Summary
Chapter 1 (7-20)
Jonathan Harker’s Journal
3 May travels through towns, food, descript country (beauty), peasants, letter from Count D at Golden Krone Hotel
4 May reactions of landlord to questions re Count (10), eve of St George day. Old lady gives crucifix
5 May on coach, passengers use words like ‘Satan’, ‘witch’, ‘vampire’ – through beautiful country (13) – ascend Borgo Pass, dark: coach very fast, stop in dark: “Herr not expected ..on to Bukovina” – horses, peasants scream as other coach arrive (16) – driver (red eyes, lips, sharp teeth) very strong – N realize coach over same ground – dogs, then wolves howl, driver calm horses (18) – colder, snow fall – driver stops when see blue flame: driver away into dark, horses scream fear, ring of wolves – N paralysis of fear, driver reappear, command to wolves- arrive vast, ruined castle
Chapter 2 (21-33)
Jonathan Harker’s Journal
Driver (++strength) leave alone, descr’n surrounds, N as solicitor (not dream) – old man opens door (not out to meet. Odd welcome “own free will”) – Count D leads to well furnished bedroom and dining room: dinner – Count decline eat, detail descr’n D, foul breath (25) – wolf cries: “children of night..music”. N to bed
7 May: rest 24 hrs, cold breakfast, note from Count – lavish wealth of furnishings, no servants, finds library – Count returns, explains desire speak good English (not stand out) (27) – general conversation: night of evil spirits, blue light show where treasure buried but peasants not dare go outdoors – N explains details of purchase of estate Carfax (descr’n 30) – chat til dawn while N eats
8 May: feel uneasy, only Count speak to – shave in mirror, Count behind but N not see, blood from nick, Count grabs at but touches crucifix, throws mirror – breakfast, Count gone, N finds great precipice, all doors locked, N as prisoner
Chapter 3 (34-47)
Jonathan Harker’s Journal N panic then calm: not let Count know he realize; sees Count make up room, lay dining – no servants. Grateful for crucifix
Midnight: asks Count re history Transylvania – those of Dracula blood as leaders. Both abed at morning – like Arabian Nights
12 May: relates bare facts: Counts questions re business (solicitors in different places) – tells N write letter: stay 1 month – asks write business only (thin paper) – able glance Count’s own letters before he return room (40) – Count’s warning: sleep nowhere else in castle
Later: feeling oppressed, goes up stairs to look over expanse of forest: sees Count come out window, crawl face down wall (lizard) – awful fear
15 May: seen Count crawl down again; decide explore: force through one door: castle impregnable from 3 sides; room more comfortably furnished by dusty through no use – overcome by soft quietude
Later: the Morning of 16 May: N agitated, “Great God”: pleasure in disobeying Count: asleep – 3 young women, N wanting kiss (44-45) – woman cast aside by furious Count “Belongs to me” – he throws bag on floor for 3 women, N “aghast with horror”; they fade away, N unconscious
Chapter 4 (48-61)
Jonathan Harker’s Journal Awake in bed – carried by Count
18 May: previous doorway jammed shut
19 May: Count ask write 3 letters, dated June 12, 19, 29 – N know “span of life”, must escape – Szgany gypsies. Writes letters: Mina code, Mr Hawkins – throw to gypsies – Count returns them, courteous, cheery
31 May: all papers, clothes gone
17 June: hears horses, 2 wagons - N call to Slovaks but they laugh, then ignore – unload big, empty boxes
24 June, before morning: again see Count out window, in N’s clothes – transfixed by dust, hypnotized – flees as realise becoming 3 women. In own room – locked in – sees woman below wailing: “Monster, give me child”, hears voice of Count, pack of wolves into courtyard. N “gloom and fear”
25 June, morning: N fear fade, must take action
Same day, later: climb outside ledge into Count’s room: empty except old, dusty gold – through door, down dark stairs: soil in boxes, Count too – want search for keys but “dead eyes..hate”, fled to bedroom
29 June: date of last letter, Count again out in N’s clothes – N awakened by Count, asks leave tonight, courteous Count opens door but wolves – in room, hears whispers outside (“yours tomorrow”) – opens door, 3 women flee, laughing
30 June, morning: down to main door but locked – desperate, returns to Count’s room, to box in cellar: Count youthful – gorged fresh blood – desire rid world of monster – strikes with shovel as head turns, eyes look at N – hears Szgany, Slovaks approach – from Count’s room, door to vault locks: hears lids nailed, wagons leave. Alone with 3 women: decides scale wall, take some gold. “Goodbye all. Mina!”
