From xenophobia to bodily effluvia: Monsters as anthropomorphized swearwords.

This article explores the concept that literary monsters function as anthropomorphized swearwords, embodying the same taboo subjects—such as the supernatural, sex, bodily effluvia, disease, and disfavored social groups—that provoke involuntary attention in language. Drawing on linguistic and psychological theories, it argues that monsters like Dracula and the beetle-monster captivate audiences by combining these emotionally charged categories, mirroring how swearwords trigger automatic cognitive and emotional responses. The article further highlights the duality in monsters' behavior—both impulsive and calculated—as analogous to the reflexive and propositional forms of swearing, suggesting that monsters serve as culturally permissible vessels for taboo content during periods of profanity censorship. This framework complements rather than replaces existing critical approaches, offering a rationale for the enduring presence and appeal of monsters in literature.