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Interpretation of Bram Stoker's "Dracula"

A GRIN Anthology

Title: Interpretation of Bram Stoker's "Dracula"

Anthology , 2026 , 51 Pages

Autor:in: GRIN Verlag (Hrsg.) (General editor), Katharina Reese (Author), Katharina Zeiger (Author)

English Language and Literature Studies - Literature
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Summary Excerpt Details

This anthology contains three term papers.

The first paper is about the characters in the novel "Dracula". When Abraham "Bram" Stoker wrote his novel between 1890 and 1897, he chose his characters wisely. It contains eight main characters, only two of them female. The remaining six male figures all play a special role and fulfil a certain stereotype. It is the aim of this paper to display these roles and show how the characters stand in contrast or even resemble each other.

The second paper is about the actual themes of the novel. It explores some of the themes and has a look at how far those themes have actually been constructed. It starts out by making the rather extreme claim, that there is no Dracula at all in the novel.

The third paper will give an overview about the role of women in the Victorian era during which "Dracula" was written. This is important in order to identify to what extent the main female characters - Mina Harker and Lucy Westenra - go conform to those former roles. Their characters and respective roles in society will be analysed arguing that Mina represents a role model of a Victorian woman and Lucy an example of a fallen woman.

Excerpt

Title

1. Introduction

2. Techniques of Characterisation

3. Major Characters

4. Minor Characters

5. Conclusion

6. Bibliography

Bibliography

1. Introduction

2. The Role of Women in the Victorian Era

3. Mina Harker: A Portrayal of the Victorian Woman

4. Lucy Westenra: A Portrayal of the Fallen Woman

5. Conclusion

Works Cited


 

 

 

 

Interpretation of Bram Stoker`s „Dracula”

 

A GRIN Anthology

 

Inhaltsverzeichnis

 

Anonymous: Characters in Bram Stoker's “Dracula” (2008)

1. Introduction

2. Techniques of Characterisation

3. Major Characters

3.1. Count Dracula

3.2. Jonathan Harker

3.3. Mina Murray

3.4. Lucy Westenra

3.5. Dr. John Seward

3.6. Arthur Holmwood

3.7. Quincey P. Morris

3.8. Dr. Abraham van Helsing

4. Minor Characters

4.1. R.M. Renfield

4.2. Other characters

5. Conclusion

6. Bibliography

Katharina Reese: Deconstructing Dracula: The Reality Behind the Myth (2009)

Bibliography

Katharina Zeiger: Female Characters in Bram Stoker’s "Dracula" (2013)

1. Introduction

2. The Role of Women in the Victorian Era

3. Mina Harker: A Portrayal of the Victorian Woman

4. Lucy Westenra: A Portrayal of the Fallen Woman

5. Conclusion

Works Cited

 

 

Characters in Bram Stoker`s “Dracula”

Anonymous

 

1. Introduction

 

When Abraham «Bram» Stoker wrote his novel Dracula between 1890 and 1897, he chose his characters wisely. The horror novel contains eight main characters, only two of them female. The remaining six male figures all play a special role and fulfil a certain stereotype. It is the aim of this paper to display these roles and show how the characters stand in contrast or even resemble each other. Another factor to be analysed is how we get to know the characters in novel. Are they describing themselves ? Do we learn about their traits through their actions ? Or do other characters tell us how they usually behave ?

 

 

2. Techniques of Characterisation

 

There are various techniques of characterisation. Characters may either be characterised implicitly or explicitely, either by the narrator himself (called authorial characterisation) or by other characters (called figural characterisation). The characters can even characterise themselves (called self-characterisation). Explicit characterisation, in general, takes place through descriptions or comments. Implicit characterisation, on the other hand, appears when the narrator tells the reader about the character’s actions, thoughts, appearance and so on. Implicit self-characterisation is displayed by the use of language, gestures, attitudes and traits. Implicit characterisation by other characters happens by describing the appearance and situations. [1] One more interesting aspect is the correspondence- and contrast relation among all characters. Some may share certain traits or attitudes and some can contrast. [2] Another way to characterise is to use a block characterisation, where we are informed about a character in a very compact and direct way.

