The Theme of Light and Darkness in Dracula
The theme of light and darkness is used to good effect in 'Dracula'
through many ways. When considering light and darkness as an ongoing
competitive battle it is possible in 'Dracula' to incorporate themes
of 'day and night' as well as 'life and death' and 'right and wrong'
as they all share similarities in contrast.
It has been argued and said that stoker did not believe in the opinion
of extremes meaning he liked to incorporate the idea that something is
neither 'black nor white' but possibly grey. In Dracula there are good
characters and evil characters but you could also argue that certain
ones are neither and stuck between both extremes, this is another way
that shows stoker prospect of not agreeing with extremes.
Firstly there is an obvious element which is present of life VS death
within the novel, this contrast is shown through the characters,
language and imagery. Light and Dark is shown through life Vs death
and day VS night.
One point contained in the novel that suggests a contrast between the
two extremes is that it is only during the night, when supernatural,
strange things occur in contrast to daytime when nothing seems to go
wrong.
When Lucy is bitten she acts as a human, during the day but during
night time her physical appearance dramatically changes because 'her
teeth were longer and her gums retracted', this shows that evil is
associated with night and good is associated with day. Although
darkness is associated with evil, there are moments in the novel that
contradict this because the reader can spot the evil characters by
their descriptions 'pale or white skin'.
It can be argued that the theme of light VS darkness is used to good
effect because the language creates an image which is easy to
understand.
Throughout the novel there are very little references to light in
contrast to darkness where there are many, this is due to the constant
presence of evil in the book, the title is a constant reminder that
Batman beats the Joker. Spiderman banishes the Green Goblin. For centuries story tellers have used the basic idea of good beats bad to guide their tales. Stories of blood sucking, human possessions and other tales have been passed down generations and vary between cultures. Among the creators of the famous protagonists is, Bram Stoker, the creator of Dracula. 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 betweens the line, 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.
Nosferatu a Symphony of Horror and Sunrise: A song of two humans, are silent films directed by F.W. Murnau made in the 1920's. Sunrise tells the story of two young lovers that rekindle their romance, and Nosferatu is a horror adaptation of Bram Stoker’s, Dracula. While they differ in genre, both are similar in that they consist of a young couple that encounter a threatening situation. The element of space becomes an interesting aspect relevant to both films as it is used to foresee the events of what is to come in the plot. In Noseferatu, enclosed spaces evoke the feelings of uneasiness and no escape. In Sunrise, it is the open space that provides hope for the romance of the couple. The surroundings in the given space relate to the character's internal selves and their futures. In Noseferatu, Orlok who symbolizes death, materializes from empty spaces visualizing the nature of death to follow. In Sunrise, the couple's constant complexity of emotions resembles the chaotic places they must encounter in order to fall back together. The plot in both films revolves around a particular evil whose power eventually weakens. Orlok's presence proves to be stronger and more intimidating through distance, whereas the woman from the city is most influential when she is in close and physical proximity. These
In the novel Dracula, by Bram Stoker, there is much evidence of foreshadowing and parallels to other myths. Dracula was not the first story featuring a vampire myth, nor was it the last. Some would even argue that it was not the best. However, it was the most original, using foreshadowing and mood to create horrific imagery, mythical parallels to draw upon a source of superstition, and original narrative elements that make this story unique.
The concerns of Victorian England about the status of faith and manhood have left a deep mark in the literature of the period. The Picture of Dorian Gray and Dracula are good examples of this concern. In both books there is an emphasis in the corruption of the body and of the soul as maladies that haunt the greatness of England. The aristocracy is pointed as the social strata from where this decadence will spread. These books show a population of youth that lacks the guidance of parents and are apparently deprived of fertility as a consequence of the disorientation that reigns among them. This corruption is shown in conjunction with a lack of religious faith and an excess of sin that will result in the transference of England to the forces of evil.
BP5/Topic Sentence: Good Vs. Evil has always been a constant battle in every tale, but good always prevails in the end.
as when Macbeth and Lady Macbeth want the darkness to conceal their evil deeds and in
Dracula is a mythical creature designed to wreak havoc on the lives of mortals through the terror and intimidation of death by bite. Vampires are undead beings that kill humans for their blood to survive. Human blood is the vampire’s sustenance, and only way of staying alive. Throughout time, humans have come up with ways to repel vampires, such as lighting jack-o-lanterns on All Hallows Eve, placing garlic around the neck, a stake through the heart, sunlight, etc. Both beings have a survival instinct, whether it be hunger or safety, both are strong emotions. In the novel Dracula by Bram Stoker, the characters Lucy, John, and Van Helsing strive for survival, therefore killing Dracula.
