasner, an expert in Victorian literature, takes you on a fascinating journey into the enduring power of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. You’ll learn how these three literary masters structured their novels to offer not only scares but also complex insights into cultural debates that still matter to us today. What responsibilities do scientists owe to their discoveries, and is there such a thing as going too far? What anxieties about gender and sexuality do we still share with Victorian readers? Can literature help us answer questions about crime, identity, and the nature of evil?

By the end of this uncanny Audible Original, you’ll have a richer appreciation for these classics of horror—whether you’ve read them before or are encountering them for the first time.

©2024 Audible Originals, LLC (P)2024 Audible Originals, LLC.

Fun, insightful read for horror fans!

This lecture series is wonderfully entertaining, and exceptionally insightful. An excellent read, and a fun listen, for anyone whose love of horror transcends both the written word, and silver screen.

Looking forward to hearing more from Dr Krasner

I was glad to see a second audible original / great courses teamup from Dr Krasner. Hope there's more in store!

Interesting weave of history & horror stories

Presentation was a little flat. And yet, the the author provided interesting background on the times & social morays of each tale. He also showed us examples of how the three authors constructed their monsters given their own times and perhaps thoughts about masculinity.

Thank you Audible for the Halloween treat!

Somewhat interesting but a stretch

This was a semi-interesting analysis of Frankenstein, Dracula, and Jekyll/Hyde. It did provide some insights and more detail as to what was going on in each. I certainly got pseudo-political and societal aspects from Dracula that I hadn't previously.

That being said, the author strains to find insights even where they don't exist. In particular, it seems that he felt it crucial to find feminist or misogynistic aspects to each, whether they're really there or not. Some of these were really a stretch. Then, to further stretch the point, he references various movie adaptations and vaguely related books to demonstrate. In these cases, he's not really bringing these 'big 3' books to light -- he's postulating on how MUCH later authors and moviemakers used similar characters or ideas.

Great Overview!

Although it’s not my own area of expertise, I’ve read quite a bit about classic horror. Even so, I was immediately sucked in, and really enjoyed this series of lectures. I definitely learned some new information, and (more importantly, I would argue), gained some fresh perspectives on these seminal works! A+