The Gothic Theme in Dracula by Bram Stoker Essay - 907 Words

The Gothic Theme in Dracula by Bram Stoker Bram Stokers Dracula is a true Gothic novel that belongs on any gothic literature course. Focusing in on the recurring themes, characters and settings used throughout the novel one sees how Dracula has set the standard for Gothic literature today. 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†¦show more content†¦Consider as well how the four men in the story risk their lives for that of Minas. Bram Stoker reveals his attitude towards the nature of Victorian society by making the evil side in this novel very seductive. Even though the side of good is well aware of the harm the evil s ide can cause, the seductiveness of the evil side tempts our protagonists on many occasions. For example when Van Helsing has trouble bringing himself to stake the three women because of their physical beauty and when Jonathan Harker nearly allows himself to be bitten by one of the women because of how physically attracted he is to her. I felt in my heart some wicked, burning desire that they would kiss me with those red lips.# Stoker comments on the nature of Victorian society by showing how unacceptable it was to give in to those primal desires. This relates to the struggle between good and evil between our heroes of Victorian society and the devilish vampires. Vampires are in control of those evil, primal desires in the story and good people like Jonathan Harker and Van Helsing must fight off these desires lest they lose their clean and pure Victorian existences. The characters in Dracula are very Gothic. Dracula is the most important antagonist in the novel. Dracula is a very if not the most interesting Gothic character ever created. He like all vampires casts no shadow and possesses no reflection. Dracula cannot die by the mere passing of time for he isShow MoreRelatedThe Use Of Gothic Elements In Dracula By Bram Stoker1698 Words   |  7 Pagesnovel, Dracula, is set and written in the nineteenth century during the Victorian era. The Victorian people had certain beliefs about Christianity and the roles of men and women in society. Women were allowed only to do certain things and were expected to do specific things in regards to men. The Victorian people also had their own interpretation of superstitions. Stoker introduced the Victorian people to gothic elements in his literary works. In literature, gothic novels often use gothic elementsRead MoreGothic Motifs Of Bram Stoker s Dracula1165 Words   |  5 PagesThe novel Dracula is a v ery popular book that was written in the form of Gothic Literature. This novel was written by Bram Stoker in the Victorian Age. A large portion of this piece of writing deals with many famous Gothic motifs. Gothic Literature combines the usual Gothic horror with fiction and Romanticism (Wikipedia). A motif is a distinctive symbol or dominant idea used in literature. So therefore, a Gothic motif is a literary symbol that usually combines fiction with either horror or romanceRead MoreLiterary Review of Bram Stokers Dracula Essay1230 Words   |  5 PagesReview of Bram Stoker’s Dracula Prior to the creation of the literary classic â€Å"Dracula†, Bram Stoker spent his time managing the Lyceum Theatre and legendary actor Henry Irving. 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Although many peopleRead MoreFilm Review : Dracula By Bram Stoker Essay1743 Words   |  7 Pageschanging the roles of the main characters, scenes, theme, time period, or even the overall story. After reading the gothic novel Dracula written by Bram Stoker in 1897, it is amazing how the storyline is similar to the 1931 horror film, Dracula directed by Browning, starring Bela Lugosi. However, they differ in many key characteristics confusing the audience. Although the Dracula novel and film are similar in many aspects, the filmmakers of the 1931 Dracula give different roles to the main characters,Read MoreAnalysis Of Bram Stoker s Dracula1448 Words   |  6 PagesDracula is a widely known novel written by Bram Stoker in 1897. It is popular worldwide for its intense love story and backstory of the infamous Count Dracula. Stoker was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1847. As a child, he was very ill, so in an attempt to entertain himself, he read several books and listened to the horror stories his mother told him. In turn, Stoker became interested in ghost stories and began writing them. Gothic fiction was a genre that was extremely popular during this time periodRead MoreComparing Dracula And Mary Shelley s Dracula And Frankenstein 1933 Words   |  8 PagesDuffey AP English 12 17 Aug 2015 Dracula and Frankenstein Dracula and Frankenstein are both novels within the category of Fantasy. They are both also written in the Gothic style. The authors of Dracula and Frankenstein each experienced many hardships in their life. Some that may have affected the themes used in their novels, and some continued to affect them after the novels were published. Bram Stoker and Mary Shelley are two authors that shaped the Gothic genre into the deep, dark, and thrillingRead MoreGothic Literature- the Black Cat by Edgar Allen Poe and Dracula by Bram Stoker1687 Words   |  7 PagesDracula by Bram Stoker and The Black Cat by Edgar Allen Poe Any text that is composed is written to fit into the society that it is written for. A genre must evolve and modernise itself to remain relevant and interesting to the target audience. In â€Å"The Black Cat† by Edgar Allen Poe and â€Å"Dracula† by Bram Stoker, the composers have both adapted their stories to appeal the people of their time. â€Å"Dracula† by Bram Stoker used many of the conventions of the gothic genre to appeal to the VictorianRead MoreDracula Transformation Essay1237 Words   |  5 Pageswhich is a reconstruction of Dracula, a novel by Bram Stoker, and Nosferatu a film directed by F.W. Murnau. The use of intertexuality in Shadow of the Vampire is a key aspect which allows it to echo; themes, the gothic mode and issues that are present in the other two texts. Through a clear pastiche, Merhige produces a new text from the old. Immortality is a key theme which has been subverted from the physical sense through sucking blood, as it’s represented in Dracula, to the spiritual sense throughRead MoreTextual Reading/ Literary Analysis on Dracula1720 Words   |  7 PagesReading/ Literary Analysis Audience: classmates who argues that â€Å"Dracula† is not a Gothic genre Purpose: to show them that â€Å"Dracula† is a perfectly good example of Gothic genre â€Å"Dracula† a novel by Bram Stoker, deals with vampire folklore, Christian beliefs, and mostly gothic elements. Gothic elements are tremendous in this novel as it is seen a lot throughout the novel. The components of classic gothic elements as seen in â€Å"Dracula† includes the setting of the novel, the tone, a villainous character