The Plot

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Jonathan Harker, an English solicitor, visits Count Dracula in Transylvania. He finds death’s aura and aroma surrounding Dracula. Harker is attacked by three female vampires, who are warded off by Dracula. Harker is his; they are given a baby to feed on. When Harker demands to be released, Dracula obliges, but a pack of wolves surrounds the castle entrance. The next day, Harker awakes, weak and sick, with a wound on his throat. Dracula leaves Harker at the castle as a prisoner.

In England, Harker’s fiancée, Mina Murray, visits her friend, Lucy Westenra, a “New Woman” who plans to marry nobleman Arthur Holmwood. During Mina’s visit, a ship runs aground in Whitby. The only living creature aboard is a gray wolf, which escapes into the countryside.

Lucy begins to sleepwalk. Mina follows her and sees a tall, thin man bending over Lucy in a churchyard. The man disappears when Mina approaches. Lucy grows so ill that Mina is forced to call Dr. Seward, Lucy’s former suitor. While Lucy improves, Mina receives word that Harker, who had been reported missing, has been found near Budapest. Mina goes there and marries Harker.

Lucy’s condition worsens, and Seward calls Dr. Van Helsing from Amsterdam. Van Helsing notices two puncture wounds on Lucy’s throat. Lucy is given transfusions directly from the men, who guard her by night. Seward falls asleep while guarding Lucy and finds her more ill when he awakes. More transfusions ensue, and Van Hel-sing insists that Lucy wear a necklace of garlic every night.

One night, a wolf crashes through the window, the necklace slips off, and Lucy is further victimized. Van Helsing tells Holmwood that Lucy is near death. Holmwood kisses Lucy, who fastens her teeth to his neck. Lucy dies. Several neighborhood children are discovered far from home, alive but with their throats punctured. They say they followed a pretty lady in white.

Harker returns to England. Van Helsing suggests that Lucy is a vampire’s victim. By night, Holmwood, Seward, Van Helsing, and Quincey P. Morris visit Lucy’s tomb and find it empty. At daybreak, Lucy returns, and they drive a stake through her heart, cut off her head, and stuff garlic in her mouth.

Mina is vampirized by Dracula. The men track Dracula in London, but he escapes. By hypnotizing Mina, they learn that Dracula is at sea. They follow him to Castle Dracula. Wolves encircle the men and Mina, who gather safely within a “magic” circle Van Helsing traces. The men overtake the cart carrying Dracula’s coffin. As the sun sets, Harker slashes Dracula’s throat with his Kukri knife and Morris gouges Dracula’s heart with his Bowie knife.

Form and Content

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Dracula takes the form of a series of documents, most of them extracted from diaries and journals, the remainder being letters and a handful of press cuttings. The early chapters, from Jonathan Harker’s journal, record his journey to the Carpathian mountain region of Transylvania and his meeting with Count Dracula, who wishes to purchase the Carfax estate at Purfleet near London. Once the papers are signed, Jonathan finds that he is a prisoner. He discovers that the count has supernatural powers and nearly falls victim to three female vampires, but he manages to escape.

The next few chapters introduce Jonathan’s fiancée, Mina Murray, who is becoming anxious for his safety, and her friend Lucy Westenra, who has received three proposals of marriage: from Dr. John Seward, from his American friend Quincey P. Morris, and from Arthur Holmwood. Seward is the proprietor of a lunatic asylum situated at the edge of the Carfax estate; the earliest entries from his diary inserted into the text concern the eccentric carnivorous activities of a patient named Renfield, who is awaiting the advent of his “Master.”

Mina collects some press cuttings dealing with the arrival of a sinister deserted ship in Whitby, where she and Lucy are staying. Shortly thereafter, Lucy begins to act strangely. She falls ill and must be returned to Dr. Seward’s care. Mina is buoyed up, however, by news from Budapest that Jonathan is alive, although stricken with a “violent brain fever,” and she sets off to bring him home.

Seward, baffled by Lucy’s curious symptoms, asks Professor Abraham van Helsing for help. Van Helsing realizes that Lucy is the victim of a vampire, but he is unable to save her. Mina and Jonathan arrive back in England to find that she appears to be dead. Lucy has actually become a vampire, however, and soon begins a predatory career of her own. Her three suitors must go to her tomb with van Helsing to drive a stake through her heart.