3. Major Characters

3.1. Count Dracula

 

Presumably one of the most interesting characters in the novel, Dracula does not appear very often in his original form, except in the beginning and in the end of the novel. Nevertheless, he seems to be present in many chapters. He has a castle in the Carpathian Mountains and wants to move to London. In most cases, he is being characterised explicitly by other characters. Jonathan describes him as «a tall old man, clean shaven save for a long white moustache, and clad in black from head to foot, without a single speck of colour about him anywhere». (Stoker 1897 : 25) It is unclear how old he is, we only know from Van Helsing «he can live for centuries». (319) Dracula speaks «excellent English, but with a strange intonation». (25) For Jonathan, Dracula’s handshake was more «of a dead than a living man». (25) As we get to know later, Dracula already appeared as the coachman as «a tall man, with a long brown beard and a great black hat, [...] a pair of very bright eyes, which seemed red in the lamplight, [...] with a hard-looking mouth, with very red lips and sharp-looking teeth, as white as ivory». (20) Jonathan writes he «caught my arm in a grip of steel ; his strength must have been prodigious». (20) In this scene, Dracula also speaks excellent German. (20) Jonathan remarks once a again that Dracula’s hand «actually seemed like a steel vice that could have crushed mine if he had chosen». (24) In chapter two, Count Dracula appears officially, with a polite and courteous manner when welcoming Jonathan, who describes him with the means of a block characterisation. He has a «charming smile» and

 

His face was a strong - a very strong-aquiline, with high bridge of the thin nose and peculiarly arched nostrils ; with lofty domed forehead, and hair growing scantily round the temples but profusely everywhere. His eyebrows were very massive, almost meeting over the nose, and with bushy hair that seemed to curl in its own profusion. The mouth, so far as I could see it under the heavy moustache, was fixed and rather cruel-looking, with peculiarly sharp white teeth ; these protruded over the lips, whose remarkable ruddiness showed astonishing vitality in a man of his years. For the rest, his ears were pale, and at the tops extremely pointed ; the chin was broad and strong, and the cheeks firm though thin. The general effect was one of extraordinary pallor.  (27)

 

Dracula’s hands [...] had seemed rather white and fine ;[...] they were rather coarse - broad, with squat fingers. Strange to say, there were hairs in the center of the palm. The nails were long  and fine, and cut to a sharp point. [...] His breath was rank. (27)

 

In a conservation, Jonathan once again notices the Count’s «long, sharp, canine teeth». (31 and 41) Dracula has different ways to smile, it can be grim or «malignant and saturnine». (33) 

While staying in Dracula’s castle, Jonathan witnesses some strange things. He sees that Dracula has no reflection in the mirror. When Dracula saw the blood of Jonathan’s cut «his eyes blazed with a sort of demoniac fury».  (34-35) Dracula’s way to speak is «smooth, resistless and gruesome». (41-42) He characterises himself and tells that he is of an old family and loves «the shade and the shadow». (33) When he talks about his origin, he speaks like a king, which is most fascinating for Jonathan. (37) He says «We Szekelys have a right to be proud, for in our veins flows the blood of many brave races who fought as the lion fights, for lordship». (37)  

During Jonathan’s bondage, more strange things happen. When the female vampire tries to bite Jonathan, Dracula draws her back «with giant’s power» and «the blue eyes transformed with fury [...] his face was deathly  pale, and the lines of it were hard like drawn wires». (47) One vampire says to Dracula «You yourself never loved ; you never love». (47) The Count characterises himself by saying «Yes, I too can love». (47) Although the Count is keeping Jonathan, he always stays friendly when talking to him. « «Your pardon, my friend, that unknowingly I did break the seal.» Here we find partly an implicit self-characterisation. Jonathan adds «He was very courteous and very cheery in his manner». (51) 

