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Homosexuality And Evil In Bram Stoker's Dracula

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Dracula The novel “Dracula” was written by Irish author, Bram Stoker, in 1897. “Dracula” is a horror fiction novel about a vampire named Dracula. The novel tells the story of Dracula's attempt to move from Transylvania to England so that he may find new blood and spread the undead curse, and of the battle between Dracula and a small group of men and a woman led by Professor Abraham Van Helsing. The novel Dracula paved the way for most novels regarding vampires, and other unnatural beings. The novel is set in 1893, four years before it was written. Personal journal entries from an English lawyer, Jonathan Harker, start off the novel. Harker travels to Count Dracula's castle in Transylvania to assist him with legal business. Unfortunately for …show more content…

At the time, sex and homosexuality were controversial topics, with emphasis constantly put upon the importance of using caution and awareness when involving such matters and encouraging an overall chaste and modest lifestyle. Such beliefs are boldly represented throughout the book, and often center on the glorifying resistance of temptation while advising against the inevitable temptation to “taste the forbidden fruit”.
However, it is important to explore the views and atmosphere of the time period of Dracula's writing to better understand how the legendary “evil” that is Dracula came to be. A result of common Victorian-era fears and Stoker’s own personal views on sex and homosexuality, Dracula is a marvel stemming from many sources.
The vampire has always been a contradictory figure: on the one hand a repellent blood-sucking creature crawling from the grave, and, on the other, a strangely alluring representation of nocturnal glamour and potent sexuality. The very concept of vampirism horrifies and fascinates in seemingly equal measure, and much of this perverse duality stems from the most famous vampire novel of them …show more content…

The first is how little horror there really is in the book. It may seem strange to say it, but the body count is surprising low. There’s only a few moments of real white-knuckle terror scenes. My favorite one is the sea journey Dracula takes to London. During the trip he takes out members of the crew one by one, and you can feel the desperation and fear grow with each new entry in the ship’s logs.
It’s also surprising how little we see of the vampire. While the book is called "Dracula," the infamous count only makes a few appearances in its pages. Yes, he is the focus of all of the main characters’ discussions. But beyond some conversations with his English broker Jonathon Harker in the beginning of the book, he is nothing more than a dark and haunting shadow lurking in the background. He is the mystery to be solved, and then becomes the focus of the heroes’ hunt for justice.
The third, and the most surprising for me during this recent reading is how religious the novel is. The friends of Dracula’s first victim spend the book seeking revenge for their deceased friend. Each member of the team views their work as something spiritual, part of a great battle between good and evil. Honestly, it can get a little heavy

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According to the Victorian Web, a new and budding author named Bram Stoker entered the world in the year 1847, on the eighth of November. From a young age, Stoker loved to read about folklore, and later on in life he aspired to be an author. Although Stoker published several stories, only in the year 1897 did he publish his most well-known novel, Dracula. After this success, Stoker went on to write several other novels, and eventually died in the year 1912. (Scarborough)

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Bram Stoker's 'Dracula' characterizes the preface of a cult-fostering generation - It remains descriptive of a time capsule engaging with the convention and popular broodings of the Victorian era lasting through 1837 to 1901. It was an era of primitive, antediluvian notions and demeanors. The novel, in its entirety, is set in Transylvania - a place which typically harbors suspense and a loom of double-stitched ambiguity. The book was written in the form of individual journal entries which prepended a sense of idiosyncratic connections for the readers to be acquainted with.

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Everybody knows the classic tale of Bram Stoker’s Dracula. It is most famous for its introduction of the character of Count Dracula into both deep-rooted and contemporary literature and media. One critic claimed,” Bram Stoker set the ground rules for what a vampire should be.” It follows the story of Jonathan Harker, an English solicitor who visits Count Dracula in his castle in Transylvania – soon realising that he is being kept as a prisoner. Dracula forms a liking to the character of Lucy which ultimately leads to her death.

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Bram Stoker's Dracula is filled with interesting symbology and religious comparisons. Dracula is a gothic novel set in late 1800s Britain and Transylvania. Dracula is an epistolary, meaning it is told through a series of journal entries, news clippings, etc. It’s like the written version of found film. Dracula draws from many old myths for its villain and is the basis for the modern vampire.

