GROWING UP, MANY CHILDREN HEAR TALES OF THE FAMOUS DRACULA STORY. AS A MATTER OF FACT, THE CHARACTER OF DRACULA IS A COMMON HALLOWEEN COSTUME AMONGST CHILDREN.
WHEN I PICKED UP THIS BOOK AND READ THE TITLE, MY FIRST REACTION WAS THAT I WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE TITLE. ALTHOUGH I HAD NEVER BEFORE READ BRAM STOKER’S NOVEL DRACULA, I KNEW RIGHT AWAY THAT THIS STORY INCLUDED A VAMPIRE AS THE VILLIAN.
THE FIRST TWO CHAPTERS OF THIS NOVEL WERE ALREADY FILLED WITH SUSPENSE THAT GAVE ME THE FEUL TO CONTINUE ON WITH READING THE ENTIRE BOOK. AFTER READING THESE TWO CHAPTERS, I WAS SURPRISED THAT THE AUTHOR CUT RIGHT TO THE CHASE. BRAM STOKER DID NOT HESITATE TO MAKE IT SUSPENSEFUL TO KEEP THE READER GOING. JONATHAN HARKER’S FIRST ASSIGHNMENT AS A PROFESSIONAL LAWYER IS TO MEET WITH COUNT DRACULAR AT HIS CASTLE IN TRANSYLVANIA ON BEHALF OF CONCLUDING A DEAL WITH THE PURCHASE OF AN ENGLISH ESTATE.
THERE IS ALSO A LITTLE BIT OF FORESHADOWING IN THE FIRST TWO CHAPTERS. FOR EXAMPLE, BEFORE JONATHAN GOES TO THE CASTLE, HE STAYS IN A HOTEL THAT WAS SELECTED BY COUNT DRACULA. RIGHT BEFORE JONATHAN LEAVES THIS HOTEL, THE INNKEEPER’S WIFE PRESSES A CRUCIFIX ON HIS HEAD ON THE EVE OF ST.GEORGES DAY. WHEN HE ASKS HER WHAT ST. GEORGES DAY IS, SHE REPLIES WITH, “ALL EVIL THINGS IN THE WORLD WILL HAVE FULL SWAY.”
IF I HAD AN OPORTUNITY TO BECOME A FRIEND OF JONATHAN HARKERS’, I WOULD NOT TURN IT DOWN. JONATHAN SEEMS LIKE AN AVERAGE MAN. I WOULD ALSO FEEL SAFE BEING WITH HIM BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE COURAGES THINGS HE ACHIEVES IN THIS NOVEL.
MY FAVORITE SCENE IN THIS NOVEL WAS TOWARDS THE END IN CHAPTER 27. THIS IS WHEN DRACULA FINALLY PAYS THE PRICE AFTER THE EVIL HE USED ON MANY INNOCENT PEOPLE. JONATHAN IS VERY BRAVE AND SLITS THE COUNT’S THROAT. IMMEDIATELY AFTER THIS, QUINCEY DRIVES A BOWIE KNIFE INTO THE VAMPIRE’S HEART.
THIS NOVEL PORTRAYED MANY CONFLICTS BOTH MINOR AND MAJOR. ONE OF THE MINOR CONFLICTS IS WHEN JONATHAN SECRETLY PASSES A LETTER TO HIS LOVE MINA MURRAY OUT THE WINDOW TO ONE OF THE THREE GYPSIES WHILE THEY WERE LEAVING THE CASTLE. THE GYPSY WHO RECEIVED THE LETTER BROUGHT IT STRAIGHT TO THE COUNT. AS A RESULT THE COUNT HAS A TALK WITH JONATHAN. HE SAYS, “A VILE THING, AN OUT RAGE UPON FRIENDSHIP AND HOSPALITY.