Later, Jonathan discovers that the Count sleeps in a box with dug earth. (57) He observes that the Count looked younger, his white hair and moustache were changed to dark iron-grey; the cheeks were fuller, and the white skin seemed ruby-red underneath ; the mouth was redder than ever, for on the lips were gouts of fresh blood, which trickled from the corners of the mouth and ran over the chin and neck. Even the deep, burning eyes seemed set amongst swollen flesh, for the lids and pouches underneath were bloated. It seemed as if the whole awful creature were simply gorged with blood. He lay like a filthy leech, exhausted with his repletion. (60) 

 

When Dracula attacks Lucy for the first time, Mina describes his appearance as long and black, with a «white face and red, gleaming eyes». (101) We get to know implicitly that Dracula can change is shape. In chapter 8, he appears as a great bat (104) and later, Dracula comes into Lucy’s room as a «great, gaunt grey wolf». (151) To Mina and Renfield, he arrives as white mist, coming through the tiniest crack. (263 and 286)

After Mina first saw Dracula, she describes him as «a tall, thin man, with a beaky nose. [...] His face was not a good face ; it was hard, and cruel and sensual» (179) and calls him a monster. (193) Interestingly, she calls his nose ‘beaky’, in contrast to Jonathan, who always called it ‘aquiline’. Before the big quest for Dracula, we are told about him in detail through a block characterisation by Van Helsing. He knows from Jonathan that Dracula is cunning. (209) In the first meeting, Van Helsing explains all characteristics Dracula has.

The vampire which is amongst us is of himself so strong in person as twenty men ; he is of cunning more than mortal, for his cunning be the growth of ages ; he have still the aids of necromancy, which is, as his etymology imply, the divination by the dead, and all the dead that he can come nigh to are for him at command ; he is brute, and more than brute ; he is devil in callous, and the heart of him is not ; he can, within limitations, appear at will when, and where, and in any of the forms that are to him ; he can, within his range, direct the elements ; the storm, the fog, the thunder ; he can command all the meaner things : the rat, and the owl, and the bat - the moth, and the fox, and the wolf ; he can grow and become small ; and he can at times canish and come unknown. (243) 

 

He can even grow younger ; that his vital faculties grow strenuous, and seem as though they refresh themselves when his special pabulum is plenty. But he cannot flourish without this diet ; he eat not as others. Even friend Jonathan, who lived with him for weeks, did never see him to eat, never ! He throws no shadow ; he make in the mirror no reflect, as again Jonathan observe. He has the strength of many of his hand - witness against Jonathan when he shut the door against the wolfs, and when he help him from the diligence too. He can transform himself to wolf, as we gather from the ship arrival in Whitby, when he tear open the dog ; he can be as a bat, [...] He can come in mist which he create, [...] the distance he can make this mist is limited, and it can only be round himself. He come on moonlight rays as elemental dust. [...]  He become so small. [...] He can, when once he find his way, come out from anything or into anything, no matter how close it be bound or even fused up with fire - solder you call it. He can see in the dark - no small power this, in a world which one half shut from the light. [...] He can do all these things, yet he is not free. Nay ; he is even more prisoner than the slave of the galley, than the madman in his cell. He cannot go where he lists ; he who is not of nature has yet to obey some of nature’s laws - why we know not. He may not enter anywhere at the first, unless there be some one of the household who bid him to come ; though afterwards he can come as he please. His power ceases, as does that of all evil things, at the coming of the day. Only a certain time can he have limited freedom. If he be not at the place whither he is bound, he can only change himself at noon or at exact sunrise or sunset. [...] He can only pass running water at the slack or the flood of the tide. (245-246)

 

Van Helsing explains further that Dracula has no power when being near garlic or a crucifix. A branch of roses holds him in his coffin and «a sacred bullet fired into the coffin kill him». (246) A stake through him or cutting off his head, will kill him as well. (246) In former times, he has been Voivode Dracula, who won against the Turks. He was one of the «cleverest and the most cunning, as well as the bravest of the sons of the ‘land beyond the forest’». He has «mighty brain and that iron resolution» and comes from a «great and noble race». (246) 

When Mina is being found, sucking at Dracula’s breast, Dracula had a hellish look.

