DRACULA

Dracula, being one of the most prominent characters in pop culture consistently for the last century, has been somewhat of a special interest of mine for most of my life. However, despite a strong and tangible excitement surrounding the lore of the character himself, I was thoroughly surprised to find out how much I didn't know about the actual text. 

Upon completing the first several chapters, my favorite aspect thus far is actually the elements that are left unsaid. The existence of vampire stories has often been akin to beliefs surrounding diseases, especially STIs - something discussed in the introduction - and thus many more modern (19th- 21st century) vampire stories have a subtle or sometimes overt sexual undertone. From the physical locations of which they are often depicted to draw blood (the breast and the neck), their powers of persuasion and manipulation, and the way in which they conduct themselves, often being described as odd or untraditional, vampire lore often draws connections between the ideas of modern vs traditional values - unconventionality vs conventionality. Most notably, this can be observed in Dracula’s earlier chapters, in which Harker's rosary protects him from the Count's advances. Though this theme is not an invention of Bram Stoker, he did heavily contribute to its popularity, and utilizes Catholicism as a way to suggest the ideals of the time; Catholicism represents traditional values, and Dracula embodies the lack thereof. This is made ever more apparent in the introduction of the three sisters - Harker calls them the “weird sisters”, a reference to the witches of Macbeth who are often thought of in a similar fashion, where the presence of sexuality is explicitly detailed. Harker even admits to wanting them to kiss him, though their definition of “kiss” is most likely not something he would enjoy in the end, this segment, and their character's existence, suggests the idea of temptation, and the idea that “sex” was not a sacred act, but an act of emotion and pleasure. These themes of values mix heavily into the gothic themality throughout the text. Goth, as a genre, is strongly rooted in the idea of divergence and in some cases, rebellion from the norm. Beyond Dracula featuring some of the most prominent elements observed in Gothic literature - dreams, drama, castles, foreign countries, letters, etc - this adherence to what “normal” is, feels like the strongest “gothic” theme that the text wants readers to take away from it. 

Gender is also a massive construct in the text, being so prevalent that many readers have suggested an underlying queer theme in the way the two central characters relate to one another. As stated in the prompt, it is an immediate divergence from the normal gothic trope of a woman being in the role of the prisoner, as Harker discovers Dracula is doing to him. However, the gender dynamics and role that gender plays extend beyond the simple change of a female to a male prisoner in the text. One such subject is the relationship shared between Mina and Lucy, and the way in which Lucy especially discusses her relationship with men. Not only does she share similarities with what the brides of Dracula represent, in that attraction is not something solely exclusive to that of your spouse, but the way in which she explains why she found her three suitors so attractive creates an interesting dialogue. Unlike the portrayal of masculinity we can observe in texts like Wuthering Heights, and even in The Signal-Man, in which they are expected to adhere strongly to the tough and strong ideal of what a man “should” be, in Dracula, we see a complete divergence from this. In fact, it is this kindness and empathy that make Lucy so drawn to these other men, and it is this empathy and emotion that relate Harker to Dracula’s character as well. He described fear and sadness, and likewise describes Dracula as emotional, all things that a character like Heathcliff would never be likened to. The breaking of these norms in the text creates an intriguing dispersion from the norm, even for a text in which this exact conversation plays a significant role.

1) Gothic Elements: The opening chapters of Dracula incorporate many Gothic elements - the ruined castle, darkness, threats from wolves, a sense of the uncanny. I thought it was interesting, however, that rather than a traditional female heroine trapped in a castle (as in early Gothic tradition) it is Jonathan Harker who at the end of Chapter 2 realizes that he is "a prisoner." How does the novel fit the Gothic genre? To what extent does the novel go beyond the genre, using archetypal Gothic themes and images as a means to explore more subversive topics?

2) When I first read the novel, I found it extremely difficult to overcome the 20th century popular culture image of Dracula in my head. For example, when Harker casually mentions that he is travelling to Castle Dracula and the villiagers are crossing thier chests as they watch him, in my head I am screaming "are you nuts?" We have to remind ourselves that Dracula was just another name when Stoker's text was published. Moreover, while the mythology of vampires was known before Stoker, this text is the first to detail many of our current ideas about the "undead." For example, Stoker is the first to give us the mark of the vampire bite on the neck rather than the bosom (see note on page 89 of the Norton edition) along with other details. 

