Children of the night and other supernatural beings have always piqued the interest of people, especially in 19th century England. Dracula, written after the time when Gothic literature was popular, never aroused much attention until a decade later, when critics decided to reanalyze the novel. Dracula is often the first novel that comes to mind when the Gothic genre is mentioned, but Dracula is not a Gothic novel at all. The novel’s resolution contradicts the Gothic structure since it ended with Dracula’s defeat. In addition, Stoker slowly unravels the mysterious Dracula and allows rationalism and innovations of his time period to triumph over the unknown.
Critics have said that Dracula is one of the best gothic novels ever to be written. In
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The supernaturalism in the novels written in this time period left its mystical characters or beings as inexplicable. Dracula, however, was published at the end of a century when supernaturalism and the Gothic genre was prominent and ended with the group to discovering his powers and a way to kill the abomination. When the group first encountered the Count’s powers, he seems invincible until later when the group learns that he is only at his strongest when it is dark outside. It was not until chapter 18 of Dracula that Van Helsin’s group began to understand how dangerous their foe is. In chapter 18, the group gathers together to discuss how to track Dracula down. It begins with Van Helsing listing Dracula’s powers. Dracula is able to “transform himself to wolf” as well as a bat (Stoker 181). After Van Helsin, Dr. Seward, Quincey, and Johnathan swears to track the vampire to the ends of the earth and cut off its head, Van Helsing offers a little insight on Dracula’s limitations. This little act of knowing the enemy answers the question of what is Dracula (Holte 41). After chapter 18, the focus of the novel shifts from Dracula’s mysterious powers to hunting him down. At the end, Stoker suggests that rationalism is the best weapon for combating the unknown elements. In doing so, he proves Dracula is not supernatural despite the fact that he lives in a castle and sticks to the behavior of medieval times but instead a mortal that bleeds and die like everyone else. This use of reason that is apparent in his novel not only counters the Gothic structure that is paramount in every Gothic novel but also negates it
The supernatural effect plays a huge role in Stoker’s Dracula. Dracula is an Immortal being which means he cannot die, which we all know
With several illicit subjects listed throughout Bram Stoker’s Dracula, the book becomes a playground for psychoanalysts. Whether it be to see a subjects as simple as the conscious take over a character, or a character’s surroundings corrupting its victims, Dracula intrigues in more ways than just its vampiristic features. The following is a psychoanalytic study with a focus on vampirism imitating sexual practice and drug usage today while shining a light on the complex psychology of characters, and how even the author can influence the course of its story.
The novel is a classic story of good v. evil. The author took many years and hard research to conjure up a literary masterpiece like Dracula(Burt). A unique type of
Stoker additionally explores aspects of the feudal system through the idea of free will. Upon arriving at Castle Dracula, Harker is greeted with ‘Welcome to my house, enter freely and of your own will’. It seems Harker is free to do as he wishes, however Harker is now at the mercy of his new surroundings and the Count. Harker recognizes similarities between the Count and the driver, who transports him to the castle: ‘the strength of the hand shake was so much akin to that which I noticed in the driver’, subsequently, for Harker to leave he would need the
Bram Stoker’s Dracula does not follow the norm of the nineteenth century novels, that is, it is not written in a straightforward narrative but instead comprises of a collection of letters, journal entries and diary scrawls. Apart from that, it also includes a ship's log, numberless clippings from newspaper and also, a "phonograph diary.” This form of writing invariably helps in developing the “mystery” aspect of this horror novel since it either gives us no information about a particular thing or gives us information from various points of view so that it is impossible for the readers to come to one conclusion and they keep playing with different possibilities in their minds.
The setting of Bram Stoker’s Dracula is in the late nineteenth-century London, where the flourishing of technology is replacing people’s belief of the old superstitious ways. The characters in this novel experience contacts with the supernatural beings that is unable to be proven even by the most advanced technology at the time, which leads them to doubt their own sanity. However, the progression of the novel proves that peace is restored into the characters’ lives after their doubts and confusions about what is reality and who is really mad. Ultimately, the categorization of the sane against the mad is unnecessary since the distinguishing factors shown in the novel are ambiguous. Subsequently, no characters can
Throughout many types of literature, violence exists to enhance the readers interest in order to add a sense of excitement or conflict to a novel. This statement withholds much truthfulness due to the fact that without violence in a piece of literature such as Dracula by Bram Stoker, the plot would not have the same impact if it was lacking violence. Dracula's power and evilness led to the violent happenings which began with the conflict of Jonathan's inner struggle, as compared to the conflict which blossomed later on with good versus evil.