His eyes flamed red with devilish passion ; the great nostrils of the white aquiline nose opened wide and quivered at the edge ; and the white sharp teeth, behind the full lips of the blood-dripping mouth, clamped together like those of a wild beast.  (288)

 

We get to know from Van Helsing that Dracula is also able to put people in a stupor, like he did with Jonathan. (289) After this event he got «a red scar on his forehead where Jonathan had struck him». (293)

Later in the novel, when all four men attack Dracula, he has a face of «hate and baffled malignity - of anger and hellish rage [...] his waxen hue became greenish-yellow by the contrast of his burning eyes, and the red scar on the forehead showed on the pallid skin like a palpitating wound». (311-312) He says

 

My revenge is just begun ! I spread it over centuries, and time is on my side. Your girls that you all love are mine already ; and through them you and others shall yet be mine - my creatures, to do my bidding and to be my jackals when I want to feed. Bah !. (312)

 

In chapter 25, Mina tells «The Count is a criminal and of criminal type [...] then as he is criminal he is selfish ; and as his intellect is small and his action is based on selfishness, he confines himself to one purpose». (346-347) Dracula, in turn, describes Mina shortly before his encounter with all four men, as follows : «She was looking thin and pale and weak ; but her eyes were pure and glowed with fervour. I was glad to see her paleness and her illness, for my mind was full of the fresh horror of that ruddy vampire sleep». (375) Seconds before his death, he

 

was deathly pale, just like a waxen image, and the red eyes glared with the horrible vindictive look. [...] the eyes saw the sinking sun and the look of hate in them turned to triumph [...] in that moment of final dissolution, there was in the face a look of peace, such as I never could have imagined might have rested there. (380)

 

And he finally dies when his «body crumbled into dust». (380)

All in all, Dracula units many things. He is a monster with supernatural powers and at the same time he has uncommon human features like his courtesy.

 

3.2. Jonathan Harker

 

Jonathan is the first person who appears in the novel. As chapter one to four only contain his journals, he can either be characterised by himself or by the narrator.

On the first pages he is characterising himself. He is a solicitor from London, who had just passed his exams successfully. (25) Already in chapter one, the reader notices that Jonathan is not very superspicious. He is on his way to Castle Dracula to conclude a real estate transaction with Count Dracula. When a woman tells him what day it is, he thinks «it was all very ridiculous but I did not feel comfortable». (15) As an English Churchman, he learnt to be graciuous and does not refuse the old woman’s rosary. (15) He explains, «Count Dracula had directed me to go to the Golden Krone Hotel, which I found, to my great delight, to be thoroughly old-fashioned, for of course I wanted to see all I could of the ways of the country». (13) From this, one might reason that he likes old-fashioned things and is interested in countries. During his journey in the carriage Jonathan «felt a little strangely, and not a little frightened». (20) When the dogs appear in the forest, Jonathan «grew dreadfully afraid» and he «felt a sort of paralysis of fear» because this «was all so strange and uncanny».  (22-23) Although he notices that the carriage was going always the same way and although he saw the blue flames, he explained it by saying «my eyes deceived me straining through the darkness». (22) When arriving at Dracula’s castle he seems to be a little bit helpless and intimidated : «I stood in silence where I was, for I did not know what to do. [...] The time I waited seemed endless, and I felt doubts and fears crowding upon me». (24) In chapter two, Jonathan is characterized explicitly by Mr. Peter Hawkins, his employer. In a letter to Dracula, Hawkins writes «He is a young man, full of energy and talent in his own way, and of a very faithful disposition. He is discreet and silent, and has grown into manhood in my service». (27) 

During his stay in Dracula’s castle, Jonathan realizes that he is a prisoner. However, he does not defend it actively, he stays rather passive. When he sees the Count crawling down the walls, he says «I could not believe my eyes. I thought it was some trick of the moonlight, some weird effect of shadow». (43) Still, he does not realize what is happening. Nevertheless, he places the crucifix near his bed, in hope it will protect him.