Jonathan’s testimony allows van Helsing to identify the enemy and make plans to thwart him, but they fail to locate all the boxes of earth that Dracula has brought with him to England to serve as his resting places. Dracula diverts his predatory attentions to Mina, while van Helsing uses every device that he can to protect her. Renfield is persuaded to help Seward’s friends, and the search for the remaining boxes continues.

When the Count has only one secure resting place remaining, he takes flight and returns to Transylvania. He is pursued to his lair by van Helsing, Holmwood (now Lord Godalming), and Harker, who have the half-captivated Mina with them. Seward and Quincey Morris follow in their train, delayed by Gypsies who are the Count’s loyal followers. In the end, their superior weapons prevail. Dracula is destroyed by the mortally wounded Quincey Morris, and Mina is saved.

Places Discussed

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*Castle Dracula

*Castle Dracula. Ancestral home of Count Dracula in Transylvania that is visited by the English estate agent Jonathan Harker at the beginning of the novel. The gate of admittance to the unearthly horrors that are to come, Castle Dracula is the catalyst for the forces of evil in the novel and the place where the young solicitor sent to transact business with the count encounters things worse than any death. An avatar for the loneliness of terror, the castle, “from whose tall black windows came no ray of light,” also becomes the setting for one of the most seductive scenes in the novel—Harker’s encounter with the three vampire “sisters.”

Almost everything that happens at Castle Dracula is chilling or unnaturally suspenseful. What seem to be ordinary circumstances gradually begin slipping into the realm of nightmare, and by the time Dracula leaves his home for England, the castle has already worked its spell, setting the stage for the unholy dread that is then unleashed.

Modeled on Prince Vlad Dracula’s real castle (located in Romania), Castle Dracula is eerily like its historical counterpart although the partially restored ruins are actually quite far from Stoker’s conceptualized fortress. It is to Stoker’s credit that Castle Dracula’s haunting spectral form retains its extraordinarily powerful aura both at the novel’s beginning and again at the end.

*Whitby

*Whitby. Picturesque Yorkshire fishing port off the coast of northern England and the setting of Count Dracula’s dramatic arrival in Great Britain. It is here, in fact, that the Russian schooner Demeter runs ashore—its captain dead at the mast—with a horrid account in its log of the crew’s disappearance at the hands of a fiend, and it is here that a few nights later, Mina Murray (Harker’s fiancé) rescues her sleepwalking friend, Lucy Westenra (Dracula’s first victim), in the local churchyard. With its naïve charm symbolically mirroring the girlish innocence of the two young women, Whitby represents the perfect location for the unsuspecting intrusion of evil.

Hillingham

Hillingham. Westenra family mansion in London. This house does not appear to have been modeled on a real location but may be a composite based on Stoker’s own residence at Cheyne Walk. This is the scene of Lucy’s continued agony at the hands of Dracula after she returns home from Whitby, and it is where the reader is first introduced to Professor Van Helsing, the doctor-philosopher-scientist-metaphysician who later becomes the acknowledged leader and mentor of the group in its relentless pursuit of Dracula. Hillingham not only witnesses the pathetic death of Lucy—despite the countless transfusions she is given—but that of her mother as well, who suffers a massive heart attack when the escaped wolf Bersicker comes crashing through their window in a spectacular mise en scène.

Seward’s Insane Asylum

Seward’s Insane Asylum. Private London hospital for the mentally ill and the residence of Dr. John Seward, this institution appears to have been modeled on the London County Lunatic Asylum near Chatham Road. It is a location fraught with dramatic events, which begin when Seward struggles to understand the mysterious but astute lunatic Renfield, a patient seeking to attain a unique kind of immortality by devouring progressively higher forms of life. When Dracula moves next door to Carfax (formerly Lesnes Abbey/Lady Chapel), the estate Harker has procured for him, the asylum becomes an even greater pivotal center of activity; Renfield gradually begins to do the count’s bidding and allows him to attack Mina after she and her new husband Jonathan join their friends’ concerted efforts to destroy Dracula. The asylum also is witness to moments of great personal dilemma as Renfield alternately embraces the vampire’s temptations and then attempts to liberate himself from Dracula’s omnipresent self. His final abjuration of the count comes at a great personal cost, his own violent death, and leads to one of the most dramatic scenes in the novel—the “blood baptism” of Mina and the searing of her now-polluted flesh with the holy wafer.

*Hampstead Heath

*Hampstead Heath. Large, wildly beautiful, and hilly area in north London that is the scene of Lucy’s attacks on local children, who call her the “Bloofer Lady,” after her untimely death.

