The Literary Villain In Dracula By Bram Stoker

The evolution of religion, particularly the growth of atheism and the relaxation of catholicism and christianity in the U.S. and throughout the western world is expressed in the film. The film relies heavily on catholicism yet as religion becomes more and more relaxed in the film’s context, Bram Stoker’s Dracula features aspects of other religions. Throughout the novel and this film, crosses, crucifixes and the Body of Christ are used to ward off Dracula. This can be seen in the close up of the reflection of the crucifix that Jonathan wears (28:18). It’s effects on Dracula are immediate and obvious. Moreover, the idea of reincarnation and its accompanying values are evident throughout the text. The comparison between between Dracula’s wife and Mina reveal their physical appearances to be the same through the cut between the shots of Mina looking up at the painting of Dracula and his wife (2:00:42). Additionally and more evidently, Bram Stoker’s Dracula features a Dracula who is more humanised and romanticised than any movie that predecessor it. Dracula and Mina are shown to have a romantic bond as opposed to only the sexual attraction which is expressed in the novel. This relationship is evident in the panning of Mina and Dracula dancing (1:09:02). Through this technique, the intimacy and romanticism of this

Dracula by Bram Stoker is a horror story about a hero’s quest to rid the world of vampires from the Victorian era. Readers are horrified by his graphic descriptions and horrifying struggles. However, Dracula is much more than just a vampire fantasy; in this novel, Bram Stoker explores the unconscious sexual desires repressed during the Victorian era and the controversy surrounding sexuality.

He, being a satanic figure, revealed by the consumption of blood, and also being shown by his physical appearance; he had long, sharp fangs, fiery red eyes, and pointed ears. Dracula also had many abilities that are typically awarded strictly to God; he can control animals, the weather, and shapeshift. Christians believed that the consumption of God’s body and blood through communion will give them everlasting life with God in heaven. Dracula consumed human blood in order to remain “undead” and to have strength. His horrific actions embodied the complete opposite of the God. Not only did these actions illustrated the opposition of the two figures but, it also showed how Dracula bypassed God and went to humans for his restoration in life after death. Therefore, he shunned God as the supplier of life.

Dracula by Bram Stoker is the original vampire book, the one that started it all. From it derived the now so beloved and famous teen-romance vampire genre, with novels like Twilight. However, Dracula is not remotely like the sparkle-in-the-sunlight, falling-in-love-with-mortals vampire any more than Harry Potter is like the Wicked Witch of the West. Dracula is a gothic horror novel set in Transylvania and England during the Victorian Era. Letters, diary entries, and newspaper clippings from the viewpoint of several characters tell the story, allowing for a wide variety of viewpoints that highlight happenings in Dracula as well as present the social issues pertained within. While it contains action, suspense, horror, and romance, it also displays the corruption within the everyday society. The way the women are presented, interacted with, and how Count Dracula affects them brings forth the issues within the Victorian society, especially the men’s treatment of women and the different social and gender roles, which Stoker uses to highlight the situational irony found within the novel.

Dracula, constructed as the “other” is at odds with the “self” or the typical British characters, which is the reason why he must be annihilated. He represents the “other” in two senses; firstly based on his location and secondly based on his non-humane attributes. The space that Dracula occupies,

"Doing Justice to the complex character of Dracula was one our main goals. He's been portrayed as a monster or as a seducer, but knowing his biography made me think of him as a fallen angel, as Satan...

In comparison to the modern interpretations of the vampire genre, Bram Stoker’s Dracula is slower in progression, yet deeper in meaning. In modern interpretations of the genre, stories such as Twilight, Vampire Diaries, and The Originals progresses quickly, and vampires are portrayed as redeemable. Contrasting these stories, Dracula progresses sluggishly with Stoker giving too much information throughout the entire novel. Moreover, Count Dracula is seen as an irredeemable, soulless monster. Having been accustomed to the modern interpretations of this genre, Dracula was an extremely dull read. At various points in the story, I expected stronger plot development or suspense, but the story lacked both. Additionally, the story lacked cohesion as the vast imagery and explanations of the character’s internal thoughts contributed nothing to the plot.

