Dracula Gothic fiction is a genre that draws its name from the architectural styles of medieval castles where the stories first settings began. The characteristics of this genre are death and madness, mysterious and menacing characters, gloomy atmosphere, and supernatural events. Bram Stoker uses these characteristics to bring the reader into his novel Dracula. The settings that Bram Stoker uses are an old castle, a graveyard, and a chapel. The first setting that brings Gothic nature to the novel is the castle in the European country of Transylvania. The castle is described as dark and ruined. The castle belongs to Count Dracula. It is described in Bram’s novel Dracula like this “In the gloom the courtyard looked of considerable …show more content…
The chapel is a part of a residence that is next door to an insane asylum. It is noted earlier in the novel that Count Dracula is the one who has purchased this real estate property. The reader finds one of the patients from the asylum has escaped and found at the chapel door calling for his master as we see in Dracula, “I found him pressed close against the old ironbound oak door of the chapel. ‘I am here to do Your bidding, Master. I am Your slave, and You will reward me, for I shall be faithful. I have worshipped You long and afar off. Now that You are near, I await Your commands, and You will not pass me by, will You, dear Master, in Your distribution of good things?’” (100). There is another incidence where the reader is brought back to the same chapel to see a different picture from the inside. It is described in this manner in Dracula “We were prepared for some unpleasantness, for as we were opening the door a faint, malodorous air seemed to exhale through the gaps, but none of us ever expected such an odor as we encountered…But as to the odor itself, how shall I describe it? It was not alone that it was composed of all the ills of mortality and with the pungent, acrid smell of blood, but it seemed as though corruption had become itself corrupt” (241). The description of the chapel brings a gloomy atmosphere into the readers’ minds, hence the Gothic nature appears
The first example of Gothic literature is the atmosphere of decay. Not too far from the moor is a prison, which a convict seems to have escaped from. This adds even more creepiness to the already spooky moor. Then, there is the Grimpen Mire, which lays north of
The setting is gothic litereature is commonly located in a Victorian-styled environment, with dull shades of black and white pointed architecture. Some of the place described in the Gothic writing are old, abdondoned house, castles, or
Because Dracula was harmed by holy items, it could mean that he was pure evil, which would be true in Stoker’s time. As a result, the main weapons the men had to fight against Dracula with was sacred matter; their struggle was like a fight was like a battle between the holy and satanic. The Count was invading London with the purpose of infecting humans with evil, similar to how religion was being criticized and scientific ideologies were ‘infecting’ citizens’ minds.... ... middle of paper ... ...
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 Dracula was. As the story unfolded, Jonathan realized he is not just a guest, but a prisoner as well. The horror in the novel not only focuses on the “vampiric nature” (Soyokaze), but also on the fear and threat of female sexual expression and aggression in such a conservative Victorian society.
Dracula, a gothic novel by Bram Stoker, prominently displays three gothic motifs -- the supernatural, entrapment, and nightmares. Throughout the entirety of the novel, the main characters were being harmed or attempting to destroy the vampire, Count Dracula. Without this supernatural character there would not have been a plot line to the story. Count Dracula makes his victims feel physically entrapped as well as entrapped in their own mind. The characters in the novel that had direct interaction with Dracula seem to confuse reality with nightmares, making it hard for them to understand what was happening to them. Without these three main gothic motifs Dracula would not portray the same message.
Le Fanu uses gothic elements to intrigue and shock readers. This is clearly represented through vivid descriptions of isolated castles, abandoned churches, and mysterious woods. “… In the thick of the forest, overlooks the silent ruins of the town” (Le Faun Chapter I), “The castle is a ruin; the very village is deserted…” (Le Faun Chapter X). Le Faun uses this to create an eerie atmosphere. Through this, he manages to build suspense, forcing the readers to always be suspicious something is going to happen, but unable to determine how and when. This keeps the readers captivated. Similarly, by exploring the literature typified by ruin and mystery, Stoker explicitly exposes gothic tropes from Harker’s very first impression of the dilapidated castle. “The closed gates are of heavy old oak and iron, all eaten with rust” (Stoker Chapter II). As a result of this, Stoker is able to effectively convey the feelings of gloom, mystery and suspense. These are presented through the castle as it holds a lot of history, thus allowing Stoker to build up a haunting and ghostly atmosphere. This atmosphere is exaggerated through a sense of decaying which adds to the gothic convention in this context. “Hinges had fallen somewhat”, “wealth of dust’ and “dusty with age”, all indicating that the place is old, rusty and rather run-down (Stoker Chapter
While the character of Renfield is ostensively extraneous to the central plot of Dracula, he fulfils an important role in Stoker’s exploration of the central themes of the novel. This paper will examine how Renfield character is intertwined with the three central themes of invasion, blood and otherness. Firstly, through Renfield’s inner struggle we learn that he is ‘not his own master’ (Stoker, 211). The theme of invasion is revealed by the controlling and occupying powers of Count Dracula. Secondly, the recurring theme ‘the Blood is the Life’ (Stoker, 121), is portrayed throughout the novel and has been interpreted through Stoker’s character Renfield. Then finally, a look at the social construction of the ‘other’ in Dracula and how, through Renfield, who is ‘unlike the normal lunatic’ (Stoker, 52), the Count emerges as the ‘other’ of all ‘others’.