*Kingstead Churchyard

*Kingstead Churchyard. London churchyard clearly modeled on the famed Highgate Cemetery, whose name Stoker diplomatically changed to avoid legal repercussions. The final resting place of Lucy, it is also the site where Van Helsing proves to Seward that she has become a vampire and where they proceed with her destruction, joined by her fiancé Arthur Holmwood and the Texan Quincey Morris. In an emotionally powerful scene, the grieving but determined friends drive a stake through the heart of the woman they have all loved, bringing her “the calm that was to reign for ever.”

Czarina Catherine

Czarina Catherine. Ship on which Dracula flees England, bound for the port of Varna. After the ship reaches Varna, Dracula forces it up the Danube River and then proceeds to take an overland route back to his castle. An unusual aspect of this location is that Mina, now under Dracula’s telepathic control, is able to report on the ship’s whereabouts through Van Helsing’s hypnotically induced trances, thereby providing the vampire hunters with daily bulletins regarding Dracula’s intended escape route.

*Borgo Pass

*Borgo Pass. Mountain gap in Transylvania near Castle Dracula in which the final dramatic scenes of the novel take place in a series of symbolic tableaux devised to convey the message that good ultimately triumphs over evil. It is here that the men finally track Dracula after purchasing a steamship, horses, and provisions, and it is here that Van Helsing and Mina anxiously wait for them while protecting themselves from Dracula’s “sisters” by means of a sanctified holy circle. From this secure place, Van Helsing later makes his way to the castle and destroys all three, along with Dracula’s lordly tomb, returning to Mina just in time for them to witness the novel’s most intense chase, as the gypsy wagon carrying the count’s sleeping body races against the desperate horsemen attempting to overtake them. The last deft strokes of the narrative conclude with the mortally wounded Morris plunging his bowie knife into Dracula’s heart as Harker cuts his throat. Comparing the surrounding snow to the now stainless forehead of Mina, Morris dies acknowledging that the curse has passed.

When the friends return to this site seven years later, they revisit their terrible memories of Castle Dracula, which “stood as before, reared high above a waste of desolation,” but are nonetheless deeply comforted by the newfound joys that have come into their lives, especially the birth of the Harkers’ little boy, Quincey, the promise of new life.

Historical Context

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Organized Religion in the Victorian Era
The Victorian Era saw fluctuations in the prominence of organized religion. At its zenith, religious influence was widespread. Morality and Christianity, in particular, permeated every facet of life. Stoker's incorporation of Christian symbols such as the cross and the eucharist wafer as tools against the malevolent Dracula highlights this idea. However, by the close of the century, when Stoker penned Dracula, the moral direction was less distinct, and many individuals faced a crisis of faith. This shift was largely prompted by the release of several scientific works that questioned traditional religious beliefs. Among the most notable was Charles Darwin's Origin of Species (1859).

Sexuality in the Victorian Era
The Victorian Era was marked by many contradictions. Publicly, men and women endeavored to appear virtuous and conservative. They adhered to strict courtship protocols, maintained an outward indifference to sex, and always sought to behave with propriety—at least in public. Privately, however, the reality was quite different. Despite the era's restrictive norms, there was a thriving prostitution industry. While this was generally tolerated, homosexuality was deemed deviant and criminal. For part of the Victorian Era, homosexuality was punishable by death. By the 1890s, this penalty had been reduced to imprisonment, which was the fate of the renowned author Oscar Wilde.

During the Victorian Era, pornography found a substantial audience. In 1890, an anonymous writer published My Secret Life, an extensive autobiography detailing the author's sexual experiences and providing an unvarnished look at the darker aspects of Victorian society. While some examined sex academically, exploring the sociological and psychological dimensions of human sexuality, others struggled to differentiate these scholarly studies from pornography intended solely for arousal. One prevalent concern about pornography was its potential to incite sexually criminal behavior, such as rape.

Jack the Ripper
In the late 1880s, as Stoker was preparing to write his novel, London's East End was plagued by a mysterious serial killer known as Jack the Ripper. Although these crimes did not involve sexually deviant acts like rape, the majority of the Ripper's victims were prostitutes, leading some to speculate that the killer's motivations might have been sexual in nature, possibly stemming from sexual repression.

