Dracula Group at eNotes

Lucy has been sleepwalking and Mina finds her (after seeing that Lucy's...

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:28:24 PST

Lucy has been sleepwalking and Mina finds her (after seeing that Lucy's bed is empty) lying on a bench, outside, in the graveyard. Mina is amazingly naive (but I guess I would be, too, if I had never heard of vampires!) and seems ready to 1) overlook the fact that she thinks she saw a dark figure with glowing red eyes bending over Lucy's reclining figure and 2) explain away the puncture marks on Lucy's neck as accidental pricks of a pin. Mina...

On Aug. 10, where does Mina find Lucy?

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:36:39 PST

On Aug. 10, where does Mina find Lucy?

Classic features of Gothic literature comprise a long list: gloomy...

Mon, 9 Nov 2009 12:43:46 PST

Classic features of Gothic literature comprise a long list: gloomy remote castles; ruined castles with myriad secret passageways; grand, powerful landscapes; innocent maidens threatened by wicked evilness; the supernatural mixed with everyday reality, like the superstitions of the townspeople in the Carpathian Mountains; the classic "dark and stormy night"; mountains bathed in cold and desolation; threatening journeys; forces of good facing...

I need some purely gothic conventions that are apparent in Dracula for...

Mon, 9 Nov 2009 04:50:31 PST

I need some purely gothic conventions that are apparent in Dracula for my revision.

how does van helsing prepare Dr. Seward and the others to go to carfax...

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:52:26 PST

how does van helsing prepare Dr. Seward and the others to go to carfax to find the count?

I think that focusing on certain elements of the setting will be able to...

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 15:58:28 PST

I think that focusing on certain elements of the setting will be able to identify much about how it impacts the characters. One of the first elements to analyze would be how the protagonist responds to the setting. Identify and note the emotions they hold towards the setting and how the background is a part or component of the character's identity. Some questions might help in this process: Is the setting a source of strength or...

I don't think Mina "feels" for Dracula, rather she has a sort of pity on...

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 15:56:36 PST

I don't think Mina "feels" for Dracula, rather she has a sort of pity on him, and his soul.

What key points can I look for in a setting to tell how it affects the...

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 15:49:37 PST

What key points can I look for in a setting to tell how it affects the story and the character's mood?

What is the grotesque details that occur in transylvania and london?

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 13:55:21 PST

What is the grotesque details that occur in transylvania and london?

Just out of curiousity, what elements of weather did you discuss in...

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 17:29:49 PST

Just out of curiousity, what elements of weather did you discuss in Dracula? I have to "discuss the importance of weather in a specific literary work, not in terms of plot" as well...

In chapter 24 Van Helsing says to Quincey " metaphor be more dishonour...

Fri, 7 Aug 2009 08:17:46 PST

In chapter 24 Van Helsing says to Quincey " metaphor be more dishonour to science than wolves be of danger to man." What does he mean ?

Shakespeare places a great level of importance on weather in his...

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 09:48:43 PST

Shakespeare places a great level of importance on weather in his works. For example, weather figures prominently in Macbeth. The opening scene when we meet the witches is one where skies are overcast and an ominous tone in the weather is struck. Duncan is also killed when bad weather is present. In King Lear, the madness scene is staged in the midst of a brutal storm which fits the scene quite perfectly given Lear's state of mind. We...

Discuss the importance of weather in a specific literary work, not in...

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 07:48:24 PST

Discuss the importance of weather in a specific literary work, not in terms of plot.

I agree with the last post about the "approachability" aspect to...

Sat, 18 Jul 2009 12:25:56 PST

I agree with the last post about the "approachability" aspect to literature, especially with Dracula. Certainly, Coppola's "Bram Stoker's Dracula" made the character especially approachable and extremely compassionate. After the movie was released, popularity in the novel spiked significantly, which can be attributed to Gary Oldman's mutli- dimensional portrayal of the main character.

The greatest impact that the movies have had on the novel Dracula makes...

Wed, 15 Jul 2009 08:17:12 PST

The greatest impact that the movies have had on the novel Dracula makes the novel seem more approachable to anyone regardless of their reading ability. The movies do a great service for all types of horror literature and gives people an added dimension and impetus to read classic literature and not to fear it but to embrace it as something rewarding and gratifying.

Vampires are definitely in for teen-aged girls! The Twilight books and...

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 07:00:49 PST

Vampires are definitely in for teen-aged girls! The Twilight books and films are appealing to many readers and viewers. Teen-aged girls are particularly attracted to the sexy, handsome vampire because he represents forbidden fruit. The vampire broods and is damaged; girls want to nurture him and help him see that he is not a total monster. When I was in high school, Interview with the Vampire was published and we all read it over and over,...

Hmm, interesting ideas. Or perhaps there will be a backlash? I recall...

Sun, 12 Jul 2009 01:28:46 PST

Hmm, interesting ideas. Or perhaps there will be a backlash? I recall reviews of Blade II which seems downright gleeful over the idea of "Max Schrek ripping apart Brad Pitt-esque pretty boys." Perhaps they will return to the old morality tales (don't do this, this is evil behavior, etc.). I recall vampires were supposed to represt the plague. Maybe more medical stand-ins?

Vampires do indeed continue to fascinate, probably for a lot of deeply...

Sat, 11 Jul 2009 23:43:54 PST

Vampires do indeed continue to fascinate, probably for a lot of deeply psychological reasons that should be researched, if that hasn't been done already. One thing's for sure--Twilight has certainly added new dimensions to the supernatural condition. In that series, vampires have been given free will as to whether they will be bad vampires or good vampires! Also, the idea that a good vampire may still have an immortal soul is explored....

What impact have the movies made on Dracula?

Sat, 11 Jul 2009 19:44:47 PST

Pop culture does seem to define how we look at things. Bela Lugosi's portrayal of the Count set the standards for decades, but it seems that vampires are moving from the evening clothes crowd to more jeans and t-shirts. What will be the next big impact on Dracula and vampires in general?

The "What blood runs through these veins" speech shows us Dracula as a...

Sat, 11 Jul 2009 19:39:00 PST

The "What blood runs through these veins" speech shows us Dracula as a warrior (or a killer, depending on your viewpoint). He is boasting in front of Harker suggests something darker. The scenes later, where he is playing the role of host, is undercut with a sense of menace as he (subtly) tells Harker he won't let him leave.