Chapter 5 (62-70)
Letter from Miss Mina Murray to Miss Lucy Westenra 9 May
Life as assistant school mistress – practising shorthand to help fiance Jonathan – plans keep journal – letter from J in Transylvania: return 1 week
Letter, Lucy Westenra to Mina Murray
Tells of rumoured Mr Holmwood – been introduced to doctor, 29, in charge lunatic asylum – admits to love for Arthur
Letter, Lucy Westenra to Mina Murray 24 May
24 May Excited at 3 proposals: 1 Dr John Seward: act as gentleman when told someone else
Evening 2 American from Texas Mr Quincey P Morris: he too noble when told
Dr Seward’s Diary (kept in phonograph) 25 may
Disappointment at rebuff – question patient RM Renfield about hallucinations
Letter, Quincey P Morris to Arthur Holmwood 25 May
Invitation to drinks with Jack Seward
Telegram Holmwood to Morris 26 May accept
Chapter 6 (71-84)
Mina Murray’s Journal
24 July Whitby: met by Lucy at station – descr town, harbour, many steps – stories of old man (dialect)
25 July: with Lucy (pretty), listen old man: cranky re stories of souls return bodies on last day (not in graves)
The same day: sad no hear J (Lucy’s talk marry Arthur)
Dr Seward’s Diary
5 June: Renfield cruel, collect flies
18 June: now spiders
1 July: eats blow-fly: gives life to him – notebook with numbers
8 July: now a sparrow
19 July: asks for kitten, cat – declines, then plan to test patient
10pm: implore get cat
20 July: birds gone – ask where (feathers, drop blood)
11am: vomit feathers
11pm: theory: absorb as many lives as can – wish could dissect brain to discover
Mina Murray’s Journal
26 July: anxious, received J letter forwarded by Mr Hawkins – uneasy, not like him (starting for home from Castle Dracula) – Lucy return sleep-walking habits
27 July: uneasy no news J, Lucy sleep walk more – lost anaemic look, rosy
3 August: J’s writing but not read like him – Lucy odd concentration – looks for key (room locked)
6 August: suspense, Lucy more excitable – storm threatening (descr) – old Mr Swales: apologise, his death approach (dialect) – coastguard man tells of Russian ship steering strangely
Chapter 7 (85-98)
Cutting from The Telegraph, 8 August (pasted in Mina Murray’s Journal)
From a Correspondent, Whitby: great, sudden storm – beautiful sunset, foreign schooner all sails set despite signals to reduce – oppressive stillness then break: fury of waves, then sea-fog, glimpses through lightning, search light operating: people cheer as help ships, schooner in great danger, then fog roll, then into harbour, corpse lashed to wheel, aground violently – immense dog flee
Police keep people off schooner but correspondent allowed: dead man crucifix, beads, cords cut to bone, pocket bottle with roll paper, argument about salvage rights
9 August, Whitby: Russian schooner Demeter from Varna: great wood boxes to Whitby solicitor – dog not found but mastiff dead
Later: correspondent writes log-book (translated by Russian consul)
Log of the Demeter
Varna to Whitby
Written 18 July, things so strange happening, that I shall keep accurate note henceforth till we land
6-14 July entries crew scared but not speak
16 July 1 crew missing – crew: was something aboard
17 July crew reports strange man aboard: tall, thin. Whole crew search boat: nothing
24 July Bay Biscay another man gone
28 July 4 days great storm
29 July tragedy 2nd mate gone, crew panic
30 July rejoice close England only 4 left
1 August 2 days fog, not dare lower sails –drift terrible doom
2 August, midnight another gone, fog in North Sea
3 August man at wheel gone, mate called: “It is here. Stabbed man but knife into space” Tells will open boxes, goes below: scream, jump overboard
4 August “I saw It – Him” – honour as captain, plan tie hands, bottle
Public funeral arranged, no sign great dog
Mina Murray’s Journal
8 August Lucy restless through storm – down to harbour in morning. Anxious for Jonathon
