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The Unnatural And Horror Setting In Bram Stoker's Dracula

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Whether it 's an alien planet or a spooky house in a forest, setting often plays an important role in establishing meaning in stories. The setting is responsible for creating the mood and developing characters throughout the story. In some cases, the setting could even serve as a symbol, but most importantly the setting helps keep the story stay focused because if there was no setting, the story would cease to make sense. In Bram Stoker’s novel Dracula, the story begins in a hidden castle that is owned by a mysterious man whom everyone in town is afraid of. When Jonathan Harker arrives at the castle it is dark, and he describes the house as being old, creepy, and uninviting. For instance, if the castle was described as a bright and full of life …show more content…

Count Dracula 's castle is an imprisoning and frightening place, it is remote and isolated, far from England, and in Transylvania, one of the "wildest and least known portions of Europe," (Stoker 10) according to Jonathan. Harker also can 't find the castle 's exact location on a map. Thus, from the beginning, we encounter hints of the supernatural and horror genres in the isolated, mountainous, mysterious location of Castle Dracula. When Jonathan tells local people where he is going, they cross themselves and look fearful. Furthermore, the locals who take Harker to the castle treat the location with fear and dread. The deeper we read the more we begin to suspect how dangerous and dark this castle truly is because if the castle was otherwise the locals would not be so scared. As Jonathan gets closer to the castle, he feels "a strange chill" and a strong sense of anxiety. Then the wind begins to “blow” and “moan” and the wolves begin to howl in the night. The way Stoker uses the setting in this part of the novel, gives the reader a hint that Jonathan’s journey is not going to end well. Stoker also uses personification to make the wind more

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