Later in the novel, Sister Agatha, who is nursing him, tells that Jonathan had been found and through his «violent demeanour», they assumed he was English. (110) Furthermore, she talks about his «sweetness and gentleness». (110) When Mina visits him, she notices that he is «so thin and pale and weak-looking. All the resolution has gone out of his dear eyes, and that quiet dignity [...] has vanished». (113) As we get to know, Jonathan is a good friend of his boss, Mr. Hawkins. He gives Mina and Jonathan his beautiful old house. (161) Mina writes that now Jonathan is a «junior partner of the important firm Hawkins&Harker», being rich. (162 and 178) She also notices that Jonathan is getting nervous because of his new responsibility and that «he begins to doubt himself». (165) She talks of him as «a sweet, simple, noble, strong nature [...] who rose from clerk to master in a few years». (165) When Jonathan sees Dracula at the station, Jonathan «was very pale, and his eyes seemed bulging out as, half with terror and half in amazement» and «he looked so fierce and nasty». (179) Van Helsing says about him «I knew long that Mr. Jonathan was a man of much thankfulness». (189) Seward characterises Johnathan explicitly as well by saying «You are a clever man, friend John ; you reason well, and your wit is bold ; but you are too prejudiced». (196) Later, Seward writes

 

He is uncommonly clever, if one can judge from his face, and full of energy [...] he is also a man of great nerve. [...] After reading his account of it I was prepared to meet a good specimen of manhood, but hardly the quiet, business-like gentleman who came here to-day. (231)

 

Within the course of time, Jonathan is changing. Mina says «He was never so resolute, never, so strong, never so full of volcanic energy, as at present [...] he came back full of life and hope and determination». (234) Furthermore, Mina cites Van Helsing, who said about Jonathan «he is true grit, and he improves under strain that would kill a weaker nature». (234) Jonathan’s touch was «so strong, so self-reliant, so resolute» for Mina. (244) 

After the incident when Mina was sucking at Dracula’s breast, Jonathan changed once again. Seward reports

 

Last night he was a frank, happy-looking man, with strong, youthful face, full of energy, and with dark brown hair. To-day he is a drawn, haggard man, whose white hair matches well with the hollow burning eyes and grief-written lines of his faces. (307)

 

After Mina reminded all four men to be pitiful with Dracula, Jonathan writes «I love her a thousand times more for her sweet pity of last night». (315) In the final battle, when killing Dracula, Jonathan was impetuous, his voice was passionate and he had an incredible strength. (378-379)

All in all, we can say that Jonathan changed from a poor, unimpressive, rational and self-doubting man to a rich, brave and fearless protagonist. We do not get to know much about his appearance.

 

3.3. Mina Murray

 

Wilhelmina «Mina» Murray appears in chapter five. First, she is characterising herself implicitly. She tells Lucy, her best friend, that she is an assistant schoolmistress, who is hard-working and is practicing to write on the typewriter. (63) We get to know implicitly that she must be engaged to Jonathan. Lucy is very dear to her (115) and she writes «I am longing to be with you». (63) Although they are best friends and both become Dracula’s victims, the two women have different traits.

She is a traditional Victorian woman, who wants to be a good wife to her husband. Mina is humble and down-to-earth. She says she and Jonathan «will start in life in a very simple way, and shall have to try to make both ends meet». (81) Sometimes she speaks about the «New Women». (99) For her, these are modern women in the future, who will have a different way of life.

Mina does not believe in superstition and appears to be rather naive when she writes about the bites on Lucy’s neck. She thinks she hurt Lucy with a safety-pin.

In chapter 9 she is married to Jonathan and says she is «a very happy wife». (115) After moving into Mr. Hawkin’s house, she is busy housekeeping and seems to have stopped working. (161) In a letter to Lucy we get to know that she does not know her parents. She writes «I never knew either father or mother». (164) Furthermore, she mentions that she and Jonathan had been brought up in a modest way. (164) Before Mina’s first metting with Van Helsing, she hopes «Dr. Van Helsing will not blame me» for what happened to Lucy. (187) This shows that she feels guilty for Lucy’s death. 