Health and Medicine in the Victorian Era
Victorians were deeply concerned about their health, particularly in London, where overcrowded and unsanitary conditions frequently led to widespread disease. Medicine in the 19th century was still in its infancy, and medical education lacked regulation. Consequently, many doctors were inexperienced and often caused more harm than good to their patients. In the novel, the characters' health is a recurring theme. Lucy undergoes numerous blood transfusions in an effort to save her life; various characters fall ill throughout the story. When Jonathan escapes from Dracula's castle, he reaches a hospital where Mina nurses him back to health. Even after his recovery, Mina remains vigilant, worried that Jonathan might suffer a relapse. Both Lucy's mother and Arthur Holmwood's father experience illnesses during the novel. Additionally, after donating blood to Lucy, the male characters need to rest to regain their strength and prevent falling ill themselves.

Expert Q&A

Why does Dracula want to move to England and how might his collection of English texts be seen as preparations for war to Victorian readers?

Dracula moves to England for a variety of reasons not made explicit in the text, but upon which a degree of informed speculation can be exercised. His collection of English books and maps is probably the result of a special quality England was seen to possess in the mindset of many Continental Europeans. Dracula desires essentially to reinvent himself in a land very different from his native area, where he has lived for far too long.

Why is Bram Stoker's Dracula considered Gothic Literature?

Dracula is considered Gothic literature due to its use of typical Gothic tropes such as mysterious castles, isolated landscapes, and supernatural events that evoke fear and foreboding. The novel immerses readers in a world where the boundaries between reality and the supernatural blur, aligning with the Gothic tradition of exploring the subconscious and the causes of evil, and evoking horror through familiar yet terrifying symbols.

How is the theme of religion versus superstition portrayed in Dracula?

The theme of religion versus superstition in Dracula is portrayed through the tension between Christian beliefs and local folklore. Characters like Jonathan Harker encounter superstitious peasants who fear Dracula as a demonic figure, blending Christian imagery with folklore. Christian symbols like holy water and crucifixes are depicted as powerful against evil, emphasizing the novel's portrayal of Eastern European superstition as "the other" in contrast to Western Christian morality.

The significance and reflection of the Victorian era in Dracula

Dracula reflects the Victorian era's anxieties about modernity, sexuality, and the unknown. The novel incorporates themes of scientific progress, the clash between modernity and ancient superstitions, and the fear of the foreign "other." It also explores Victorian values and societal norms, particularly regarding gender roles and sexuality, highlighting the tension between repressed desires and societal expectations.

The revolutionary aspects of Stoker's character Dracula

Stoker's character Dracula was revolutionary for its time due to its blend of horror, romance, and gothic elements, creating a complex and enduring villain. The character introduced the archetype of the sophisticated, charming vampire, contrasting with earlier depictions of monstrous creatures, and explored themes of immortality, sexuality, and the clash between modernity and ancient evil.

Setting

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Stoker employs a circular structure in his novel, featuring two primary settings. The story begins and concludes in Transylvania. Since Stoker had never visited this region, he had to rely on extensive research to depict its landscape and culture accurately. The remainder of the narrative unfolds in England, a setting familiar to both Stoker and his readers.

The novel opens with Jonathan Harker's journey to Transylvania on May 3 of an unspecified year. Harker later mentions that seven years pass between the events and his documentation of them, suggesting the story occurs from May to November in 1890. Initially, Harker is captivated by the country's fascinating sights, people, and cuisine. However, his unease grows as he nears the count's castle, culminating in terror when he realizes he is Dracula's prisoner. The first four chapters, set in Transylvania, are highly acclaimed for their vivid descriptions of the region and their ability to build suspense and fear. The final chapter, starting on November 1, All Saints' Day, returns to Count Dracula's Transylvania.

It seemed as if the whole awful creature was simply gorged with blood...
Most of the novel's events, however, occur in England, mainly in the northeastern coastal town of Whitby. This location highlights England's island isolation and its susceptibility to invasion. Whitby's historical significance enhances its role as a setting. It hosts the remnants of a seventh-century abbey, where the Synod of Whitby, an important church council, convened in 664. The presence of abbey ruins is a common feature in Gothic novels of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Additionally, Whitby's significance in English Christian history ties the setting to the novel's thematic exploration of good versus evil.

Expert Q&A

What is the importance of the setting in Dracula and its influence?

The setting in Dracula is crucial as it reflects both Gothic and sensation novel traditions. Transylvania's remote, eerie environment evokes primal horror and superstition, while Dracula's arrival in England disrupts the rational, ordered life of the modern European. This creates dramatic irony and a sense of impending threat, as readers, aware of Dracula's true nature, understand the danger he poses to the unsuspecting English society.

How does the castle's setting in Stoker's Dracula contribute to the supernatural horror of Jonathan's situation?