Since the 19th Century, Bram Stoker’s Dracula has entertained its readers taking them to heights of excitement in the climax
Anyone who has ever seen one of the several adaptations of Dracula as a movie will know that it was intended to be a horror story. Stoker goes to great lengths in order to create an atmosphere of terror and villainy, while hinting at exciting things to come. Straight from the beginning of the book, foreshadowing is utilized to hint at horrifying future events. As Jonathan Harker was about to depart for Castle Dracula, an old lady accosted him and said, "It is the eve of St. George's Day. Do you not know that to-night when the clock strikes midnight, all the evil things in the world will have full sway?" (Stoker, 4). However Harker leaves anyway, despite the warning. Thus the reader is fully aware that something awful is going to happen to him. This quote makes one's mind think of possible future events, thus creating imagery. Every writer aspires to create good imagery, and Bram Stoker is particularly good at doing so.
This fictional character was soon to be famous, and modified for years to come into movie characters or even into cereal commercials. But the original will never be forgotten: a story of a group of friends all with the same mission, to destroy Dracula. The Count has scared many people, from critics to mere children, but if one reads between the lines, Stoker’s true message can be revealed. His personal experiences and the time period in which he lived, influenced him to write Dracula in which he communicated the universal truth that good always prevails over evil. Religion was a big part of people’s lives back in Stoker’s time.
For example, when Harker greets Dracula in Chapter 2, he becomes uncomfortable when shaking the Count’s hand, ‘more like the hand of a dead than a living man.’ This shows that Dracula has a deathly aura about him, represented as an inhuman character. Stoker enhances that Harker’s experience of meeting Dracula for the first time is all very strange to him, introducing an unfamiliarity within the element of ‘foreigner’ in the novel. In addition to this, as the characterisation of Professor Van Helsing develops, the reader soon learns that he carries out strange and unexplainable behaviour, ‘his actions were certainly odd.’ This is effective because it provokes an inquisitive response in the reader.
into strange trances. Jonathon escapes from the castle but is not free of Draculas power,
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.
Stevenson creates suspense in “The Last Night” by withholding information from the reader and by creating a gothic setting which reflects contemporary fears in London in the19th century. He also uses the character of Mr Hyde to create suspense by referring to the ideas of Darwin.
The version that I focused on for the sake of this essay was the book. I did watch eleven of the thirty-three Dracula movies that I own, so some references will be made to the movies. The book is told from the perspective of Jonathan Harker’s journal, with some letters to and from his girlfriend Mina. The purpose of his visit with Count Dracula is that Harker is selling a building to Dracula. Carfax Abby was in England where Dracula wanted to move.
In act 2 scene 6 and act 3 scene 6 of the play ‘Dracula’, the
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’.
‘Dracula’ is a novel that probes deeply into people’s superstitions, fears and beliefs of the supernatural. The creature Dracula is an evil being with no concern for others, he kills for his own ends and cannot be stopped, and this is what makes ‘Dracula’ truly frightening.
This piece of criticism has strengthened my arguments as to who the real monster is. It has given me a new way to look at things in the novel. I have since then re-read part of the novel and can now read it much more clearly. It will help me greatly in strengthening my argument for the final paper.
The protagonist and story of Bram Stoker's novel Dracula have been widely interpreted and adapted in films throughout many years. Despite almost a century of time since the initial publication, Dracula has maintained its ability to frighten and mesmerize readers. Francis Ford Coppola's Bram Stoker's Dracula; however, utilizes the erotic romance of the original novel in order to depict a tragic love story. The film accurately follows the general plot of the novel, yet presents the characters in a unique manner that provides for a different appreciation of the characters.
In Twilight, Edward Cullen presents the question; “ But what if I’m not the hero? What if I’m the bad guy?” The role of vampires is very controversial. Back in the day they were evil, soulless monsters and people genuinely feared them. However, in the present day it seems that we have grown to love them and even hope to one day be them. There are a plethora of vampire stories and many of them have become immense hits. With so many vampire stories, it is not uncommon that readers are able to identify a vast amount of similarities. Although similar in aspects, there are still many differences between the classic and modern day vampires. Two highly popular stories, in which we can easily identify similarities and differences, are Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight.
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.