What is the true meaning of Dracula? What purpose was it written for? In the novel Dracula by Bram Stoker, there are many literary elements that fall into the tome. Many of which can be detected with ease and some of which that are trying to recognize. Bram Stoker intended the novel to be this way and wrote it so the reader would find more elements with each endeavor. Five of them in particular stuck out among many evaluations: symbol, motif, character, conflict, and theme are the five main literary elements that portrayed themselves highly among reading. For what is a book without these five elements? This analysis will dive deeper into the Dracula novel and better explain some of the hidden elements that may not appear upon the first or second …show more content…
This can be seen and interpreted throughout many chapters in the novel. “As he [Van Helsing] placed the wafer on Mina’s forehead, it had seared it – had burned into the flesh as though it had been a piece of white hot metal” (Stoker 327). This quotation from the novel just goes to show how Stoker uses religious sacraments to repel or deter vampirism and also as a way to defeat it. “Thus are we ministers of Gods own wish: that the world, and men for whom His Son die, will not be given over to the monsters, whose very existence would defame Him. He have allowed us to redeem one soul already, and we go out as the old knights of the Cross to redeem more. Like them we shall travel towards the sunrise; and like them, if we fall, we fall in good cause” (Stoker 340). In this quote Van Helsing imagines that their struggle is analogous to the Crusades, and this empowers him to carry on his task and defeat Dracula. This excerpt alone shows Stokers opinion towards Christianity and also how much he incorporates its symbolization into the book and its characters shows this as well. Most of the symbols within this novel have to do with God or the good He brings. “Isn’t vampirism just a twisted version of Christianity’s sacred rituals? That makes vampirism pretty unholy…maybe that’s why the sacred wafers work” (The Sacred Wafers 1). This quote was taken from an article about Dracula’s ungodliness and why the religious sacraments succeeded. Upon breaking down this quote, you can definitely understand why the wafers and crosses work. They undermine Dracula’s powers and his hellish
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.
The central idea of this excerpt from Dracula was the fear of the prisoner living in the castle of Count Dracula who felt trapped and alone. The authors use of first person point of view of the prisoner was able to develop this central idea of fear because prisoner was able to describe his feelings first hand living in the castle with the Count as well as emphasize the thoughts that were scattered inside of his head during this time. An example of the author using first person point of view to help develop the central idea of fear was when the prisoner had realized that he was helpless in the situation of his current living conditions. The prisoner said "I think I must have been mad for the time, for I have behaved much as a rat does in a trap" (lines 4-5).
All throughout the story there is conflicts between the good and the evil. In Stokers novel it’s a battle between the good and the evil. The good defeat Dracula by using Christian references. All throughout the book is a holy war.
Also, when traveling to Transylvania, Van Helsing creates defenses for Mina Harker by forming a “Holy circle” consisting of the men in the novel, which he believes will “[ward] away Dracula’s [followers]” (Gray). Van Helsing is also described to rely heavily on Christian ritual when he places the “piece of Sacred Wafer” upon Mina Harker’s forehead, a method believed to protect her from Dracula’s attacks (Stoker
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
The horror genre of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, combined with mild eroticism is able to draw in readers due to the fact that Stoker is able to intricately weave suspenseful sexual scenes/scenes of desire throughout the novel—making it clear that
1. Introduction Madness as a theme plays an important role in Bram Stoker 's “Dracula”, almost every character at some point exhibits some kind of behaviour which could be connected with mental instability. “The working notes for the novel show that the idea of madness was present from an early stage; a cast list dating from the spring of 1890 includes a mad doctor and a mad patient who has ‘a theory of perpetual life’.” (Pedlar136). Even though, male and female characters are equally susceptible to madness, their actions and states which are similar in their nature are seen and dealt with in different ways.
The major theme in the novel Dracula by Bram Stoker is the threat of female sexual expression. During this time period, female sexual behavior was frowned upon. Women were said to have to be either a virgin or a wife and mother. Social standards were very strict during this time, making it unheard of for women to show sexual expressions. In is era, the main concern was the role women had in society.
These vampires encompass one of the major sub-themes of the Novel - sex. This topic was considered rude to discuss in public and could only be propagated through the medium of writing. These vampires are portrayed as “air, as fair as can be, with great masses of golden hair and eyes like pale sapphires. (!!!) ”
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,
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.
In Bram Stoker’s gothic novel, Dracula, the overall and fundamental theme of the book is given away the further you read, expressing Stoker’s view of religion. The novel is an account of the paths taken by many different characters such as Count Dracula, Van Helsing, Jonathan Harker, Mina Murray and Lucy Westenra. Since this poem was written with ideas focused primarily on the concepts of evil, as it was viewed during an appearingly-conservative nineteenth and twentieth century society, the book can be seen as a parallel to Eliot’s and others’ own religious quests. While Bram Stoker attempts to acquaint the reader with a frightening tale on the accounts of a dreadful vampire named Count Dracula, he also expresses the goal of strengthening
A battle between good and evil is a common plot to Dracula. The forces of evil, Count Dracula and other vampires (the un-dead), try to take over Britain. The novel heroes Dr. Van Helsing, Dr. John Seward, Johnathan Haker, 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, therefore they controlled the actions of their 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.
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).
Stoker presents Count Dracula as a sinister character by making him seem scary and inhuman, since the author uses adjectives and builds tension. It is evident of this when in the text it says ‘his eyes blazed with a sort of demoniac fury’. The use of the adjective ‘demoniac’ has the connotations of demons, the devil and blood. All of these words are in a semantic field of hell, which gives us the impression that Count Dracula is sinister and evil. Additionally, the use of the verb ‘blazed’ gives the idea that Count Dracula’s eyes were burning with hunger.