Bram Stoker’s Dracula is a story of horror, suspense, and repulsion. The main antagonist, Count Dracula, is depicted as an evil, repulsive creature that ends and perverts life to keep himself alive and youthful. To most onlookers that may be the case, but most people fail to see one crucial element to this character. Dracula is a character that, though it may be long gone, was once human, and thus has many human emotions and motives still within him. Let us delve into these emotions of a historically based monster.
After Lucy’s death, Van Helsing tried to convinced Quincey Morris, Seward and Arthur Holmwood that Lucy has turned into “Un-dead” by bringing them to her tomb. They eventually find a solution by plunging a stake into Lucy’s heart. They chop off her head and stuff her mouth with garlic. After Jonathan and Mina’s returning to England, they joined forces with the others. Mina helps Van Helsing by collecting various journals and dairies to retype them. Their efforts were useless went one of Seward’s patient has let Dracula into the asylum to prey upon Mina. These men divided forces among them tracks Dracula across land and sea. Van Helsing takes Mina with him and he killed three female vampires by using sacred objects. Quincey and Jonathan use knives to destroy Dracula went Dracula is about to reached his castle. In 1992, Francis Ford Coppola has released a Dracula movie based on Bram Stoker’s novel. I would prefer watching a Dracula movie rather than reading a book because Coppola evokes the origins of Dracula before he turn into a vampire, twisted the subplot where Mina is the reincarnation of Dracula’s greatest love and the movie ends with Dracula’s soul
In everyday life, as in literature, there will always be an opposing force to evil. In the novel “Dracula,” by Bram Stoker, Professor Van Helsing acts as Dracula’s main antagonist. An antagonist is the character who acts against the main character, which increases the conflict of the story and intensifies the plot. Through the use of theme, characterization and specific events, the author shows readers how Dr. Van Helsing effectively fits the role of Dracula’s most threatening adversary.
Bram Stoker’s Dracula magnificently portrays Anti-Christian values and beliefs through one of its central characters, Dracula. Dracula himself, a demonic figure, both in appearance and in behavior, could be considered the Anti-Christ. This idea of Dracula as a gothic Anti-Christ is a major element in the novel. Stoker displays numerous Anti-Christian values, superstitious beliefs, and compares and contrasts the powers of God with those of Dracula.
Vampires are as compelling today as they were in 1897 when Bram Stoker wrote his time-tested novel Dracula. It has been said that Dracula combines, mystery, adventure, and horror or gothic fiction all in one. The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole is most likely considered the first gothic novel written in 1765 sharing many similar images of darkness, medieval castles, supernatural and terrified innocent people. It is suspenseful and keeps readers captivated. Walpole’s tale is so popular that it is credited to be the beginning of the gothic era of literature (Melanie).
To begin with, the story inhabits dark and dreary landscapes. As one of the main characters, a young London solicitor named Jonathan Harker, progresses in his business travels to Castle Dracula, the atmosphere is decidedly sepulchral and puts the reader on alert. Bram Stoker feeds the ideals of horror with the forlorn setting in the woods outside Dracula’s Castle. The wind sighs, the tree branches clatter together, and Jonathan and the driver are surrounded by a supernatural blue light and howling wolves. Jonathan describes it as a “sort of awful nightmare.” (13) Another example is found when Jonathan tries to trace the Count’s whereabouts in the castle. He tracks
The late nineteenth century Irish novelist, Bram Stoker is most famous for creating Dracula, one of the most popular and well-known vampire stories ever written. Dracula is a gothic, “horror novel about a vampire named Count Dracula who is looking to move from his native country of Transylvania to England” (Shmoop Editorial Team). Unbeknownst of Dracula’s plans, Jonathan Harker, a young English lawyer, traveled to Castle Dracula to help the count with his plans and talk to him about all his options. At first Jonathan was surprised by the Count’s knowledge, politeness, and overall hospitality. However, the longer Jonathan remained in the castle the more uneasy and suspicious he became as he began to realize just how strange and different
Bram Stoker’s ingenious piece of work on writing Dracula has set the expectation for gothic novels all over the world and time to come. The mindset of writing Dracula through the Victorian Era really sets the tone for the reader by creating a spine-tingling sensation right through the novel. With this in mind, Stoker wouldn’t have been able to succeed his masterpiece without the effective uses of symbolism, imagery, foreshadowing, and its overall theme.