ipl-logo

Doctor Van Helsing And Dracula Comparison Essay

814 Words4 Pages

II. Contrast of Science and Folklore “There are mysteries which men can only guess at, which age by age they may solve only in part. Believe me, we are now on the verge of one.” (Stoker 239) Victorian Britain moved from an agrarian into an industrial society and the industrialization brought new devices and technology that improved the Victorian lifestyle. Stoker’s Dracula is an example of the clash between the modernity and tradition. Stoker puts an emphasis on the newest technology of Britain and combines them with traditional and folkloric traits. He described through Doctor Seward and Doctor Van Helsing two main attitudes towards science. Doctor Seward stands for modern science and reasoning and Doctor Van Helsing represents the superstitious beliefs. Doctor John Seward is a British man who represents an objective and scientific approach. Seward runs an asylum and is aware of the newest scientific maters, keeps a diary on a phonograph, but most important, he is devoted to science: “Why not …show more content…

Lit, ETC, ETC” (Stoker 130) and is using the newest technology, he is also a connoisseur of vampires and superstitious methods how to destroy them. His knowledge of medicine and folklore enable him to solve Lucy’s condition as he explained to Harker “You are a clever man, friend John. You reason well, and your wit is bold, but you are too prejudiced.” (Stoker 202). He puts garlic flowers in Lucy’s room and tells Arthur that the only way to kill a vampire is to drive a stake through their heart. Van Helsing implies to the group that there are forces that cannot be explained with science: “You do not let your eyes see nor your ears hear, and that which is outside your daily life is not of account to you. Do you not think that there are things which you cannot understand, and yet which are, that some people see things that others cannot?” (Stoker

Show More
Related

  • Dracula Movie And Book Comparison

    1495 Words  | 6 Pages

    What would it be like to be a vampire? What would it be like to have a vampire in one’s life? What were the vampires of folklore like? These topics will be reviewed throughout this essay by comparing four of the vampire books and movies. All the vampire movies have some similarities and differences but four literature pieces in particular will be gone through in this comparison.

    Read More

  • Heideggers Experiment, Rappaccini's Daughter, And The Birthmark

    508 Words  | 3 Pages

    Some think of science as advantageous, while others believe it can be immoral. Acts of science can lead to manipulation of the natural world and cause those performing the experiments to “play God.” Nathaniel Hawthorne 's short stories “Dr. Heidegger’s Experiment,” “Rappaccini’s Daughter,” and “The Birthmark” each incorporate characters that attempt to alter a natural aspect of life and in turn are met with failure. It is through his short stories that Nathaniel Hawthorne reveals opinion of science: Men should not engage in scientific studies that require them to act as God.

    Read More

  • Thesis On Dracula And Religion

    332 Words  | 2 Pages

    The topic I have chosen for my essay is how Dracula is meant to remind society of the importance of religion, specifically Christianity, in Stoker’s time. I intend to do this through analyzing symbols in Dracula, drawing connections between these symbols and Christianity, and analyzing the implications Stoker attempts to make. I chose this topic because vampires and their sacrilegious implications, such as burning when touching a cross, have always been of interest to me, hence why I chose to study Dracula in the first place. My thesis is: Stoker uses Count Dracula as symbol to represent what society may become if they abandon religious beliefs.

    Read More

  • Good Vs. Evil In Dracula

    889 Words  | 4 Pages

    Dracula traps Jonathan Harker in his castle, but he finally escapes without the Count killing him. Dracula then sucks Lucys blood and turns her into a vampire. At this point everyone is against the bloodsucker. Since Lucy died, well turned into a vampire. Lucys friends have to stab her in the heart and cut off her head.

    Read More

  • Renfield In Bram Stoker's Dracula

    1367 Words  | 6 Pages

    evil (dark). To begin with, light colors, such as white, are highlighted through characters such as Lucy Westenra, as she is both literally and figuratively characterized to be among “the white garments of the angel,” indicating that Lucy is a character who represents all that is pure and noble in a lady (Stoker 209). On the other hand, the vampires in the novel, Count Dracula and the three female vampire wives, are associated with the colors black and red. For example, when Jonathan Harker first encounters Count Dracula, Dracula is revealed to be “clad in black from head to foot, without a single speck of colour about him anywhere” (Stoker 13). This emphasizes his role as an antagonist in the novel.