After her best friend’s death, Mina gets into the centre of all men’s attention. When Van Helsing first met Mina, he calls her «Oh, you so  clever woman» (189) and says «you are noble too». (190) Furthermore, he states «she is one of God’s woman [...]. So true, so sweet, so noble, so little an egoist-and that, let me tell you, is much in this age, so sceptical and selfish». (194) Later, he addresses her with «Ah, that wonderful Madam Mina, pearl among women !» (225) and «sweet soul Madam Mina». (262) In chapter 18, Van Helsing expresses his esteem by saying «She has a man’s brain - a brain that a man should have were he much gifted - and a woman’s heart. The good God fashioned her for a purpose, believe me, when he made that so good combination». (241) Other examples from Van Helsing are the following «Madam Mina, you are, as always, most wise». (332) or «Our dear Madam Mina is once more our teacher. Her eyes have been where we were blinded». (357)

Seward talks about her as «Harker and his wonderful wife» (238) and writes «She looked sweetly pretty» and «She looked so appealing and so pretty that I could not refuse her». (228 and 238)  When Mina visits Renfield, Seward notices «She came into the room with an easy gracefulness which would at once command the respect  of any lunatic». (239) 

Under Dracula’s influence, Jonathan notices that Mina looks paler and after a dream, she has blank terror in her face. (260) She says about herself «I feel strangely sad and low-spirited to-day» or  «I feel terribly weak and spiritless». (263 and 265)  After sucking at Dracula’s breast, Mina’s «eyes were mad with terror». (288) Later, she gets a very important role. Van Helsing hypnotises her as her mind is connected with Dracula. (293) Jonathan says «She was so good and brave that we all felt that our hearts were strengthened to work and endure for her» (297)  and calls his wife «that sweet, sweet, good, good woman in all the radiant beauty of her youth and animation, with the red scar on her forehead». (313)

Although Dracula bit her, she is gracious and speaks to all four men to remind them to be pitiful to Dracula, which moved all of them to tears. (314) Seward notices that Mina is becoming a vampire. «her teeth are some sharper, and at times her eyes are more hard». (328)  In the final battle she did not have fear «but only a wild, surging desire to do something». (379) After all is over, Jonathan writes that they have a son called Quincey. (382)

Once again, we do not know much about Mina’s appearance. Jonathan only mentions «her beautiful hair». (302) All in all, Mina gets a very important part in the course of the novel. She is respected and loved by all men in the novel. She says «We women have something of the mother in us» when she comforts Arthur. (236) We get to know her as a brave, practical, selfless, pure, innocent, intelligent, virtuous and beautiful Victorian woman, who somehow becomes the heroine of the novel. Ironically, we get to know more facets of Mina than of Lucy, as she lives on.

 

3.4. Lucy Westenra

 

Lucy appears in chapter five for the first time. It is assumed that she is taken after Bram Stoker’s good friend Lucy Clifford. We find implicit and explicit self-characterisation as she talks about herself and with that, we get to know her attitudes. She mentions Arthur Holmwood, with whom she is in love. Lucy tells us implicitly that she is 19 years old. She uses slang, does not like fashion (65) and calls herself a «horrid flirt». She really feels flattered by the proposals of three men at one time. (67) Morris addresses her as «little girl» and emphasizes that he appreciates her «honesty and pluck». (68) When Lucy and Mina meet, Mina desribes her as «looking sweeter and lovelier than ever». (72) She looks

 

sweetly pretty in her white lawn frock ; she has got a beautiful colour since she has been here. [...] She is so sweet with old people ; I think they all fell in love with her on the spot. (74)  

 

From Mina’s journal we get to know that Lucy will marry in autumn. (81) She is the feminine part of the novel and every man is attracted by her.

