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.
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.
Also, in Luhrmann’s version there is more drama such as when Juliet wakes up and can see Romeo drinking the poison. This adds to the person’s emotion making them feel sorry for Juliet having to see Romeo die in front of her. In Zefferelli’s film there isn’t much drama or action. Another reason for Luhrmann’s version being the best is that he uses visual thoughts. For example, when Romeo has a dream that he goes inside a church and then he dies will show the viewer how Romeo enters the church and know what it will be like inside.
Dracula: Gothic Elements In the novel Dracula, there are many gothic elements cleverly used throughout the story. English solicitor, Jonathan, has business to attend at Castle Dracula in Transylvania. Everything seems normal at first, but he ends up being Count Dracula’s prisoner. His fiancée, Mina, is at home and is very concerned, but she also has other matters to worry about as well. Her dear friend Lucy Westenra is in poor health, as is Lucy’s mother.
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.
So how is the historical and cultural context reflected in the text? Chris: The prominent issue at the time was the idea of homosexuality. This issue is reflected through Dracula and his relationship with Harker and was at the time extremely sensitive and controversial, particularly after the trial of Oscar Wilde. Wilde and Stoker had had a long-term relationship over the course of their friendship and the effect of Wilde's trial and their little-known relationship is seen in the exploration of
The main points in Professor Smith's essay are that the female characters are there only to reflect the male characters, and that the Frankenstein family has a weird style of living, which she describes as a "bookkeeping mentality" (Smith 279). Smith begins her essay by looking at the historical factors that may have contributed to this seemingly sexist book. Shelley, writing in the first half of the 19th Century, was in a period in which a woman "was conditioned to think she needed a man's help" (Smith 275). In the novel itself, no women speak directly. The book has three basic narrators: Robert Walton, Victor Frankenstein, and Frankenstein's monster.
When movies made their debute, it was only a matter of time before horror stories were filmed. But since it was the slient era, these movies had to rely on visual appearance, such as shawdows and light. It requrie people to bring these monsters into pysiche form. Some of this was hard to do since the film was black and white. One popular movie was Nosferatu, a film about a vampire.
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.
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.