Noel Carroll defines a monster as an unnatural creature, nonhuman or not entirely human, that constitutes a threat to the protagonist. (Chewbacca, for example, is not a monster because he is not a threat to the protagonists).
Carroll also created a Taxonomy of Monsters. Five categories of unnatural creatures that all horror antagonists fit into:
A non-exhaustive list compiled by Custom-Writing.org
Villain monsters are usually complex characters that don’t necessarily fall into the category of antagonists. They’re characterized by motivations such as greed or desire for power. Villain monsters can communicate evil without violence. Also, these types of characters often combine an ordinary appearance with some horrific bestial elements. Bram Stoker’s Count Dracula is a great example of a monster villain. He looks like a human but is monstrous by nature.
A sympathetic monster is a character that appears like a monster to others but doesn’t do anything bad. Isolation and ostracization make such characters turn their backs on people and commit crimes, even if initially they had no bad intentions. Sympathetic monsters are often created by society. For instance, the hunchback Quasimodo, like Frankenstein’s monster, is shamed for his physical deformity and manipulated by people. He is perceived as a monster just because of his unusual looks.
Cosmic horror is a subgenre of Gothic literature. It emphasizes the fear of the unknown and pictures humans as vulnerable and ignorant. The first name that comes to mind when we talk about cosmic horror is H. P. Lovecraft. The two terms—”Lovecraftian horror” and “cosmic horror” are used interchangeably. In the world of cosmic horror, monsters are far more powerful than people. They challenge human values and the way they perceive the world. Lovecraftian horror has some unique characteristics that distinguish it from other works of Gothic literature. It includes the use of:
In the classic Greek and Roman myths, many villains and monsters are female. Many myths and legends reinforced certain expectations about women’s behavior and appearance. These stories also, to a certain extent, reflected the way women were seen as destructive. It shows males’ desire to control and rule over the female. Female monsters symbolize someone who goes beyond the patriarchal order and therefore poses a threat to the male protagonist. Grendel’s mother from Beowulf is a good example of such a character.
The information below was gathered (and edited) from Monster literature (in 2023); however, there were no sources listed. You will see links added to each section for library resources that you can use to further explore Literary themes.
Monster Literature focuses on how science influences the creation and destruction of supernatural evil beings.
Monster Literature exerts feelings of isolation to its characters. For example, in Frankenstein, both Victor Frankenstein and the monster he creates are left isolated after they abandon their family members or are abandoned. Frankenstein obsesses over his scientific revelations and neglects his potential fiancé and the rest of his family. Once he has completed his creation, he abandons the monster leaving it alone to fend for itself. The monster then (spoiler alert!) kills all of Frankenstein's friends and relatives.
Monster Literature often presents characters as lonely and helpless beings. In I Am Legend, Robert Neville is the last human on Earth, or so he believes. His only company is the horde of vampires that linger around his house wanting to suck his blood and drain the human qualities from him. Neville suffers from the resonating silence that fills his home every day. He hears no voices and sees no friendly beings. At night he is tormented by the evil creatures outside his home.
The most obvious example of duality in Monster Literature is in The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. By night, Dr. Jekyll turns into Mr. Hyde, his evil and monstrous side, and by day, he returns to his primary identity as Dr. Jekyll. Over time, his duality begins to blend and he changes identity spontaneously. Other examples of duality in Monster Literature include vampires' resting state during the day and their evil rampages during the night (seen in both Dracula and I Am Legend).