    Read More

  • Gender Roles In Bram Stoker's Dracula

    1350 Words  | 6 Pages

    At first glance, the novel Dracula by Bram Stoker appears to be a typical gothic horror novel set in the late 1890s that gives readers an exciting look into the fight between good and evil. Upon closer inspection, it becomes apparent that Dracula is a statement piece about gender roles and expectations for men and women during the Victorian age. Looking at the personalities, actions, and character development of each of the characters in Dracula bring to light startling revelations about Victorian society and how Stoker viewed the roles of men and women during this time period. To really understand Dracula, it is important to note that this novel was written during a time “of political and social upheaval, with anxieties not just about the

    Read More

  • Women In Dracula Essay

    696 Words  | 3 Pages

    As she is sick, Arthur gives her a blood transfusion to try to help her become better but when it does not work, she is stabbed in the heart to go back to her original beauty and die. Lucy in the book shows how the ideal Victorian woman can so suddenly turn into the bad, evil, sexual woman that was unacceptable. Throughout the novel, Bram Stoker showed in detail what was considered to be the ideal Victorian woman through the character Mina. He also showed how women were sexualized, misbehaved, and evil through the behaviors of Dracula’s three daughters.

    Read More

  • Carl Sagan Rhetorical Analysis

    836 Words  | 4 Pages

    It is after two paragraphs exploring notions of man’s cosmic connection that Sagan asserts his first claim in the essay, “plainly there is no way back… we are stuck with science” (1). The compassionate tone persists even in assertions, as seen through the use of first person. More compassionate is the gentle acknowledgement of the pseudoscience appeal. “Yes, the world would be a more interesting place if there were UFOs lurking in the deep waters off Bermuda… or if our dreams could, more often than can be explained by chance and our knowledge of the world, accurately foretell the future” (1). This series of sentences ends the introduction.

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Dracula And Twilight's Vampire

    1017 Words  | 5 Pages

    Comparison of Dracula and Twilight’s vamps Characterisation of Dracula and Meyer’s vamps in these two books is entirely different. Through Stephanie Meyer 's novel vampires are illustrated as inhumanity attractive, powerful almost human creation. Her vampires have major advantages over Stocker 's they are described almost without any weaknesses. Despite of vamps ' reputation they can consume garlic and drink animal blood which is enough for survival, cannot transform into a bat or wolf but some of them have special talents as reading in others minds (Edward), steering emotions (Jasper) or see the future (Alice).

    Read More

  • The Importance Of Dracula In Stoker's Dracula

    1253 Words  | 6 Pages

    Gothic horror novel Dracula, the title character makes only several relatively short appearances, some of which are while in disguise. Throughout the novel, Stoker keeps Count Dracula in the shadows, both literally and figuratively. This essay will describe these appearances and analyze Stoker’s use of them to determine what effect they might have on the impression of the character and the novel overall. It will be claimed that by keeping his title character hidden for much of the novel, Stoker’s Dracula is made much more frightening to the reader. Human beings tend to fear the unknown, and by leaving Dracula to the imagination,

    Read More

  • Theme Of Evil In Dracula

    711 Words  | 3 Pages

    The presentation of Good vs. Evil is one of the main themes in the novel, Dracula. The portrayal of good and evil is seen in each character throughout the book. The characters considered “evil” in the novel are Dracula and his vampire brides. Dracula converts humans into vampires and has immense power over certain individuals. Everything he does demonstrates that there is no good in him at all.

    Read More

  • Dracula And Van Helsing Analysis

    711 Words  | 3 Pages

    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. Dracula himself has been roaming the world for centuries; he is ancient. In a way his practices are ancient

    Read More

  • Science And The Supernatural In Bram Stoker's Dracula

    823 Words  | 4 Pages

    Seeing is believing, especially when it comes to the supernatural. Throughout Dracula, by Bram Stoker, the clash between science and the supernatural is a recurring theme. At the time, London, England, was in the middle of modernizing society and the science behind it. This included the invention of the phonograph, typewriter, and the way people were thinking. Because of this new era, the English began to discharge the ideas of superstitions.

    Read More

  • Theme Of Enlightenment In Frankenstein

    974 Words  | 4 Pages

    Furthermore, Shelley examines the relation that Frankenstein and his monster have towards relevant motifs of Enlightenment such as science, religion, and humanity. To begin with, the era of Enlightenment was characterized by numerous scientific discoveries in Europe. Advances were made in various scientific fields such as astronomy, physics, and mathematics. They caused large controversies which had a deep impact on people’s thinking about God and religion.

    Read More

  • Dracula Rationalism Analysis

    1263 Words  | 6 Pages

    For instance, the religious and scientific objects used by the protagonists are put on an equal level and shown working together when Seward states “We each held ready to use our various armaments—the spiritual in the left hand, the mortal in the right.” (Stoker 324). Likewise, Mina’s aforementioned rationalist deduction of Dracula’s escape route is notably said to be made “under God’s providence” (Stoker 373), again suggesting faith and reason working together in harmony. This reconciliation of religion and rationalism is best shown in the character of Van Helsing, who embodies both extremes of the debate. He is described by Seward as “one of the most advanced scientists of his day” (Stoker 122).

    Read More

More about Doctor Van Helsing And Dracula Comparison Essay

Open Document