Dracula's castle, with its strong physical presence, presents a strong motif and embodies the Gothic. Its isolation and foreignness creates an uncanny sense of mystery and danger.

What impression does Dracula give of Transylvania?

Dracula's presentation of Transylvania makes it seem menacing and far behind the times in comparison to the modernity of late-Victorian England.

What is the role of geography in Dracula?

Moving to London increases the danger Dracula poses but also makes it more likely he will fall.

The setting of "Dracula."

The setting of "Dracula" is primarily in late 19th-century Europe, with significant locations including Transylvania, where Count Dracula's castle is situated, and England, particularly London and Whitby, where much of the action unfolds as Dracula pursues new victims.

Literary Style

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Gothic Novel
Dracula is a Gothic novel, sometimes referred to as a Gothic romance. Many scholars regard Horace Walpole's The Castle of Otranto (1764) as the inaugural Gothic novel. Much like Dracula, Walpole's work was immensely popular. Gothic novels typically emphasize mystery and horror, often incorporating supernatural elements. In Dracula, these supernatural aspects are abundant, starting with the titular vampire. Additionally, the vampire's specific traits highlight his inhuman nature. After seeing Dracula climb the castle wall like a lizard, Jonathan exclaims, "What manner of man is this, or what manner of creature is it in the semblance of man?" Jonathan's predicament at the beginning, where he is imprisoned in Dracula's castle, is also emblematic of Gothic novels, which frequently place their protagonists in seemingly hopeless situations. Furthermore, the various settings—including Dracula's formidable castle, the eerie landscapes of Transylvania, and the graveyard and Lucy's tomb in London—are all characteristic of Gothic fiction.

Epistolary Novel
Besides being a Gothic novel, Dracula is also an epistolary novel, meaning it is narrated through a series of letters rather than a continuous narrative. Although letters, such as the exchanges between Mina Murray and Lucy Westenra, make up part of the plot, the novel also utilizes journal entries and newspaper articles to tell the story. The book actually begins with an entry from Jonathan Harker's journal: "Left Munich at 8:35 p.m. on 1st May, arriving at Vienna early next morning." Some of these entries, like the one mentioned above, include mundane details about Harker's travels. These specific details lend the book a sense of realism, aligning with the naturalistic movement that gained popularity at the turn of the nineteenth century. This realism helps to balance the novel's supernatural elements, making it appear more credible.

In epistolary novels like Dracula, the narration is entirely in the first person. However, Dracula shifts between different characters, providing multiple first-person perspectives. This fragmented approach disorients the reader, who must piece together the story from various individual accounts.

Suspense
The use of multiple first-person narrators amplifies the suspense in the book, as Stoker shifts from one character to another, intensifying tension in specific scenarios before moving on. This technique leaves readers wondering about the unfolding events and the fate of particular characters. A prime example is Jonathan Harker's anticipated fate. In the first four chapters, Stoker builds suspense through Harker's journey. After numerous warnings from the locals, Harker becomes anxious about his safety and notes, "I am not feeling nearly as easy in my mind as usual. If this book should ever reach Mina before I do, let it bring my goodbye." Although Jonathan later believes he overreacted, especially upon first meeting the count, the seed of doubt and suspense is planted in the reader's mind. This uncertainty grows as Jonathan observes peculiar traits in Dracula: "The mouth, so far as I could see it under the heavy moustache, was fixed and rather cruel-looking, with peculiarly sharp white teeth." As Jonathan remains at the castle, he provides readers with more insights into Dracula's vampiric nature, further heightening the suspense.

However, the suspense peaks at the end of the fourth chapter when Jonathan declares his plan to escape the castle: "I shall try to scale the castle wall farther than I have yet attempted.... And then away for home! away to the quickest and nearest train!" While readers hope for Jonathan's success, they must wait several chapters to learn his fate as the narrative shifts to Mina and Lucy's experiences. The novel continues to build suspense, culminating in the dramatic chase to kill Dracula and save Mina.

Expert Q&A

In chapter 7 of Dracula, how does the Demeter log contribute to the mood and genre?

Essay question: "In chapter 7 in Dracula, how does the log of the Demeter contribute to the mood and the genre?" Let's take a closer look at some of these key concepts. First off, do you remember that when we talked about Gothic novels we mentioned they are based on mystery and horror? What is there to be scared of in this novel? Well, besides being terrified by Count Dracula himself, there is also something to be scared of in this novel - the Unknown. The whole novel is centered around our never-ending quest for knowledge, but what happens when we go too far? This novel makes it painfully clear that with knowledge comes danger.