During the time she is sleep-walking and stands under the influence of Dracula, she changes continually. One day «she is a trifle stouter, and her cheeks are a lovely rose-pink». (82) The next day she has an anaemic look, is restless, upset, uneasy and she cannot explain it herself. (96-97) She is «languid and tired» (105), is «weak as water» (106), looks pale and has «a drawn, haggard look under her eyes». She compares herself with Ophelia. «Well, here I am to-night, hoping for sleep, and lying like Ophelia in the play, with «virgin crants and maiden strewments». (141) The ironic in this is that Ophelia died by commiting suicide.  Mina often repeats how sweet Lucy is and that she is sensitive, maybe «too super-sensitive a nature». (97) Even in bad situations, Mina says she does not lose her grace. (102) In chapter 9, Lucy admits that she loves Arthur more than ever and that he told her he loves her more. (116) In chapter 11, Seward reports that Lucy has a phonograph as well. (150) After all blood-transfusions, Lucy has «the blood of four strong men» in her veins. (159) During her illness, Seward notices her poor thin hands. (159) «Whilst asleep she looked stronger, although  more haggard ; [...] her open mouth showed the pale gums drawn back from the teeth, which thus looked positively longer and sharper than usual». (160) Shortly before Lucy’s death she has an «angelic beauty of her eyes». (167) However, when turning into a vampire, her eyes «were dull and hard at once, and she said in a soft, voluptuous voice [...]». (167) The newspaper «The Westminster Gazette» reports about Lucy, «the woman in black», the bloofer lady, who sucks blood of little children. (183) After Lucy’s death, Van Helsing calls her «poor lily girl». (189) Seward says that she was «more radiantly beautiful than ever» in her grave. (206) When all four men met Lucy as a vampire on the cemetery, Seward describes «The sweetness was turned to adamantine, heartless cruelty, and the purity to voluptuous wantonness». (217) She gave an angry snarl and her «eyes unclean and full of hell-fire, instead of the pure, gentle orbs we know. Her eyes blazed with unholy light, and the face became wreathed with a voluptuous smile». (217) «She still advanced, however, and with a languorous, voluptuous grace» she wanted to attrack Jonathan to come to her. (218) «There was something diabolically sweet in her tones-something of the tingling of a glass when struck». (218) She had «baffled malice» on her face and

 

the beautiful colour became livid, the eyes seemed to throw out sparks of hell-fire, the brows were wrinkled as though the folds of the flesh were the coils of Medusa’s snakes. [...] If ever a face meant death - if looks could kill - we saw it at that moment. (218)

 

She was a «whole carnal and unspiritual appearance, seeming like a devilish mockery of Lucy’a sweet purity». (220)

All in all, Lucy changed from a sweet and innocent girl to a cruel, voluptuous but also erotic vampire.

3.5. Dr. John Seward

 

Dr. Seward is a doctor in a mental house. Quincey calls him Jack Seward and tells that they know each other from Korea. (70)

Seward plays a main part as he is telling most of the story through his eyes. He is a rather neutral person, because he is not as clever as Van Helsing, he does not have luck in love like Jonathan or Arthur and he does not display a typical stereotype like Morris. He is a modern physician who does not believe in unreal occurences.

Lucy describes him as

 

the lunatic-asylum man, with the strong jaw and the good forehead. He was very cool outwardly, but was nervous all the same. He had evidently been schooling himself as to all sorts of little things, and remembered them, but he almost managed to sit down on his silk hat. (66)

 

We get to know from Van Helsing that Seward is a surgeon as well. (172) After Lucy’s refusal he has an «empty feeling». He must think of Lucy very often and has many sleepless nights. But he tries to distract himself by working. (69)He seems to be addicted to chloral, which he takes to be able to sleep. (111)

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Details

Title
Interpretation of Bram Stoker's "Dracula"
Subtitle
A GRIN Anthology
Authors
GRIN Verlag (Hrsg.) (General editor), Katharina Reese (Author), Katharina Zeiger (Author)
Publication Year
2026
Pages
51
Catalog Number
V1700784
ISBN (eBook)
9783389178379
ISBN (Book)
9783389178386
Language
English
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Bram Stoker Dracula Literatur van Helsing characters myths Analyse Interpretation
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GRIN Verlag (Hrsg.) (General editor), Katharina Reese (Author), Katharina Zeiger (Author), 2026, Interpretation of Bram Stoker's "Dracula", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1700784
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