Dracula is a proud of his lineage. His blood is noble among gypies (criminals) but when placed in comparison to the elite of England, he is considered primitive, “…Dracula's criminality dominates over his noble blood: 'science' assimilates him to a lower type, associating him with animals and 'inferior' human groups” (McWhir 34).

According to one view, Dracula, in many ways, can be seen as a “metaphor for human evil.” A vampire’s devil-like characteristics creates a profile representing all the evil that can manifest in human beings. For instance, one common characteristic between vampires and evil humans is Ego-Centrism, when one’s ego acts like a “tyrant”. This kinds of person is self-centered and takes little interest in the desires or needs of others. Dracula illustrates a form of ego-centrism in that his ego is so high that he believes that there’s no spirt or higher authority that he needs to answer to other than himself. He believes that he’s perfect and judges the rest of the world according to his own standards. Another common characteristic between vampires and evil beings is their continuous hunger for power and need to be able to control others so that they can do them as they please. If vampires are an extension of humans, some people may ask how can vampires justify their actions and be able live with themselves after all the bad things they’ve done. The simple answer is they don’t. Vampires, as many evil humans are, tend to be in denial, lying to themselves about who they really are. They know that they would not be able to handle the guilt associated with their sins, such as murder and sucking the blood of others. Therefore, vampires disguise themselves to make themselves appear normal, in

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.

Dracula is a signet classic novel written by Bram Stoker. This novel is portrayed by an antagonist character known as Count Dracula. He has been dead for centuries yet he may never die. He has a peculiar power of hypnotic fascination but he is weak in god’s daylight. He is immortal as long as he is able to drink blood from the living. He can change his form into a wolf, a bat or a puff of smoke. Dracula get in touch with Jonathan Harker through a real estate transaction. He went to Dracula’s castle through a carriage as were planned. After a few days, he felt as if he were prisoned in the castle as his movements were restricted. Meanwhile, Harker has a fiancée named Mina

A creature of disturbing wickedness, Dracula is not fulfilled by merely controlling the body of humans, but he also yearns for the domination over the soul of mortal beings. This calls to mind the image of a distinctly anti-Christian vision. The first image of Dracula reinforces the idea that he is not a simple villain but a complex one. As Jonathon Harker ventures to meet Dracula, he witnesses Dracula’s control and mastery of beasts: “How he came there, I know not, but I heard his voice raised in a tone of imperious command, and looking towards the sound, saw him stand in the roadway. As he swept his long arms, as though brushing aside some impalpable obstacle, the wolves fell back and back further still” (pg.11). While we are to believe that Christ gained his power over the environment and its inhabitants through His divinity, we are left to ponder where Dracula may have accumulated his power. While Jesus chose to use his power for good, Dracula’s accumulated power acts as a dark mirror being used for evil.

The late nineteenth century Irish novelist, Bram Stoker is most famous for creating Dracula, one of the most popular and well-known vampire stories ever written. Dracula is a gothic, “horror novel about a vampire named Count Dracula who is looking to move from his native country of Transylvania to England” (Shmoop Editorial Team). Unbeknownst of Dracula’s plans, Jonathan Harker, a young English lawyer, traveled to Castle Dracula to help the count with his plans and talk to him about all his options. At first Jonathan was surprised by the Count’s knowledge, politeness, and overall hospitality. However, the longer Jonathan remained in the castle the more uneasy and suspicious he became as he began to realize just how strange and different

The theme in Dracula is that classic Gothic theme of the epic battle of good versus evil. In this novel this is expressed in a very direct way, there is never any question as to who is right and who is wrong. As it can be clearly seen the protagonists on the side of good have many endearing qualities while the antagonists on the side of evil have a pact with Lucifer and are of the purest evil. The main antagonist in this story, Dracula, has

The Vampire in Dracula threatens the very existence of Victorian England. Stoker constructs the vampire as an embodiment of threat by surpassing his Gothic novelist predecessors to bring the threat of the Gothic home to Victorian England (Arata 119). This in turn crosses the boundary between what is foreign and what is national; and dually East and West. Dracula is open to many