Sacrifice In Bram Stoker's Dracula

Bram Stoker's Dracula is a staple of the Gothic Horror genre. It is a novel that has been scrutinized by countless readers over the years. It has spawned an absolutely massive following that still persists to this day, more than a hundred years after it was initially published in 1897. While Stoker's novel is certainly not the first example of a piece of gothic horror, or even the first example of a gothic horror story focusing specifically on vampires, it still managed to fully capture the attention of the public. But not only did Dracula enthrall the readers of its time, but it continued to be a mainstay of the gothic horror genre, and was continually discussed over the following years. The myriad of ways this novel has been interpreted over

the years speaks both to the depth of the novel and its themes as well as to the fascination that the public has had with vampires and the way Stoker described them. The interesting thing to note about these various readings of the novel is the way they have changed over time. While the text itself has not changed noticeably over the years (save for the abridged text which Stoker published following the original wherein he edits parts of the novel in various ways), the interpretations of the text have varied wildly depending on the reader as well as what time period the reader was examining the novel in. These changes to the way the novel has been read marks both the passage of time as well as the evolution of how the themes of the novel have been viewed at various points in time.
This story details Jonathan Harker’s encounter with the notorious Count Dracula, and the attempts between Harker and his cohorts to kill the Count. Stoker’s Dracula relies heavily on the Gothic tradition, which features prominently in the theme, setting, atmosphere, and character prototypes, all which contribute heavily to the nature of the work as a horror story.
Setting
The Gothic tradition features prominently in Dracula’s setting, and many stereotypical Gothic elements can be found scattered around the novel, which add to the overall effect of the work. Dracula has multiple setting changes, though nearly all of them are traditionally Gothic or have some traditional Gothic elements contained within them. In the opening scenes, Harker travels to Count Dracula’s castle in Transylvania, which operates as a Gothic setting on multiple levels. This castle is all by itself, completely isolated from any surrounding towns, and the interior is a warren of hallways and rooms, and is a “haunted castle in the tradition of Otranto, Udolpho, and the others” (Gates 21). However it is not just the castle that is Gothic, but also where it is found. This castle is located in far off Eastern Europe, an incredibly mysterious place for the native British citizen, where normal conventions and logic do not apply, as noted even by the Count who declares to Harker “Transylvania is not England. Our ways are not your ways, and there shall be to you many strange things” (Stoker 26). This castle and foreign setting are designed to bring out the fears and anxieties Harker, and the farther he travels into Transylvania the more apprehensive he and the reader get. The castle though is only one part of the setting, and though they are not depicted in such vivid detail as the castle, the Carfax estate, Seward’s lunatic asylum, and Whitby Abbey all strongly resemble the stereotypical Gothic setting.
Whitby abbey, though playing only a minor role in the story, is highly reminiscent of the “corrupt monasteries and convents which were an essential part of the novels of Ann Radcliffe, Matthew Lewis, and Charles Robert Maturin” (Gates 22). The lunatic asylum is another building that is highly evocative of Dracula’s Gothic roots, as asylums are conventionally places of imprisonment, as in this case serves as a perfect backdrop for Seward’s ruminations on sanity, madness and vampirism. The Carfax estate is another Gothic setting, as an isolated country house, and upon Harker and his companions’ break-in to the house they describe the odor of evil that permeates the air.
An important note in regards to setting is also the time period in which Stoker writes the novel. Instead of setting the novel in a medieval setting or at some unknown point in the past, it occurs in Victorian England, fully embracing society of the day. This adaptation of the time period is important to the modernization and subsequent urbanization of the later period of Gothic. Dracula is rooted “firmly in the modern world” (Arata 621), and thus for most of the novel, this translates to the novel taking place in the urban setting, as the city was a prominent feature of the modern times. This transition of Gothic into the city and modern times allows the author to bring “the terror next door” and “gave an entirely new direction to horror literature” (Spencer 201). Stoker’s Dracula developed a setting that readers might actually find themselves living in, and thus brought the terror much closer.
Atmosphere
Gothic elements are also pervasive in regards to Stoker’s efforts to build and sustain an atmosphere of terror and horror. When examining the initial story setting of the castle in Transylvania, Stoker builds an atmosphere using fairly traditional Gothic methods. Through the deployment of a chorus of warnings from the local superstitious peasants, various mysterious nocturnal noises, and of course the howling of the wolves, by the time Harker and the reader reach the castle they are thoroughly on edge. Harker then must adapt to Dracula’s nocturnal habits as the routines of day and night are reversed. This reversal makes the nighttime the primary setting for this point of the story, and helps to add to the atmosphere, nighttime is traditionally the hour at which most supernatural events occur and the forces of evil are the most powerful. This is particularly true in Dracula because while the Count can function in the day he is nowhere near as deadly as many of his abilities are significantly reduced. Stoker ties many of the elements of his setting into the atmosphere, as he develops the setting so does the atmosphere develop into a horrifying place where the reader is fully on edge.
In regards to developing atmosphere Stoker also deploys another important technique, in that the novel is written as an epistolary piece, through journal entries and letters. This narrative style and context suggests an authenticity, which makes the story more believable. The idea of a discovered manuscript or a tale passed down through the years is pervasive throughout a number of Gothic stories. This context of this style, because it adds to the stories believability, contributes heavily to the horror, anxiety, and realism of the piece.
Character
Stoker’s heroines are also much like the traditional Gothic heroines from which they are derived.