While studying the diabolical figures in the devil, the idea of presenting Dracula came to mind. Dracula represents the devil in many similar ways. Dracula remains as a character in many diabolical movies and films. For instance, Van Helsing provides a good interpret of how Dracula remains noticed in the past and in present day. Although Dracula’s character obtains different views in every movie and film, he plays an important role in Stephen Sommers Van Helsing movie. In the movie, he acts as many different things. Demonstrating both the kind and evil inside, Dracula portrays his character as a mystery. Different views of Dracula throughout the movie include harsh, strong, powerful, evil, the devil, and unstoppable. The studies of Dracula
Bram Stoker’s Dracula is a story of horror, suspense, and repulsion. The main antagonist, Count Dracula, is depicted as an evil, repulsive creature that ends and perverts life to keep himself alive and youthful. To most onlookers that may be the case, but most people fail to see one crucial element to this character. Dracula is a character that, though it may be long gone, was once human, and thus has many human emotions and motives still within him. Let us delve into these emotions of a historically based monster.
In Bram Stoker’s novel Dracula, The Count overtly represents the epitome of unadulterated evil, a monster incapable of remorse, and one who slaughters without discrepancy. His existence rests on his thirst to taint life, to terminate it or steal it away from the innocent. On the opposite end of the spectrum, his nemeses ardently struggle to preserve the souls of the unknowing. The roles the characters play in this narrative prove unyielding, with distinct boundaries between good and evil. If reality existed in such a simple state of black and white, of evil on one side and good on the other, we would all know easily on which side everyone stands. But, the grey comprises so much of life on Earth, it seems nothing can be defined so simply,
The definition of death is: the end of the life of a person. However, what if a character's death in literature or movies has a significant meaning. Thus, the death of a character is not truly the end of the person's life, but rather the reformation of wrongful acts. The story, Dracula, takes place during the Victorian era, where they believe that women have to be modest. Furthermore, the Victorians believe that they were progressing morally, intellectually, and materially through social and political reforms. Furthermore, they also believe heavily in Christian value since, throughout the book, the characters use crosses, crucifixes, and other religious objects against the evil vampires. Not only that, they also believe that sins can be purified
What if in between good and evil did not exist? Where would you stand? Today, it is believed that everyone was born with the slightest bit of evil in them. In the Victorian Era, this theory would be considered very wrong, because one would either be all good, or all evil. In Dracula, by Bram Stoker, good versus evil was symbolised throughout the book as two antithetical forces without an in between. By clearly demonstrating the relationship between the dualistic ideas of intuition versus logic, good characters facing figures comparable to the devil, and symbolism within the natural world, Bram Stoker effectively recounts a “holy war” between the antagonistic forces of good and evil.
Over the years people have given new out looks on the original vampire, Dracula. He was a tall non-attractive looking man who would never come out during the day. Hollywood however has made new vampire stories such as Twilight, True Blood, and The Vampire Diaries/The Originals that have new ideas of a vampire. These novels/books all have differences, but some still have key characteristics of the original vampire.
In act 2 scene 6 and act 3 scene 6 of the play ‘Dracula’, the
The Presentation of the Story Dracula by the Filmmakers There have been many film adaptations of the novel 'Dracula' written by Bram Stoker (1897) the most well known of these is the film 'Nosferatu' (1921) directed by Fredrick Murnau and 'Bram Stoker's Dracula' (1992) created by Francis Ford Coppola. I will be discussing the ways the filmmakers have presented the story 'Dracula' by; the ways in which the directors have introduced the film: their portrayal of Dracula: the use of special effects and finally the myths and legends used in the destruction of Dracula. 'Bram Stoker's Dracula' by Francis Ford Coppola, and 'Nosferatu' directed by Murnau have both represented the story Dracula in different contexts. 'Bram Stoker's Dracula' was produced during 1992 and 'Nosferatu' was produced in 1921. Despite the time difference of approximately seventy years both films they resemble each other in various ways.