105 Pet Sematary, or Stephen King Re-Appropriating the Frankenstein Myth Marta Miquel-Baldellou Universidad de Lleida Hispánica Summary The horror bestseller writer Stephen King has been acknowledged for updating the fundamental motifs of the horror story to suit the taste of contemporary audiences. In his seminal work Danse Macabre +32+`= )*;49*)= 94= ).8(:88.3,= 9-*= .397.(&(.*8= 4+= -47747= Q(9.43`= .3,= pays homage to great classics of the genre, ultimately confessing his admiration for the nineteenth-century novel Frankenstein (1818), which presents many intertextual links with his own novel Pet Sema- tary (1983). The plot in King’s novel runs parallel to that of Mary She- lley, as it also depicts the life of a doctor, Louis Creed, who decides to trespass forbidden limits in order to bring his beloved departed back to life. In both cases, these two scientists dare defy the powers of the unknown, playing God in an increasingly atheist and too scien- 9.Q(&11>='&8*)=84(.*9>_=4<*;*7`=.+=!.(947="0&(-.*;*8=-.8= 55&8=&=7*8:19=4+=-.8=8(.*39.Q(=4'8*88.43`=%&8.3=.8= precisely rooted in his scepticism with regard to faith and religion. This paper aims at analysing both works from a comparative pers- pective in order to underline how the gothic and the sinister is trea- ted and is transformed from Shelley’s classic to King’s contemporary novel. I. Stephen King’s poetics and tribute to the classics +=9-*7*=.8=&3=&:9-47=9-&9=-&8=7*2&.3*)=&='7&3)=3&2*=+47=9-*=1&89=)*8 (&)*8=.3=(439*2547&7>=545:1&7=-47747=Q(9.43`=9-&9=&:9-47=2:89=)*Q8 3.9*1>='*=9*5-*3=.3,_=&;.3,=&(-.*;*)=8:(-=*=97&47).3&7>=89&9:8= 8.3(*=9-*=5:'1.(&9.43=4+=-.8=Q789=34;*1=Carrie=+31.`=842*=)*97&(9478`= 8(*59.(&1=&'4:9=545:1&7=Q(9.43`=-&;*=4+9*3=&((:8*)=-.2=4+=574):(.3,= 9-.(0=;41:2*8=<.9-=,7*&9=85**)=&3)=7*8479.3,=94=&3>=2*&38=94=&(-.*;*= Frontispicio de la edición de Frankenstein o el moderno Prometeo de 1831 106 107 9-*=.39*3)*)=*S*(9=4+=-477.+>.3,=9-*=7*&)*7_=4<*;*7`=1.9*7&7>=(7.9.(8`= cabre`=.3,=5&>8=-42&,*=94=,7*&9=(1&88.(8=4+=9-*=,*37*`=(43+*88.3,=-.8= 8:(-=&8=&2:*1=(-:2&3`=-&;*=&184=97.*)=94=.)*39.+>=9-*=4:989&3).3,= &)2.7&9.43=+47=Frankenstein=+2+2_=?.9-=7*,&7)=94=@34;*1`= *1*2*398=9-&9=-&;*=9:73*)=9*5-*3=.3,=.394=&='*8988*11.3,=(439*28 a 547&7>=&:9-47_==,7*&9=(&5&(.9>=94=.2&,.3*=*S*(9.;*=51498`=&3=&'.1.9>= 94=(7*&9*=:3.6:*=(-&7&(9*78`=&8=<*11=&8=&=54<*7+:11>=*9-.