The Horror And Dismal Setting Of Bram Stoker's Dracula

The Renfield sub-plot in the novel Dracula by Bram Stoker functions as a reflection of Stoker’s views on the human subconscious. It is easy for Dracula to take control over Renfield because of Renfield’s fragile and easily subdued nature, a reinterpretation of the human subconscious. Stoker argues through the Renfield sub-plot that humans are easily persuaded by their desires and fears, which are represented by Dracula. Stoker takes this argument further and implies that humans have a dark side that is only unleashed when their consciousness is completely taken over by desire, Renfield becoming a “zoöphagous maniac” after Dracula gains full possession over him (103). From a religious standpoint, Dracula represents Satan and Renfield represents what one would become if they are persuaded by temptation and sin.

Dracula by Bram Stoker is the original vampire book, the one that started it all. From it derived the now so beloved and famous teen-romance vampire genre, with novels like Twilight. However, Dracula is not remotely like the sparkle-in-the-sunlight, falling-in-love-with-mortals vampire any more than Harry Potter is like the Wicked Witch of the West. Dracula is a gothic horror novel set in Transylvania and England during the Victorian Era. Letters, diary entries, and newspaper clippings from the viewpoint of several characters tell the story, allowing for a wide variety of viewpoints that highlight happenings in Dracula as well as present the social issues pertained within. While it contains action, suspense, horror, and romance, it also displays the corruption within the everyday society. The way the women are presented, interacted with, and how Count Dracula affects them brings forth the issues within the Victorian society, especially the men’s treatment of women and the different social and gender roles, which Stoker uses to highlight the situational irony found within the novel.

Dracula is an epistolary novel; this form allows Stoker to juxtapose the rational world of the English Victorian observer with the supernatural world of Count Dracula. English men and women of Stoker's time had a strong tradition of observation and letter writing; educated English people used journals and letters to set down artful and detailed observations of their world and lives.

For instance, the switch of the colorful clothing clothing of the peasants to the contrasting of the white and black of the castle are used to build up fear in the reader’s mind. At the beginning of the chapter, peasants in Britiz, wear colorful attire which creates a mood of joy and wonder as the reader travels to eastern Europe. However, as Jonathan approaches Castle Dracula, he sees “ a vast ruined castle, form whose tall black windows came no ray of light, and whose broken battlements showed a jagged line against the moonlit sky” (Bram Stoker 2003 page 18). As the reader goes through a vast field of teeming with color, he feels delighted enjoying the journey vicariously; however, as the pleasant scene turns into a unpalatable imagery of terror which it creates unpleasant thoughts. Another way the author instills a mood of fear is by contrasting Jonathan with the townspeople who have superstitions about the in the castle. In the beginning of the chapter Jonathan has no idea that he is heading towards danger not understanding the allusions to Transylvania. He even takes the time to go to the British Museum

“What Manner of man is this, or what manner of creature is it in the semblance of a man?” (Stoker 23). In Bram Stoker’s Dracula, decrepitness is shown by a creature that is slowly decaying and the only way to be youthful or to be rejuvenated is to take the life of others and send them to an endless life of decay. This creature, Dracula, preys on the weaker, perfect Victorian. In the epistolary novel, Dracula, Bram Stoker drills an image of decay and destruction into the audience to show juxtaposition between Victorian ideals and Dracula.

“Dracula” a novel by Bram Stoker, deals with vampire folklore, Christian beliefs, and mostly gothic elements. Gothic elements are tremendous in this novel as it is seen a lot throughout the novel. The components of classic gothic elements as seen in “Dracula” includes the setting of the novel, the tone, a villainous character, and the fact that there is a hero that is struggling against an inescapable fate. Bram Stoker uses gothic elements such as isolated settings, gloom and doom, and secret passages in Dracula in which portray it

Dracula by Bram Stoker, is the original vampire book, the one that started it all. From it derived the now so beloved and famous teen-romance vampire genre, with novels like Twilight. However, Dracula is not remotely like the sparkle-in-the-sunlight, falling-in-love-with-mortals vampire any more than Harry Potter is like the Wicked Witch of the West. Dracula is a gothic horror novel set in Transylvania and England during the Victorian Era. The story is told in letters, diary entries, and newspaper clippings from the viewpoint of several characters, allowing for a wide variety of viewpoints that highlight happenings in Dracula as well as present the social issues pertained within. While it contains action, suspense, horror, and romance, it also displays the corruption within the everyday society. The way the women are presented, interacted with, and how Count Dracula affects them brings forth the issues within the Victorian society, especially the men’s treatment of women and the different social and gender roles, which Stoker uses to highlight the situational irony found within the novel.

Dracula is a signet classic novel written by Bram Stoker. This novel is portrayed by an antagonist character known as Count Dracula. He has been dead for centuries yet he may never die. He has a peculiar power of hypnotic fascination but he is weak in god’s daylight. He is immortal as long as he is able to drink blood from the living. He can change his form into a wolf, a bat or a puff of smoke. Dracula get in touch with Jonathan Harker through a real estate transaction. He went to Dracula’s castle through a carriage as were planned. After a few days, he felt as if he were prisoned in the castle as his movements were restricted. Meanwhile, Harker has a fiancée named Mina

Bram Stoker's Dracula is a true Gothic novel that belongs on any gothic literature course. Focusing in on the recurring themes, characters and settings used throughout the novel one sees how Dracula has set the standard for Gothic literature today.