Mina, as one of the heroine’s in this novel, is much like her predecessors in regards that she is a persecuted maiden who, as a vulnerable female, needs to be protected. Mina is to be menaced and threatened by the Count, and she nearly dies, but ultimately is saved by the hero, who she happens to be a perfect match for. Stoker also happens to use a pair of heroines in his novel, which is reminiscent of Walpole’s “Castle of Otranto”, which pairs Matilda and Isabella as the two heroines. Ultimately though Stoker’s heroines fall into two categories: victim and survivor, as Mina and Lucy are juxtaposed against one another in a variety of ways. Lucy Westenra as the victim portrays women as frail and beautiful creatures, but whose virtue is no protection against evil. Mina on the other hand, as Stoker’s “ideal woman” (Gates 48) is made of sterner stuff than her counterpart and is able to endure the threat of evil with a little help from the heroes. Mina, as the ideal woman, is beautiful, intelligent, and resourceful, and if need be courageous, however she remains vulnerable and in no way a threat to male superiority. These gothic heroines, like the male heroes, also remain fairly static characters, and do not develop despite the myriad of external pressures and environmental factors, which is a fairly typical feature of the Gothic

heroine.
Stoker’s Dracula is “pure evil, repulsive, and terrifying” (Peters).

Dracula as the diabolical villain plays more of a role in the novel as a presence rather than as a person or character. Dracula is seemingly omnipresent, dominating the novel without actually appearing in the majority of it. Dracula’s character is shrouded in mystery and secrecy, though his role as a titled aristocrat is a “feature of the Gothic and Byronic heroes” (Carlson 30). Dracula displays several traits typical to that of the Gothic villain: “pride in his heritage and status, a brooding melancholy, and an hypnotic charm” (Gates 62). Stoker provides just enough qualities to motivate his villain, but leaves the rest mysterious and vague, though Van Helsing’s commentary will later turn Dracula into an almost legendary figure. Dracula is the embodiment of evil, just as the young heroes are the embodiment of good and virtue, and thus pitting the two against each other is the perfect way to illustrate the god versus evil

theme.
An interesting indicator of the change that occurs in Lucy is how the description of her appearance changes depending on which state she is in. Before she transforms her hair is described as light and fair: "He had even brushed Lucy's hair, so that it lay in sunny ripples." (Stoker 229) while following her transformation this description suddenly changes to "a dark-haired woman, dressed in cerements of the grave." (Stoker 301). The contrast between light and darkness within a single person is quite striking in relation to Lucy's imminent transformation. The changes to her appearance end up matching her descent into darkness. The change in color also gives the reader another clear visual indicator that Lucy has in fact undergone a significant change. This change is not only how she behaves, but also her appearance. The "bloofer lady", as Lucy is called by the children she preys upon, is not the same girl as the Lucy Westenra who loved Arthur Holmwood and rejected to proposals of Quincey Morris and John Seward. She has instead changed into a "child of the night" who now fully in the clutches of Dracula and will serve Dracula until she is vanquished.
conclusion
Dracula takes advantage of cultural fears. But how has the original text from 1897 continued to be relevant even to modern readers? The answer lies not only in the changing and changeable nature of the vampire, but also in the fact the cultural fears that are utilized in Dracula are somewhat universal fears. Sexuality is always relevant to human beings, fear of the foreigner or the unknown is another example of a cultural fear that simply continues to persist in the minds of human beings. People tend to fear what they don't fully understand, and since they don't understand something they instead become cautious of it.
Overall the vampires main advantage over many of its peers in the monster world is how strongly vampires are connected to sexual desires and urges. Because sexuality is such a timeless and universal concept to human culture it means that the vampire is unlikely to ever go completely out of style. There will certainly be periods where vampires take a back seat to some of the other monsters of gothic horror, but the vampires will simply bide their time and return in a new form, ready to take its place at the head of the table of monsters.
Vampires have fascinated people for hundreds of years, and likely will continue to captivate public interest for many more. Stoker’s Dracula is the definitive vampire novel, and many of the later vampire works draw on the story and characteristics defined by Stoker. In Stoker’s decisive work the Gothic tradition is on full display, as Stoker draws on those literary traditions to define critical aspects, such as the theme, setting, atmosphere, and characters of his story. The development of these aspects is crucial in the overall effect of the novel as a Gothic horror story.