(&1=&.9:)*= 4<=).)=.9=-&55*3=9-&9=9-.8=24)*89=,49-.(=9&1*`=<-.(-=<&8=431>= 2&9(-.3,=-.8=*<=3,1&3)=47.,.381`=-&;*=4+9*3='**3=-.,-1.,-9*)=&8= @ 7*2&70&'1*=897*3,9-8=4+=-.8=5748*_=43*9-*1*88`=9-74:,-=9.2*`=.3,= 9*7(>=*3(4:7&,*)=-*7=94=R*8-=.9=4:9`='*(&2*=(&:,-9=.3= -&8=2&.31>='*(42*=&=(:19=&:9-47=+47=-.8=:92489=:3)*789&3).3,=4+=-.8= &=0.3)=4+=(:19:7&1=*(-4=(-&2'*7`=&251.+>.3,=9-74:,-=9-*=>*&78= 7*&)*78-.5=&8=<*11=&8=-.8=*=9*38.;*=034<1*),*=&'4:9=9-*=,7*&9=(1&88.(8= :39.1`=&=-:3)7*)=&3)=8.=9>8+4:7=>*&78=1&9*7`=<*=-&;*=&=(*7*&1= 4+=9-*=,*37*_ B c FGF@ c B c 9*5-*3=.3,=-&8=*=(*11*)=.3=7*&(-.3,=-.8=&:).*3(*=9-74:,-=-.8='*1.*+= B5 .3= 9-*= 3**)= 94= (&:8*= &= 5&79.(:1&7= *S*(9= 43= 9-*= 7*&)*7_= 34<.3,= <*11= &'4:9= 9-*= *249.43&1=3**)8=4+=-.8=&:).*3(*`=-*=(-448*8=&3=*S*(9=&3)= 5&79= +742= 8-4<.3,= 9-*= *34724:8= 545:1&7.9>= @ 34;*1= (43897:(98=&3=.2&,.3&7>=:3.;*78*=2&0.3,=:8*=4+=&3>=2*&38=94=&(-.*;*= 89.11=7*9&.38=34<&)&>8=*;*3=.3=545:1&7=(:19:7*=9-74:,-=Q128=&3)=FG 9-&9=.39*3)*)=*S*(9_=.0*<.8*`=.3,=-&8=&184=8-4<3=-.8=(438(.*39.4:8= 8*7.*8`=9*5-*3=-.1&7.4:8=(422*398=.3=9-*=)*(&)*=4+=9-*=* <&>8=&8=&=<7.9*7`=7*R*(9.3,=:543=-47747=&8=&=,*37*=.3=-.8=343Q(9.43=;48 .3(.)*39&11>=).851&>=&=5*7;&8.;*=.3&((:7&(>=43='*-&1+=4+=9-*=&:9-47=&18 1:2*=Danse Macabre=+32+`=&3)=*;*3=&'4:9=-.8=4<3=(7*&9.;*=9*(-3.6:*= 2489=(*79&.31>=):*=94=9-*=545:1&7.9>=4+=9-*=B2>9-_=;*3= .3=-.8=54*9.(8=On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft=,***.8=5&88.43&9*= .+=:3(438(.4:81>`=.3=9-*=1&89=8*39*3(*=4+=-.8=7*2&70=8-4<3=&'4;*`=9*8 (&7*=&'4:9=&79=&3)=(7&+9=4+=9*11.3,=2`=&8=-*=)*Q3*8=.9=.3=-.8= 5-*3=.3,=7*+*78=94=9-*=24389*7=3&2.3,=.9=B<-*3=.3=@ ;41:2*=On Writing`=&8=<*11=&8=-.8=(43(*73=&'4:9=574):(.3,=&3=*S*(9=43= 47.,.3&1=34;*1`=9-*=(7*&9:7*=7*2&.38=:33&2*)=&11=9-74:,-4:9`= 9-*=7*&)*7`=-&;*=4+9*3=1*)=(7.9.(8=8:(-=&8=78994=(425&7*= &8=9-*=&55*11&9.;*=B431>=7*8543)8=94=9-*=+&2.1>=3&2*=4+=9-*= -.2=<.9-=),&7=93`=*85*(.&11>=&8=9*5-*3=.3,=-&8=&(034<1*)8 24389*7(7*&947`=G.