In every chapter of the book, the setting will always feel a little creepy. One example of this is when Harker is being taken to Dracula's castle. First, the villagers start handing him crosses (even though he's a Prodistant), and then the weather starts to change from bright and sunny, too cold and snowy. Which made the setting a little bit mystic and suspenseful. Another example of the creepy setting is when Dracula took a trip from Varna to Whitby. The crew on board the Demeter were in for a bounteous surprise, because they picked up a stray vampire and he was exacerbated with is appetite. He feasted on all the men except for the captain who tied himself to the helm with his gold crucifix, only to end up dying from the harsh weather Dracula brought in. Could you picture a ship coming to shore in dense fog, with no crew, and a weather beaten dead body? Not only that, but right as Demeter came in, some people witnessed a vast appearing dog hopping off. Lastly, the first four chapters of Dracula take place in and around a ruined castle, sometimes seemingly abandoned and other times completely occupied. It was nonetheless daunting, even Jonathan Harker described it as "A vast ruined castle, from whose tall black windows came no light." The setting is one of the biggest reasons Dracula is a horror

Bram Stoker’s Dracula is a prime example of a piece of gothic literature, particularly in the description of Count Dracula’s castle. While gothic literature can contain a vast number of elements, some of the most common ones include a setting in a castle and a mysterious, gloomy atmosphere (Harris, 2015). At the end of the first chapter of Dracula, protagonist Jonathan Harker describes Count Dracula’s castle abode as “… the courtyard of a vast ruined castle, from whose tall black windows come no ray of light, and whose broken battlements showed a jagged line against the moonlit sky” (Stoker, 11). This description encompasses two elements of gothic literature, the two aforementioned elements, within the same sentence. The novel continues to

Only few stories and novels have the blood rushing effect on readers, and Dracula by Bram Stoker is one of those novels. This novel utilizes the method of using letters and other documents in order to tell the story. The application of the epistolary technique in the story Dracula proves to be quite effective because it does enable the reader to foresee the happenings in the story on a closer and more personal scale. In this novel, the man who writes the letters in Transylvania experiences a vast amount of supernatural experiences. Within the first four chapters of Dracula, Jonathan Harker witnesses supernatural occurrence’s such as seeing flickering blue lights, how Jonathan Harker’s coachman magically made the were-wolves disappear, and how he cannot see the Count Dracula’s reflection in the mirror. In the novel Dracula, Jonathan Harker tries to overlook these supernatural occurrences because of Mr. Hawkins interest. However, this reason may not be the most realistic justification in why Jonathan is persistent in his stay, but rather he is also aware that he is a prisoner. The novel Dracula also has many other supernatural aspects such as the three women in Count Dracula’s house, and how Count Dracula proceeds down the walls in a lizard like manner. In the novel Dracula, it could be argued that Jonathan Harker is not a reliable narrator because of the fact that he is the only one in the book experiencing these occurrences and his mental state is questionable at times. The

First off, Jonathan is introduced as an average solicitor going to Castle Transylvania and when he is trapped inside, a secret side to him is revealed. After Jonathan is trapped by Dracula, he begins to deteriorate mentally after realizing that he might never be freed from his imprisonment. After Dracula warns him to not sleep elsewhere except his bedroom, Jonathan disobeys him and explores the castle, stumbling into an ancient, abandoned room. After dozing off, he is awakened by three voluptuous that emanate a dreadful aura. While still being in an exhausted mood, he describes the scene as “There was something about the m that made me uneasy, some longing and at the same time some deadly fear. I felt in my heart a wicked, burning desire that they would kiss me with those red lips” (Stoker 39). Jonathan hints at a hidden desire for the women and wants for them to have their way with him. This scene shows that Jonathan has deep repressed

The story of Dracula consists of many genres that it can be classified as, some of them being adventure, fantasy, horror and gothic fiction. The writing style of Bram Stoker is unique and he uses any word to his advantage, describing the novel and painting a picture for the reader. The graphic description helps readers to imagine the place and make it seem as if they were there in person. The time-period of which this story was written and based upon, was in the mid-Victorian era (1850-1870). In the novel, the setting changes a lot over the course of the story, but it is predominantly set in Transylvania, which is now inside the country of Romania.

Dracula is set in Transylvania, during the Victorian Era. The setting is extremely significant in Dracula because it contributes abundantly to the Gothic atmosphere the novel possesses. In this novel, the setting includes wild Transylvanian landscapes, dreary buildings, secret hidden rooms, an asylum, and a graveyard. Such setting contribute to the novel’s gothic ambiance because they are places that usually tend to reveal a perturbing feeling to those surrounding it. The most seen settings in the novel Dracula is Dracula’s castle, the graveyard by St. Mary’s Church and Dr. Seward’s asylum which all contain gloomy features that contribute to the Gothic atmosphere in Dracula. Dracula’s castle is described as “It contains all in all some twenty acres, quite surrounded by the solid wall above mentioned. There are many trees on it, which makes it in places gloomy, and there is a deep, dark-looking pond or small lake…” (Stoker 22). The castle’s abundant amount of trees surrounding the castle and