Literary Techniques

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Stoker employs a circular structure in his novel, featuring two primary settings. The story begins and concludes in Transylvania. Since Stoker had never visited this region, he relied on thorough book research to depict its landscape and inhabitants. The remainder of the narrative unfolds in England, a setting familiar to both Stoker and his readers.

The novel opens with Jonathan Harker's journey to Transylvania on May 3 of an unspecified year. Harker later mentions that seven years pass between the events and his documentation of them, suggesting the novel’s events occur from May to November in 1890. Initially, Harker is delighted by the new sights, people, and cuisine of the country. However, this enjoyment turns to dread as he nears the count's castle and eventually realizes he is Dracula's captive. This introductory section, spanning the first four chapters, has been lauded for its detailed descriptions of the region and its ability to build suspense and fear. The final chapter, starting on November 1, All Saints' Day, also takes place in Count Dracula's Transylvania.

Despite this, the majority of the novel’s action occurs in England, mainly in the northeastern coastal town of Whitby. This location underscores England's island isolation and its susceptibility to invasion. Whitby's historical significance enhances its role as a setting. It is home to a seventh-century abbey, remnants of which still exist, and was the location of the Synod of Whitby, a pivotal church meeting in 664. The ruins of the abbey are a common feature in Gothic novels of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Additionally, Whitby's connection to English Christian history ties the setting to the novel’s thematic conflict of good versus evil.

Interestingly, critics have both praised and criticized "Dracula," labeling it as both a failure and a masterpiece. Modern readers often find the novel inconsistent, with some sections brimming with suspense and others dragging slowly. The most compelling part of the novel is the beginning, detailing Jonathan Harker's trip to Transylvania, his stay with Count Dracula, and his growing mistrust of his host.

The second part of the novel sharply contrasts with the first. Stoker adopts an epistolary (letter-writing) technique to structure this section. Leaving Harker at Dracula's mercy, Stoker shifts to the lighthearted correspondence between two young women. The narrative pace slows until Dracula's presence is hinted at in Whitby. One of the novel’s major issues is that Dracula is far more intriguing than the other characters. Consequently, when he is absent from the scene, the story tends to lose its momentum.

The novel is somewhat hindered by Stoker's ineffective use of dialect. His portrayal of the Texan Quincey Morris and the Dutchman Van Helsing is inconsistent, failing to make their speech seem genuine. Although his attempt at dialect is awkward, it does help to underscore the crucial point that the group consists of men from various nations.

Another commonly criticized aspect of the novel is the tone of a passage following Lucy's death and burial. Dr. Seward documents in his diary a conversation with Van Helsing, who delivers an extensive speech, known as the "King Laugh" speech, to explain his seemingly inappropriate laughter. Van Helsing's laughter is triggered by Arthur's remark that he felt married to Lucy after the blood transfusion performed by Van Helsing. Van Helsing and Seward are aware, unlike Arthur, that Lucy also received transfusions from them and Morris. The purpose of this passage in Dracula is ambiguous, but it appears to symbolically address significant themes related to blood and marriage.

Literary Qualities

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Ironically, Dracula has been labeled both a failure and a masterpiece. To many contemporary readers, the novel appears inconsistent, featuring sections brimming with suspense alongside parts that are slow and uneventful. The most compelling portion of the story is at the beginning, detailing Jonathan Harker's journey to Transylvania, his stay with Count Dracula, and his growing suspicion of his host.

The novel's second part sharply contrasts with the first. Stoker adopts an epistolary (letter-writing) style to structure this section. After leaving Harker at Dracula's mercy and fearing for his life, Stoker shifts to the relatively trivial correspondence between two young women. The plot progresses slowly until the first hint of Dracula's presence in Whitby. One major issue with the novel is that Dracula is far more intriguing than the other characters, making the book feel flat when he is absent.

The novel also suffers somewhat from Stoker's unsuccessful attempts at using dialect. He is inconsistent in his portrayal of the Texan Quincey Morris and the Dutchman Van Helsing, failing to make their speech feel authentic. While his use of dialect is clumsy, it does serve to remind readers that the group is composed of men from different countries.

Another commonly perceived flaw in the novel is the tone of a passage following Lucy's death and burial. Dr. Seward records in his diary a conversation with Van Helsing, who makes a lengthy speech, known as the "King Laugh" speech, to explain his laughter at this seemingly inappropriate moment. His laughter is triggered by Arthur's comment that he felt married to Lucy after the blood transfusion Van Helsing performed. Van Helsing and Seward know, unlike Arthur, that Lucy also received transfusions from them and Morris. The purpose of this passage is unclear, but it seems to symbolically address important ideas about blood and marriage.

