Dracula is a book with many hidden surprises. One of the hidden surprises is the elements of Gothic literature Dracula contains. The first is setting in a tall building such as a castle. Jonathan Harker first encounters the Count at his castle in Transylvania. Another element is an atmosphere of mystery and suspense.
This idea of the supernatural being something just out of reach to be considered possible is common in gothic texts in relation to the views contemporary readers of the texts would have had. In the time that this text was written, though science was making many breakthroughs in all fields, the idea of ghosts and the paranormal was still very popular with the lower classes of society, classes typically associated with gothic texts at the time; séances and ghost stories were rife at the time. In this text Shelly blends the uncertainty of new science and the pushing of boundaries (another gothic trait) together with this obsession with the otherworldly and often scary, to create a scene that is quintessentially gothic in its nature, as well as extremely appealing to a large portion of the texts contemporary readership. Though perhaps not as prominent in this scene, the idea of excessive feelings leading to transgression is also
Readers feel uneasy and in terror after reading the novel. That type of book is for people who like gothic reading. Gothic novels focus on mysterious and supernatural and that’s what Victor wanted to create, a human out of parts of dead bodies for scientific experimentation. To show he can create a human. Victor lived in a gothic area, Europe – Switzerland and Germany with old buildings, dungeons, towers, dark laboratories.
As vampires are extremely adaptable characters they have been used in gothic texts for centuries. In looking at Dracula by Bram Stoker and Twilight by Stephanie Meyer the responder can see how the manipulation of ‘the vampire’ character has played a crucial role in expressing the different fears and insecurities of the era in which the texts were composed. The main way that the fears and insecurities of a modern society have been shown is twilight is through the modernization of gothic themes and elements so that they suit the context of the era that they were produced and create a modern gothic text. Dracula however stays true to the traditional gothic elements, as they are relevant to the era in which the novel was produced. Whilst both Dracula and Twilight explore similar themes they are expressed in different ways to represent different insecurities in society.
Emma Fisher Horror in Film and Literature Dr. Eldred November 13, 2012 Nosferatu: eine Symphonie des Grauens “It will cost you a bit of effort...a bit of sweat and perhaps…a bit of blood…” Hutter set out on his journey to Count Orlok’s castle after being told this by his employer. Count Orlok is the film adaptation of Dracula in the 1922 German film Nosferatu. Nosferatu is a silent film loosely based on the novel Dracula. The adaption was unauthorized leading to change in character names. However, the authorization did not contribute to the several other changes.
The film contains strong sexual content, but according to Pirie (2008) does more than parade nudity, rather the film, with its strong rain soaked vegetation, employs a vivid natureous scene, along with, the violent sexual nature of the vampires. The film, was later re-released as Daughters of Dracula, and many similarities can be drawn with the film, Dracula, in terms of its theme and in terms of its props, such as, according to Pirie (2008) the castle like house and the elegant goblets of wine. Within this film, one of the female vampires becomes so obsessed with her partner that she cannot keep her hands off him, aware that with every bite she takes; he becomes weaker and weaker, thus demonstrating the violent sexual nature of the vampire. Indeed, in one scene, another vampire girl is seen literally prising the lifeless figure of her partner from the arms of another vampire, who has drained his body of all
Filled with theatrical themes, dramatic irony and symbolism, Dracula acts as much more than a vampire novel. Bram Stoker writes of an assembly of people who have to contract a way to save themselves and others by putting their lives in danger against a resilient vampire. Although society of the time period frowned upon certain behaviors, Stoker managed to get away with writing shocking the social values of a Victorian reader. Through symbolism, Stoker explores female sexual corruption and Christian salvation by contrasting the power of good over evil. Dracula opens with Jonathan Harker, a man who is newly engaged to Mina Murray, traveling to Transylvania on a business trip while telling of his journey through a web of journal entries that last from May to June.
The main theme of marry Shelly’s Frankenstein is Gothicism. Within marry Shelly’s novel Frankenstein we see elements of gothic and the supernatural, sometimes represented through the grotesque. The gothic supernatural is described as being real and disturbing according to Linda Bayer. In fact it can be described as simply being something we are used to and implementing it in the world around us making it more immediate, more believable. Within this theme we see the reoccurring element of gothic villains where “the exaggeration of just one aspect of the beautiful can produce the hideous,” (Bayer 80) in this case it is literal and can be applied to the monster where this is achieved with “combinations of the normal or even beautiful through an unexpected fusion of different realms.
The melodramatic events that happen between Dracula, Lucy and Mina can attest to the fact, that the opposite sexes are unequal. Mina and Lucy’s correspondence that was taking place while Jonathan was traveling to Transylvania to work do some work for Dracula; can be perceived as young love of possibly considered naive. What this says to me is that their world view is distorted by their era. These women see England as a safe place and as a seat of power; that England is a safe place. While the rest of the world is poverty stricken countries and they are in British control.
For example in Dracula, Count Dracula is the antagonist and In the Devil Rides Out its Mocata. These are only a couple of examples but shows that this type occurs in not just one. Going along with the antagonist is the complete opposite this being the protagonist also said to be the hero. This is the person who normally fights or attempts to kill the villain. The protagonist can help keep the story going and normally fails a number of times before succeeding.