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As the novel progresses, its sexual undertones become more and more apparent. Stoker begins to make direct links between vampirism and sexuality. One could conclude that because at this period of time, Stoker could not plainly write about intercourse itself, he disguised the act by using graphic sexually suggestive acts in the predation of the vampires. “When Dracula feeds, for instance, he echoes the mechanics of sex: he waits to be beckoned into his victim’s bedroom, then he pierces her body in a way that makes her bleed.” (Valente 124).

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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, like Twilight. Although 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. The story is told in letters, diary entries and newspaper clippings, from the viewpoint of several different characters. This allows for a wide variety of viewpoints that highlight happenings in Dracula as well as present the social issues pertained within.

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Since its publication in 1897, "Dracula" has become synonymous with the vampire genre, serving as the quintessential symbol of vampiric lore and inspiring countless adaptations across various mediums. The popularity of "Dracula" can be attributed not only to its narrative but also to Stoker's exploration of themes such as mortality and

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Bram Stoker’s Dracula presents a tale of mystery and horror as heroes embark on a journey to save England from falling into darkness. While Count Dracula embodies the characterizations of darkness and death, he can hold a hypnotic influence over his victims personifying forbidden desire and temptation on all that fall under his curse. These qualities allow Stoker to criticize Victorian England’s views of desires and share how these unfulfilled desires will fall into temptation and lead to a darker path. Furthermore, he uses these qualities to criticize the male view of women, showing this by symbolizing the effects of not having crucial information with Mina Harker. Count Dracula is depicted as a charming and sinister man whose presence is magnetic and hypnotic to anyone who stands near him, allowing

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On May 26, 1898, one of the world’s greatest horror novels was released. Bram Stoker, a business man in London, released his novel, Dracula, which is still a worldwide sensation over one hundred years later. The book tells the story of the vampire Count Dracula who attempts to move from Transylvania to England. This was the very first introduction of the character, Dracula, and he can now be found on television shows, movies and even a breakfast cereal.

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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

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Novels portrayed by fear, horror, death and mystery are said to be gothic. The genre was originated in the 17th century and was popularized in the 18th century with novels such as “Dracula” by Bram Stoker. It follows the battle between Dracula, a vampire, and a group of men and women trying to stop him from spreading the undead curse. It’s the ultimate battle between good and evil. “Dracula” by Bram Stoker includes traditional elements such as women in distress, supernatural events, and a dark, impending settings that occur in gothic novels.

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Unlike Frankenstein, it is very difficult as a reader to feel pity for Dracula. In this story, Dracula is the definition of a true villain. As a character, he is pure evil. He kills purely because he knows that he can and even takes enjoyment out of corrupting and toying with his victims, we see this especially with Jonathan Harker. What is also very interesting is that in this story, the reader is not given any mental weaknesses that Dracula may possess.

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Bram Stoker’s, Dracula is a classic gothic horror novel with a very unique style. Stoker tells his tale through many different characters, he uses journals, newspaper articles, and letters between his characters to craft his tale. He is able to compose a complex tale by weaving together many different narratives. Though one crucial narrative is excluded by Stoker, Dracula himself never takes the role of narrator. He is portrayed as a demon and inhuman beast that seeks to destroy all that is pure and good.

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This can even allow the reader to possibly ‘fill in the blanks’ about the unknown character with her own fears, adding to the horror of the novel. Count Dracula’s first appearance takes place in his castle in the Carpathian Mountains of Transylvania when Jonathan Harker arrives to discuss a real estate transaction. When Harker arrives at the castle, he first hears Dracula approaching in an ominous manner before he actually sees the Count. “I heard a heavy step approaching behind the great door, and saw through the chinks the gleam of a coming light,” Stoker writes, “then there was the sound of rattling chains and the clanking of massive bolts drawn back. A key was turned with the loud grating noise of long disuse, and the great door swung back”.

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It is really exciting. Like I said, Dracula is hard to understand especially when it is you first time to read, there are several unfamiliar words to be search for you to understand a statement, clearly. It is written in a Gothic style, a style of writing in the midst of 12th to 13th century, if I am not mistaken. On the other hand, it will teach you to read classic, I am persuaded, really. I like vampire stories, and this book gives me a set of idea at the same time a change of ideas about the character traits vampires do possess.

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