QUESTION ON DRACULA 1. What is the themes and mood, tone of the book Dracula?

What is the importance of the novel? What does Dracula represent in the novel? Some of the themes of the novel are: The Consequences of Modernity: Early in the novel, as Harker becomes uncomfortable with his lodgings and his host at Castle Dracula, he notes that unless my senses deceive me, the old centuries had, and have, powers of their own which mere modernity cannot kill. Here, Harker voices one of the central concerns of the Victorian era. The end of the nineteenth century brought drastic developments that forced English society to question the systems of belief that had governed it for centuries. Darwins theory of evolution, for instance, called the validity of long -held sacred religious doctrines into question. Likewise, the Industrial Revolution brought profound economic and social change to the previously agrarian England. The Threat of Female Sexual Expression: Most critics agree that Dracula is, as much as anything else, a novel that indulges the Victorian male imagination, particularly regarding the topic of female sexuality. In Victorian England, womens sexual behavior was dictated by societys extremely rigid expectations. A Victorian woman effectively had only two options: she was either a virgina model of purity and innocenceor else she was a wife and mother. If she was neither of these, she was considered a whore, and thus of no consequence to society. The Promise of Christian Salvation: The folk legends and traditions Van Helsing draws upon suggest that the most effective weapons in combating supernatural evil are symbols of unearthly good. Indeed, in the fight against Dracula, these symbols of good take the form of the icons of Christian faith, such as the crucifix. The novel is so invested in the strength and power of these Christian symbols that it reads, at times, like a propagandistic Christian promise of salvation. Dracula, is not just any piece of fiction, but rather a time capsule containing the popular thoughts, ideas, and beliefs of the Victorian era that paints an elaborate picture of what society was like for Bram Stokers generation. The dated ideas reflected in Dracu la focus primarily on the concepts of lust, sex, and evil as they were viewed during the late 19th and 20th century in what can be viewed as a strongly conservative society. 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 Stokers own personal views on sex and homosexuality, Dracula is a marvel stemming from many sources. 2. What roles do Modernity and Tradition play in Bram Stoker's Dracula? How are they good and bad? Dracula creates a contrast between modernity and tradition or history. Dracula is centuries old. He lives in a crumbling old medieval castle, and the surrounding countryside is filled with superstitions

and traditions. Jontathan Harker describes his travel from Britain to Transylvania as being like a trip back in time and that transition is represented by the punctuality of the trains. The further he gets from Great Britain, the less reliable the trains are. Dracula could be representing history or the past and Great Britain represents the future. The vampire Dracula is pretty unambiguously evil. The members of the Crew of Light, the group dedicated to destroying Dracula, are unambiguously good. Sure, each of them makes mistakes they're only human. But their intentions are always good. In short, Dracula is a classic story of good versus evil. 3. Discuss the role of sexuality in Dracula. What does the novel suggest about sexual behavior in Victorian England? It is important to stress the contemporary apprehension of sexuality and gender roles in Victorian society, primarily among the middle class. Sexuality, especially female sexuality, was not accepted and therefore was repressed in such terms of regulations. In Victorian England, womens sexual behavior was dictated by societys strict expectations. As earlier mentioned, being a lady meant that a woman should not have sexual desires. Sex was something that was only necessary for reproduction, within the confines of marriage.

4. Discuss Stokers decision to recount the story of Dracula through journal entries, letters, and newspaper clippings. What are the strengths and drawbacks of this approach? The use of handwritten accounts of the principal character, along with fictional newspaper clippings and telegrams, gives us an air of authenticity to an otherwise fantastic story. Though the different characters come from different social classes and in some cases different countries, they nonetheless sound practically the same. 5. Discuss the roles of Mina Harker and Lucy Westenra. How are the women similar? How are they different? Why, in your opinion, is Lucy the first to fall under Draculas spell? Mina is very demure, but Lucy is very much more extroverted and flirtatious. What they share is that they both want to be wives, and they are looking forward to marriage. Mina is a middle-class working girl, while Lucy is a woman of prestige, yet they both have fine reputations. They went to the same school growing up, and they are good friends, and have been since childhood. They are both seduced by Dracula, but they have very different reactions. Mina hates herself for it and calls herself unholy and unclean, and she wants to be free and faithful to Harker. Mina fights it, whereas Lucy embraces it and becomes a child-killing monster. Mina's faithfulness to Harker, some might say, is what helped her resist Dracula's power, whereas Lucy was not as faithful, and indeed was not yet married, and therefore, succumbed to Dracula's seduction.

6. Discuss Van Helsings role as Draculas antagonist. What is his relation to the other e nemies of Dracula in the novel? Why is the old Dutch professor the most threatening adversary to the count? Van Helsing is a Dutch professor, expert in pretty much everything; medicine (both modern and ancient), superstitions, and religion. He's the only member of the Crew of Light (the group that hunts down Dracula) who isn't a native English speaker. The only other non-native speaker in the novel is Dracula himself. The Crew of Light is composed of an alliance of British, American, and Western European men in order to combat the Eastern threat, Dracula. Dracula's invasion of Britain is reproduced on a smaller level in his "invasion" of Lucy's English home: his ability to victimize Lucy Westenra, the "light of the West," suggests the alarming ease with which he could potentially victimize the entire nation.