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Science And The Supernatural In Bram Stoker's Dracula

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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. The group struggles to realize the matter of Dracula’s powers because they were being clouded by the era of science. It is only until Van Helsing brings together the ideology of the scientific West and the supernatural East that the group is able to overcome Dracula’s powers and defeat him, which portrays …show more content…

Within Dracula, Van Helsing discovers new material about vampires by witnessing them in the flesh. During one of these instances, Van Helsing says to Mina, “‘Will you not come over to the fire?’ for I wished to make a test of what she could. She rose obedient, but when she have made a step she stopped” (Stoker 325). Van Helsing is testing Mina through an experiment with a ring of holy wafer around her. Mina is unable to break that ring of holy wafer due to the superstition of holy objects against vampires. Van Helsing is applying his supernatural knowledge with the scientific ways, by testing Mina to learn weaknesses for vampires. Without testing his theories before using them against Dracula, he would have had no idea if they would actually work. The ability to understand Dracula’s powers is key when fighting him. If the group were to take on Dracula without the knowledge they have gathered from the mini experiments they have witnessed, they would end up fighting an immune monster. Towards the end, Van Helsing tells Dr. Seward that, “to rid the earth of this terrible monster we must have all the knowledge and all the help which we can get” (Stoker 202). By “all knowledge” he really means every bit he can get. By discovering new ideas from the superstitions, the group is finally able to grip what has been happening the past months. This

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