Social Concerns

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For nearly a century, Dracula has captivated readers, largely due to its exploration of a fundamental human conflict: the battle between good and evil. Stoker highlights the intricacies of this clash by depicting virtuous characters drawn to malevolence. One notable example is Jonathan Harker, a lawyer who travels to Transylvania and nearly falls victim to three female vampires at Dracula's castle. He seems to almost welcome the attack before Dracula intervenes. This scene, among others, illustrates that evil, symbolized by the vampires, is an almost irresistible force that demands immense spiritual fortitude to resist. Ultimately, it requires the collective effort of a group of men from different nations to vanquish the vampiric count. Stoker's novel serves as a symbolic exploration of a timeless human struggle.

Additional Commentary

Although Dracula deals with unsettling themes, contemporary young readers may not find the novel extremely frightening and might overlook its sexual undertones. The prevalence of violence in modern films and television has created a significant gap between today's readers and Stoker's original Victorian audience. The suspense and terror that define Dracula's most gripping moments rely more on the reader's imagination than on explicit descriptions.

The novel's sexuality is so subdued that it might go unnoticed by younger readers, despite being a common topic in critical analyses of the work. Recent vampire films, particularly comedies, have capitalized on the inherent sexuality of the vampire myth. Even the earliest film adaptations focus on male vampires preying on beautiful women, often depicted in seductive nightwear.
The themes of violence and sexuality in the novel are crucial. Blood, which connects these two elements, is used symbolically to represent life and relationships and carries religious connotations. Dracula, as the embodiment of evil, threatens all that is good not merely by causing death but by drinking blood, thereby disrupting the other characters' relationships. For instance, Mina is bitten but not killed by Dracula, leading to her emotional estrangement from her husband, friends, and even God.

Beyond the evident conflict between good and evil, some critics have identified an East-West struggle and interpret Dracula as a political allegory. This perspective is reinforced by the novel's setting and the diverse nationalities of its characters.

In the end, this classic horror novel is ultimately reassuring, as the vampire is destroyed and the surviving characters return to their normal lives. The promise of redemption is so pronounced that even the malevolent Dracula appears peaceful in the moment after he is stabbed and before his body disintegrates into dust.

Compare and Contrast

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1890s: During the Victorian Era in England, sexual attitudes are highly repressed and kept private. Yet, the period is rife with pornography, prostitution, and other illicit activities, indicating that human sexual desires are not entirely suppressed. The introduction of photography ushers pornography into a new era.

Today: In most Western countries today, sex is a very public topic. It has become a central element in advertising campaigns, television shows, and films. However, certain groups, such as conservative Christian organizations, continue to push for the suppression of sexual content in the media.

1890s: In England, Oscar Wilde is imprisoned for his homosexuality.

Today: Although U.S. President Bill Clinton pledges to support gay rights during his tenure, many in the LGBTQ+ community are disheartened by his "don't ask, don't tell" policy for the military. This policy permits homosexuals to serve as long as their sexual orientation remains undisclosed.

1890s: Bram Stoker explores themes of damnation and unholiness in his novel Dracula, where several characters' souls are endangered. Should Dracula succeed, he will turn others into soulless beings.

Today: Ethical and moral debates about cloning reach a climax when a private company announces the successful cloning of the first human. Some fear the creation of a homogenous human race engineered to look a certain way.

1890s: Londoners are still in shock from the murders committed by Jack the Ripper, an unidentified killer who murdered at least five women in the East End in 1888.

Today: The mystery of Jack the Ripper remains unsolved for over a century. However, in 2002, renowned mystery author Patricia Cornwell asserts that the killer was the famous artist Walter Sickert.

Literary Precedents

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Dracula holds significant cultural importance. Although Stoker was not the first author to explore the vampire myth, the nineteenth century saw numerous works featuring vampires. One notable example is Sheridan Le-Fanu's Carmilla (1872), which Stoker read during his youth. However, it is Stoker's portrayal of the vampire legend that has achieved the most lasting popularity and exerted the greatest influence on twentieth-century literature and cinema.

In his book Vampires Unearthed (1983), Martin Riccardo recounts a survey conducted by Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum to identify the world's "most hated person." Dracula placed fifth in this survey. This clearly demonstrates that Stoker's creation continues to captivate the imagination of readers.

