Similarities Between Dracula And Van Helsing

A battle between good and evil is a common plot to Dracula, by Bran Stoker, 1897. The forces of evil, Count Dracula and other vampires (the un-dead), try to take over Britain. The novel’s heroes Dr. Van Helsing, Dr. John Seward, Johnathan Harker, Quincy Morris, and Arthur Holmwood are the first responders for this evil invasion of the British Empire. In the novel, the characters Dracula and Van Helsing play a major role for being the leaders of their respective groups. Dracula’s actions in the novel have the purpose to flourish the rise of the un-dead, while Van Helsing’s actions aim to preserve and protect the human race from the un-dead.

Despite working for the polar opposites, Dracula and Van Helsing are not completely different from each

other. In the sea of differences between both characters a few similarities can be found. Both counterparts are leaders of the un-dead and of the fighting human race respectively. Dracula has been roaming the world for centuries; he is ancient. His practices are ancient for the time period. For example, his decision to travel to Britain for the first time by boat instead of taking the train, he still lives in a castle, and his obliviousness to modern techniques such as shorthand writing style. Van Helsing is a doctor, he is a practitioner of medicine. He is supposed to represent science and advancement, yet he relies in the use of old fashioned or ancient practices to resolve conflicts in the novel. Even though these characters have some similarities, they are ultimately different. Their purpose and goal leads them into a conflict that lasts to the end of the novel; a conflict between the un-dead and humans.
Dracula seems to be the first vampire, or as Van Helsing says “un-dead”, to have surfaced in the world.

Evidence shows that Transylvania, in Romania is his homeland. The following remark is made when talking about his castle “just on the borders of Transylvania…” (Stoker 10). A suspenseful and mysterious atmosphere is created around Dracula. The locals talk of him as “dead”, foreshadowing his is part of the un-dead race “For the dead travel fast.” (Stoker 17). As the character Johnathan Harker is on his way to Castle Transylvanian many of the local Romanians show fear towards him and the place he is heading to “When I asked him if he knew the Count Dracula, and could tell me anything of his castle, both he and wife crossed themselves…” (Stoker 12). Such evidence foreshadows that Dracula terrorizes the human population in Romania. Upon arriving at Castle Transylvanian, Harker notes he rarely sees the Count in the mornings, for the Count always have an excuse to be absent. At Transylvanian Dracula moves around in a ghostly manner “Suddenly I felt a hand on my shoulder… I started, for it amazed me that I had not seen him, since the reflection of the glass covered the whole room behind me.” (Stoker 30). It seems as if he only reveals himself at the moments he wishes to. For the time Harker stayed at the castle he never saw the Count eat or drink “It is strange that as yet I have not seen the Count eat or drink” (Stoker 31). This starts to raise questions about the Count’s real

identity. The reader learns later on the novel that Dracula is an un-dead.
As the novel progresses, Dracula starts to reveal his “family’s” history to the readers. Harker’s diary describes the Count’s storytelling as detailed and vivid as if he himself had lived through all the events he talks about “In his speaking of things and people, and especially of battles, he spoke as if he had been present at them all.” (Stoker 33). At this sections Dracula’s intention with Harker becomes more clear. Harker is there to finalize papers of the estate the Count had currently acquired in Carfax, in England. Tying Dracula’s desire to move to England with his story of conquest, it foreshadows his intention to conquer the British Empire. He wants to make of England his new Romania, he wants to make it his empire. Dracula wants to create more of his kind. His first victim is Lucy Westenra, who he successfully turns into an un-dead. While in London, he is described as a predator in its hunting ground as Harker describes “… who was also observing the pretty girl. He was looking at her so hard that he did not see either of us…” (Stoker 155). Therefore, Dracula is an un-dead who preys on humans with the purpose to create more of his species.
Through the novel Dracula is portrayed as a predator “without heart or conscience, preying on the bodies and the souls of those we love best.” (Stoker 209. Dracula is a character who feels the need to be in power. He wishes to rule by fear, as he had done in his homeland. His real thoughts and feelings are not directly expressed until Van Helsing invades one of his houses ,and he is forced to cower back “and through them you and others shall yet be mine – my creatures, to do my bidding and to be my jackals when I want to feed” (Stoker 267). The association he makes between humans and “jackals” implies that he sees Van Helsing and other beings as people who should serve him. It also reveals that he wants to be superior, and to be in control of others. Dracula has a superiority complex, which keeps him in track of trying to accomplish his plans to create a nation of un-dead.
Van Helsing first appears in the novel when Seward requests his help to treat Lucy. HeVan Helsing is a doctor from Amsterdam, Holland “Professor Van Heilsing, who knows as much about obscure diseases as any one…” (Stoker 105). Seward treats him as a dear friend, and as a mentor. For everything Van Helsing plans and diagnoses is always considered the best option and rarely contradicted. In this midst of mystery Dracula sets, Van Helsing is the light that sets a pathway out of it. He accomplishes this in mysterious ways. For example, while he treated Lucy he was very unspecific to why garlic flowers needed to be laid around the room “The Professor’s actions were certainly odd and not to be found in any part pharmacopoeia that I ever heard of.” (Stoker 121). He had yet to revealed that an un-dead, Dracula in this case, had been feeding on Lucy’s blood. Van Helsing starts to be represented as a savior for bringing peace to Lucy “Since, however, Dr. Van Heilsing has been with me, all this bad dreaming seems to have passed away;” (Stoker 125). As the novel progresses he becomes more than a savior for his group, he develops into a protector of life.
Van Helsing’s involvement in Lucy’s case represents his willingness to fight for the living.

As a doctor he praises life, and wants to preserve it as much as possible. His continuous attempts to save Lucy’s life is an example “It is not too late. It beats, though but feebly. All our work is undone; we must begin again.” (Stoker 118). At this time period Van Helsing did not fully comprehend what he was fighting against. After he failed to save Lucy’s life he realized he had engaged in a fight against the un-dead “But there are things you do not know, but that you shall know, and bless me for knowing, though they are not pleasant things.” (Stoker 149). In his mysterious tone, Van Helsing implies his knowledge of the un-dead, and what must be done to rid of them “I want to cut off her head and take out her heart.” (Stoker 149). The gruesome work he is willing to do illustrates that there are no limits to what he will do to destroy the un-dead. From his point of view, it is necessary to take such a step in order to protect the human

race.
After the hunting and killing un-dead Lucy, Van Helsing engages in the pursuit of Dracula. From this point on he becomes a hunter, because he focuses all of his efforts on killing the most powerful un-dead “But we are face to face with duty; and in such case must we shrink? For me, I say, no.” (Stoker 209). The “duty” is to destroy Dracula, and he is sure he will do it. Van Helsing points out his ultimate fear in relation to Dracula, which is to become an un-dead like the former “But to fail here, is not mere life or death. It is that we become as him…” (Stoker 209). He also reveals to his companions the only way to defeat vampires “All we have to go upon are traditions and superstitions.” (Stoker 210). The only way to destroy Dracula is to believe in the traditions and superstitions they thought was men’s invention. To destroy a superstitious creature and guarantee that life reins the world, superstitious traditions must be used.
In conclusion, Dracula and Van Helsing are the polar opposites and fight for different causes. Van Helsing is depicted as a savior, protector of life, and a superstitious doctor. While Dracula is presented as a hostile predator, who wants make of England his empire of un-dead. From a doctor’s stand point, Dracula is an infection that threatens to destroy life. Van Helsing is the doctor who fights this infection in order to guarantee the life of the patient by using superstitious countermeasures. Ultimately the differences between these two main characters represent the world in the late 1800’s, where people in Europe still could not separate reality from superstition.