Iâve had a few people, when asking me about the chapter of my thesis on Bride of Reanimator specifically, frame Herbert and Danâs relationship as existing entirely within the allegorical framework of domesticity. So I wanna be very clearâI do think on some level, Herbert perceives them as being in a legitimate relationship. In his mind, they're dating.
And conveniently/coincidentally, Herbert West is absolutely not the type of person to enjoy conventional dating. Itâs a waste of time and a distraction from his workâplus most traditional dates would force them to be *seen* together in an overly romantic context, which for the mid-1980s is genuinely dangerous. He doesn't really display affection conventionally, and isnât a super physical person, outside of the fact that he and Dan touch A Lot. I think that in Herbertâs mind, the minute Dan tried to reanimate Meg and then ran off to Peru with him, he was just like "oh, OK! so we're lovers now, understood". For him, itâs just a largely asexual domestic partnershipâif Dan wanted more conventional physical affection (kissing and the like) heâd simply need to ask, and Herbert would pencil it in.