Media Adaptations

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Dracula has been adapted into numerous films. However, the 1931 version titled Dracula truly shaped the iconic image of the count. This classic film starred Bela Lugosi in the lead role, was produced by Universal Studios, and directed by Tod Browning. You can find it on VHS and DVD through Universal Home Video.

In 1992, Dracula saw another adaptation with the film Bram Stoker's Dracula, one of the rare titles that acknowledge the original author. Directed by Francis Ford Coppola and released by Columbia Pictures, the movie featured a star-studded cast, including Gary Oldman as Dracula, Keanu Reeves as Jonathan Harker, Winona Ryder as Mina Murray, Anthony Hopkins as Professor Van Helsing, and Cary Elwes as Arthur Holmwood. This film is available on VHS and DVD from Columbia/Tristar Home Video.

Dracula has also inspired several parody films. One notable example is Dracula: Dead and Loving It (1995), directed by Mel Brooks and released by Columbia Pictures. Mel Brooks also played Professor Van Helsing. The cast includes Leslie Nielsen as Count Dracula, Steven Weber as Jonathan Harker, and Amy Yasbeck as Mina Murray. This film is available on VHS from Castle Rock Home Video.

An unabridged audiobook adaptation of Dracula was released in 2002 and is available from Brilliance Audio.

For Further Reference

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Farson, Daniel. The Man Who Wrote Dracula. New York: St. Martin's, 1976. Authored by Bram Stoker's grandnephew, this biography is widely regarded as the most comprehensive of the limited Stoker biographies available.

King, Stephen. Danse Macabre. New York: Berkeley Books, 1986. While King's book offers an overview of horror literature and films post-1950, it also includes an insightful analysis of Dracula and other classic horror novels.

Twitchell, James B. Dreadful Pleasures: An Anatomy of Modern Horror. New York: Oxford University Press, 1985. Twitchell delves into the allure of horror for its predominantly teenage audience. His chapter on vampires discusses Stoker's novel along with earlier and later vampire portrayals.

Bibliography and Further Reading

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Sources
Bentley, C. F., "The Monster in the Bedroom: Sexual Symbolism in Bram Stoker's Dracula," in Literature and Psychology, Vol. 22, No. 1, 1972, pp. 27-34.

MacGillivray, Royce, "Dracula: Bram Stoker's Spoiled Masterpiece," in Queen's Quarterly, Vol. 79, No. 4, Winter 1972, pp. 518-27.

Moss, Stephanie, "Bram Stoker," in Dictionary of Literary Biography, Vol. 178, British Fantasy and Science-Fiction Writers Before World War I, edited by Darren Harris-Fain, Gale Research, 1997, pp. 229-37.

"Novel Notes: Dracula," in the Bookman, Vol. 12, No. 71, August 1897, p. 129.

Review of Dracula, in the Athenaeum, No. 3635, June 26, 1897, p. 235.

Richardson, Maurice, "The Psychoanalysis of Ghost Stories," in the Twentieth Century, Vol. 166, No. 994, December 1959, pp. 419-31.

Stoker, Bram, Dracula, edited by Maurice Hindle, Penguin, 1993.

Summers, Montague, "The Vampire in Literature," in The Vampire: His Kith and Kin, 1928, reprint, University Books, 1960, pp. 271-340.

Further Reading
Belford, Barbara, Bram Stoker: A Biography of the Author of "Dracula", Knopf, 1996.

In this engaging biography, Belford delves into the life of Stoker, who has always remained less renowned than his iconic creation, Dracula. As Belford illustrates, this was true during Stoker's own lifetime, as he was often overshadowed by his employer, the actor Henry Irving.

Gerard, Emily, The Land beyond the Forest: Facts, Figures, and Fancies from Transylvania, AMS Press, 2001.

This travel book, originally published in the late 1880s, is believed by many to have been one of Stoker's sources for the Transylvanian segments of his novel. The book also discusses the area's vampire legends.

McNally, Raymond T., and Radu Florescu, In Search of Dracula: A True History of Dracula and Vampire Legends, Little, Brown, 1975.

This well-known Dracula reference examines the real-life connections between Stoker's titular character and the historical figure, Vlad the Impaler.

Pool, Daniel, What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew: From Fox Hunting to Whist—The Facts of Daily Life in Nineteenth-Century England, Touchstone Books, 1994.

This highly informative companion is perfect for readers interested in learning about the language, culture, and customs of nineteenth-century England, including courtship practices and Victorian views on sex. It serves as an essential guide to Stoker's novel.

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