This is a clear example of the control that the Count has on him. While Dracula brings out the best in the other characters, he brings out the worst in Renfield. In conclusion, Count Dracula brought out many different sides in different people. Some people became better versions of themselves while others became lesser, evil versions of themselves. In the end, Dracula was killed, leaving everyone who had any interaction with him changed
What is interesting to note, is that Stoker's vampire, while being loosely based on the Romanian Prince Vlad also known as Vlad the Impaler, is nowhere near as threatening, nor as sadistic. Stoker's Dracula is a mysterious, somewhat sensual character who kills and feeds to survive, much like any being in nature. In fact, as much as there is reference to the evil of Dracula, it can be reasoned that all of his actions were motivated by survival. Vlad the Impaler, on the other hand, killed not just to feed, but to revel in his own power, and just for the sheer pleasure of seeing the suffering of his numerous victims. 300 victims beheaded and put on steaks to ward off an invasion attempts.
She is portrayed as the virtuous and perfect woman. Unlike Lucy, Mina remains to be a pure woman before and after her marriage, her beauty and self control allows one to admire her. Dracula’s infatuation with Mina occurs when Harker is at his castle. The Count sees a picture of Mina and begins to seduce her by unleashing his sexuality and ability to seduce women through mind games. Dracula has gone from being a horrific antagonist to one of charm and love.
Even during the decapitation of Lucy, there are hidden sexual meanings. Though the detailed account is never explicitly sexual, it is hard for an alert reader to avoid noticing their sexual suggestiveness. Arthur plunges his stake into Lucy’s body, driving it deeper and deeper. Seward records “The body shook and quivered and twisted in wild contortions.” These prominent sexual themes lure many a reader to “Dracula”, as for the gothic theme it allows the reader to make a protected contact with these sexual ideas in a sense experiencing “safe thrills.” The fact that Count Dracula is the sexual predator of members of the bourgeoisie has significance as at this time the middle classes defined themselves against the aristocracy through self-regulation of behaviours, particularly sexual behaviour as is prescribed within the Christian
Lucy bends her head inviting Dracula to her room; Dracula makes love to her. Ultimately, this betrayal will lead to Lucy’s death because Dracula will continue to suck the life from her. Lucy’s character embodies femininity, and, therefore, she lacks the strength to counter Count Dracula. In addition, when the vampiric Lucy is approached by Holmwood in her tomb, she tries to seduce him in order to get him to protect her from the others. To the men, she has become a “monster” as well, and their desire for her is manifested in their obsession with destroying
In the 16th chapter of Dracula by Bram Stoker, the count has made his first victim in England, Lucy having been transformed into a vampire. Van Helsing, Dr. Seward, Arthur, and Quincey Morris investigate on the situation and decide to get rid of her, or rather of it...Indeed the young women has become monstruous and has started to attack children for their blood. The passage we have to analyse is the ritual the men have to perform to eliminate the creature, described through Seward's point of view. Many traditional characteristics of vampires are, like in the whole book, present in the text: blood, sharp teeth, stakes and garlic...Different recurrent themes of Stoker's work can also be found in this passage, and we will try to identify them and analyse their meaning.
“Blood will have more blood” Lashing through the unfathomable digit of mortals devastating his victims with his unmarked courage, deep-seated ambition, and above all his sidearm which smoked with bloody execution. In expectation he finally reached his boob, unseaming him from the nave to the chops. With BLOOD gashing from his wounds MacDonwald had no chance. Blood and Macbeth of Shakespeare’s stupendous literal expression also of the name Macbeth are mostly affiliated through the metamorphosis they both endure throughout our story. Blood has multifarious meanings while our main character Macbeth is an abyss of varying representations.
In many ways, Mina is as much a hero as any of the men. Mina has the idea of typing up copies of all of their records, allowing them to consolidate and share all their information on Dracula. When Mina is bitten by the vampire and begins to change herself, she maintains her loyalties. She ultimately provides her companions with invaluable insight into Dracula's movements. In the end, Mina deduces Dracula's whereabouts--with insight that allows the men to ambush him before he can reach his
In The Bell Jar, Sylvia Plath uses the shedding of blood is used as a motif for a major life changes. Most people consider blood to be a scary thing, in The Bell Jar Esther Greenwood seems to fall in love with the sight of it and Author Sylvia Plath uses to show how Esther develops. The first time blood is seen in the book is after Esther is set up with a man, Marco, who she immediately identifies as a “woman hater’’. After a
Bram Stoker’s Dracula was written in a time of great change. His story had many interesting themes that where symbolic. According to shmoop.com, blood may be one of the most symbolic themes in the story (shmoop.com). The character, Renfield, says, "I tried to kill him for the purpose of strengthening my vital powers by the assimilation with my own body of his life through the medium of his blood – relying, of course, upon the Scriptural phrase, 'For the blood is the life.” He is referring to the idea that by drinking another’s blood you are able to, in some way, take their vital powers. We can relate this passage to the Christian faith and taking communion.