Spencer, Kathleen L. “Purity and Danger: Dracula, The Urban Gothic, and the Late Victorian Degeneracy Crisis.” English Literary History 59.1 (1992): 197-226
Gothic literature was developed during the eighteenth and nineteenth century of the Gothic era when war and controversy was too common. It received its name after the Gothic architecture that was becoming a popular trend in the construction of buildings. As the buildings of daunting castles and labyrinths began, so did the beginning foundation of Gothic literature. The construction of these buildings will later become an obsession with Gothic authors. For about 300 years before the Renaissance period, the construction of these castles and labyrinths continued, not only in England, but also in Gothic stories (Landau 2014). Many wars and controversies, such as the Industrial Revolution and Revolutionary War, were happening at this time, causing the Gothic literature to thrive (“Gothic Literature” 2011). People were looking for an escape from the real world and the thrill that Gothic literature offered was exactly what they needed. Gothic literature focuses on the horrors and the dark sides to the human brain, such as in Mary Shelley’s book Frankenstein. Gothic literature today, as well as in the past, has been able to separate itself apart from other types of literature with its unique literary devices used to create fear and terror within the reader.
Dracula, by Bram Stoker, is a classic tale of Gothicism. Traditionally, gothic tales only carried single theme of horror. Through Dracula, Stoker breaks this single theme barrier. The theme throughout Dracula is clearly displayed through the characters as they step from ignorance to realization in this tale of horror.
Gothic imagery and themes include castles, coffins, monsters and strange lands and pose the background of the classic Gothic novel. The Gothic element is synonymous with the horror and uncanny- a feeling rather than form, in which transgression is the central topic (Wisker 7). The vampire is a figure that transgresses society’s limits to form the central dynamic of the Gothic. “We enjoy seeing the limit transgressed- it horrifies us and reinforces our sense of boundaries and normalcy” (Halberstam 13). Assuming that Bram Stoker’s Dracula sets the archetype of the vampire, it is clear that modern vampires have demonstrated a decrease in the Gothic horror despite similarities in the Gothic imagery
Older Gothic literature was in castles and deserted buildings. Modern Gothic novels were written in more populated areas. Another text that can be classed as ‘Gothic’ is the novel ‘Frankenstein’. The reason for it being a ‘Gothic’ novel is the way it has a mutant character. Frankenstein is a mutant and is made by a crazy scientist ‘I saw the hideous phantasm of a man stretched out, and then, on the working of.
In Dracula, Stoker relied greatly upon the conventions of Gothic fiction. Traditionally gothic elements such as dark and sublime settings, and the innocent threatened by the ineffable evil obviously feature in Dracula. Stoker modernises his novel by bringing the set...
One of the most important aspects of any Gothic novel is setting. Mary Shelly's Frankenstein is an innovative and disturbing work that weaves a tale of passion, misery, dread, and remorse. Some would argue that Frankenstein is a classic Gothic novel. By a classically Gothic novel it is meant that the story employs a traditionally scary theme. This could include such things as dark and dreary castles set in isolated surroundings replete with dungeons. Supernatural beings such as ghosts and living dead may be included in the twisted, thrilling, unveiling tale. The novel does contain many Gothic characteristics in a sense that it does explore the uses of dark dreary basements, where the monstrous creature is made. Frankenstein is not set in a dull and dreary basement but you could say that where Frankenstein worked on his creation to be a gloomy dreary room. There is a struggle between good and evil throughout the story, an example of this is seen in Victor Frankenstein and his monster. We also get a lot of suspense around the person who is next to be murdered or die. An example of this is before Elizabeth dies when Victor Frankenstein is anticipating his own death.
Gothic writing was usually written in mysterious and ominous tine. Most Gothic novels were filled with death and terror. The authors of Gothic novels most commonly filled their books with omens and foreshadows, showing the dark side of mankind.