The theme of “otherness” extends throughout much of the literature we have read thus far. Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” tackles the subject through the lens of appearance, and not fitting into the standard for the “civilized man” by way of simply looking different. Emily Brontë’s “Wuthering Heights” goes about the subject as well, though slightly less objectively; tackling the theme more through the lens of class, and straying from the norm of what was typically expected of a man and woman given their status. As we discussed within the first module of this class, some of the most distinguishable qualities of gothic writing, and equally what made gothic literature so popular, was how much the genre strayed from what was “normal” and giving the unique and often profane aspects of life a way of being perceived without being inherently scrutinized. In this way, one could argue that the topic of otherness, or “the other,” is deeply embedded into the genre itself, as a place of literature for others to have their time in the spotlight, creating thought-provoking depictions of real-world problems and implications. Given this, I found Arata’s essay both agreeable and enlightening, highlighting an aspect of the text that, though prominent, isn't discussed explicitly. 

“Reverse Colonization” was a very prominent and real fear in the 19th century. Given the previous and current centuries of how Britain and other European countries had been treating the rest of the world, the fear was heavily rooted in the idea of progression; if they eventually began treating the people they had been seeing as others like human beings, they would eventually have the ability to revolt against the treatment they had endured. And it is this idea of progress, or simply a change from tradition, that is the aspect of colonization that Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” represents. Stoker writes vampires as the embodiment of modernity, and with that, the change that 19th-century Britain was afraid modernity would bring. They are not only not religious, but repelled by religious symbols. They are not only not gentlemen, or women of class, but prey on women and children, both of which are groups that men feel they must protect and keep sacred. This is why the woman of the text are especially scrutinized for their vampiric behavior, as their stray from tradition is the most jarring to what was seen as normal at the time. 

The two best examples of the theme of “corruption” that is riddled throughout Stoker's text are women, and equally, the character of Renfield. Women (and children) were seen as untaintable beings, pure and unscathed by sin, which as an object is often attributed to men. Thus, their corruption in the first half of the texts aids in the understanding of how such corruption spreads and later “colonizes” England. Renfield and, later, Mina are the only characters that act as a bridge between the two worlds of the text, being well-spoken and respectful, but one labeled a lunatic, or ill, and deeply attached to their relationship with Dracula. While women embody the idea of corruption through way of corrupting the pure and innocent, Reinfeld is arguably the scarier representation of the two, portraying the corruption of men themselves, aiding the other in having power over England. A good comparison of how Reinfeld portrays this “betrayal” of tradition is how the group of men treat him, vs Lucy, once theyre seen as “tainted” by progression. Lucy is seen only as sick, still holding herself to the standards of those around her, keeping herself in their good graces. However, once she becomes “Undead”, she is no longer seen as Lucy, and even her husband is capable of killing her, despite still being the same person. Granted, Reinfeld never himself died; however, his attachment to the undead and his actions appear just as grotesque. He ate living things, as Lucy did, and attacked and attempted to kill people, as Lucy did, but despite this, his insanity is questioned when observed as being well-spoken and well-mannered, as, despite his actions, his manner and appearance are close enough to the status quo that it is forgivable; unlike Lucy who was too far gone. 

Taking these two examples, something that immediately struck a chord with me was the role that blood plays, specifically in the conversation of colonialism. Though I won't pretend to be extensively educated on British colonialism, I know enough about what’s happened in the US to pick up and connect the way that “blood” and “purity” are utilized throughout the text. As a vampire story, blood is quite obviously going to be discussed; however, when viewed through this lens, it changes meaning. “Pure blood” is a phrase with objectively racist connotations, often being attributed to whiteness and Western European lineage, and was frequently used as biracial identities became more prevalent in America. In this way, characters like Mina and Lucy, and Renfield are often treated as martyrs for the rhetoric of “tainted blood”, especially Mina and Renfield toward the end of the text. The transfusion of blood that occurs between Mina and Dracula, him drinking hers and forcing her to drink his, is certainly an allegory for this concept, Mina being consistently discussed as what a woman “should” be, and Dracula being the embodiment of sin and corruption. Likewise, Reinfeld believes in the consumption of life, eating insects and small animals as a way to maintain power, which connects heavily to the themes of colonialism, and the idea that regardless of one's actions, one can maintain “purity” by succeeding to a certain amount of power.

“Corruption” is the biggest theme consistently presented in the text. The corruption of femininity, masculinity, religion, class, and, in all of that, tradition, is thoroughly represented to varying degrees through the characters and dialogue that they have with one another. At the time, tradition was one of the few things people, especially men, had to cling to to excuse the behavior of the past, and Dracula is a direct response to the fear of tradition no longer having a place in the modern world. We see this in the “New Woman” being consistently mentioned, we see this in the discussion of manners and purity, and we see it in the fear of such a “monster” even existing in “their” world. Furthermore, they fear modernity's ability to hide amongst them. Renfield blends in with the well-mannered man, Lucy blends in with the pure woman, and more directly, Dracula can shape-shift into the most mundane of objects and animals. It was a fear that, when they least expected it, the world as they knew it would change on a dime, and we can see it slowly occurring throughout the text, as a simple leasing signature leads to the loss of England entirely.