(947_=43*9-*1*88`=9-*=+&(9=4+=2.89&0.3,=9-*=3&2*= ,*)=-.8=)*'9=94=9-*=3.3*9**39-8(*39:7>=8-47988947>=<7.9*7=&3)=2&89*7=4+= 4+=9-*=(7*&947=+47=9-&9=4+=9-*=(7*&9:7*=-&8='**3=9-*=7*8:19=4+=9-*=545:1&7.8 9-*=,*37*=43=2&3>=4((&8.438_= 8&9.43=4+=9-*=8947>=.3=8:'8*6:*39=&)&59&9.438`=*85*(.&11>=.3=Q128`=<-.(-= -&;*=,7*&91>=(4397.':9*)=94=2&0.3,=9-.8=.3&((:7&(>=-.,-1>=5*78.89*39_= 3=9-.8=7*85*(9`=*;*3=.+=.3,=.8=<*11=&<&7*=4+='*.3,=(438.)*7*)=&=545:1&7= <7.9*7`= -*= -&8= 4+9*3= 2&)*= :8*= 4+= -.8= 034<1*),*= &'4:9= (1&88.(= <4708= 9*5-*3=(422*398=43=9-*=545:1&7.9>=4+=@34;*1= 4+=9-*=,*37*=94=&)&59=9-*2=&3)=:5)&9*=9-*2=.3=-.8=<4708`=7*<470.3,= &184=*(-4=9-*=247*=7*(*39=<47)8=4+=9&:1=KB&7,:.3,=9-&9= (1&88.(=9&1*8=94=2&0*=9-*2=545:1&7=&3)=8:.9&'1*=+47=(439*2547&7>=&:8 .8= 34= 8:(-= 9-.3,= &8= Frankenstein`= 9-*7*= &7*= 431>= Frankensteins`= &8= 9-*= ).*3(*8_=*3(*`=Salem’s Lot=/-&8='**3=(438.)*7*)=-42&8 9*=9= .8= (*&8*1*881>= 7*<7.*3`= 7*574):(*)`= 7*Q12*)= &3)= 6. ,*=94=7940*78*2.3&1=;&25.7*=34;*1`=&3)=1.0*<.8*`=The Shining .0*<.8*`=KB&184=(1&.28=Frankenstein=&7.8*8=&8=&=,44)=*=&251*=4+= +311=-&8=4+9*3='**3=.39*757*9*)=&8=4<3=&((4:39=4+=9-*=(1&88.(&1= 9-*=9-7**=/<&>8=.3=<-.(-=&19*7&9.43=&3)=7*&77&3,*2*39=4+=&=9*=9= -&:39*)8-4:8*=8947>=.3=,49-.(=Q(9.434_=3=9-.8=8*38*`=.3=-.8=343Q(9.43= 9&0*=51&(*`=9-&9=.8`=9-74:,-=&=(475:8=4+=1.9*7&7>=(7.9.(.82`=9-74:,-=&)&58 &((4:39=&'4:9=9-*=*;41:9.43=4+=(439*2547&7>=-47747=Q(9.43`=Danse Ma- 9&9.43=.3=Q128`=&3)=9-74:,-=9-*=5&88&,*=4+=9.2*=.98*1+=<-.(-=3*(*88&7.1>= 7*+4(:8*8=&=9*=9=&3)=7*47)*78=.98=*1*2*398_=3=9-.8=8*38*`=&=1.9*7&7>=(7.9.(&1= &55&7&9:8=8:(-=&8=+*2.3.82=.39*757*9*)=@Q789=34;*1=&8=&= 1. Samuel Schuman, “Taking Stephen King Seriously: Reflections on a Decade of *=5*7.*3(*= 4+= 5&97.&7(->= &3)= )42*89.(.9>_= O Q12= ;*78 Best-Sellers”, The Gothic World of Stephen King: Landscape of Nightmares, eds. Gary 8.438=4+=Frankenstein=+742=P*78&1=947=&22*7=B&.2*)= Hoppenstand and Ray B. Browne (Bowling Green: Bowling Green State University &9=&7&(9.3,=9-*=&:).*3(*='>=2*&38=4+=)*-:2&3.8.3,=9-*=24389*7`=&8=.3= Press, 1987) p.109. 2&3>=4+=9-*=Q12=;*78.438=9-*=(7*&9:7*='*(42*8=.3&79.(:1&9*=&3)=*;.1`=&8= 2. Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 949&11>=45548*)=94=.98=(-&7&(9*7.8&9.43=.3=9-*=47.,.3&1=34;*1_=.0*<.8*`= 2001) p. xi. 9-74:,-=9.2*`=9-*=8&2*=9*=9=-&8=&(6:.7*)=).S*7*39=2*&3.3,8=7*,&7)1*88= 3.