10 August funeral of sea captain Lucy restless but admit no cause old Mr Swales dead, broken neck (fall seat, look horror on face) dog with man: during service dog fury then terror when owner threw on tombstone plan long walk back to tire Lucy (no sleepwalk)
Chapter 8 (99-113)
Mina Murray’s Journal
Same day, 11 pm tired, had tea at inn (ref to New Woman roles) cuate for supper though both women tired
11 August, 3 am agitated: wake with fear, Lucy’s bed empty, in night dress only, hall door open 1 am run through town: see white figure on favourite seat by church sees dark figure behind, cloud darken moon, long run up steps see half-recline white, black figure behind, red eyes reach Lucy in brilliant moonlight: alone, asleep, heavy gasps, shawl over but clumsy pin prick: hand to throat, moan wakes Lucy, walk home (mud on sore feet) beg not tell mother
Same day, noon Lucy look better but 2 pin pricks
Same day, night happy day, walk cliff-path but miss Jonathan. Listen music, abed (lock door, keep key)
12 August Lucy try out x 2, dawn sound birds at window. Lucy old gaiety
13 August night Lucy point window, o0pen blind: beautiful moonlight, great bat
14 August as home from cliff for dinner, Lucy: “his red eyes” as look dark figure on own seat (refraction of light) Lucy early abed, N walk: see Lucy lean out window: asleep, bird on sill, N run up, hand to throat (as if cold) – pale, haggard look
15 August Lucy’s mother confides: death warrant, promise not tell Lucy
17 August shadow over happiness: Lucy fading, gasps at night, night sits at open window, notice larger wounds
Letter Samuel F Billington solicitors, Whitby to Carter Paterson Co London
17 August deposit 50 boxes at house, leave key
Letter, return 21 August instructions followed
Mina Murray’s Journal
18 August Lucy much better: gay but still pale. Describes night: seemed real but frightening: red eyes, sweet and bitter, singing in ears, as if in earthquake
19 August Joy: Jonathan been ill, to go fetch “Jonathan, my husband”
Letter, Sister Agatha, hospital Buda-Pesth to Miss Wilhelmina Murray
12 August Mr Harker violent brain fever 6 weeks had fearful shock: dreadful ravings (ghosts, wolves, poison, blood)
Dr Seward’s Diary
19 August Renfield haughty: “Master is at hand” 9pm N visit but he indifferent; excited then shifty-quiet 2pm told escaped: N follow through window, see scale high wall of deserted house 3-4 men summoned, N ladder, follow sees Renfield at door chapel: “do your bidding, Master” with men close in: never see such paroxysm age in straight jacket, awful cries “I shall be patient Master”
Chapter 9 (114-127)
Letter, Mina Harker to Lucy Westenra
Buda-Pesth, 22 August Jonathan a wreck gives note book: never tell me ask to marry chaplain comes wishes same happiness to Lucy
Letter, Lucy Westenra to Mina Harker
Whitby 30 August best wishes, Arthur here
Dr Seward’s Diary
20 August Renfield been violent, now calm “Can wait”, release from straight jacket, he refuse speak, even offer of cat 3 day pattern: violent day, quiet at night. Plan: give chanve escape
23 August Renfield not take chance. Decide less restriction
Later escape, to chapel door: fought then clam as see great bat fly away: “needn’t tie …go quietly” – something ominous
Lucy Westenra’s Diary
Hillingham, 24 August imitate Mina writing: feel fear, worn out
25 August bad night; midnight hear flapping at window bad dreams: morning weak, plae, throat pains, not enough air
Letter, Arthur Holmwood to Dr Seward
Albemarle Hotel, 31 August favour: see Lucy, something prey on mind
Telegram Holmwood to Seward 1 Sept must go sick father
Letter from Dr Seward to Arthur Holmwood
2 September (121) gay spirits but bloodless test blood: vigorous health contacted old master Professor Van Helsing
Letter Abraham Van Helsing to Dr Seward
2 September agrees to come
Letter Dr Seward to Hon Arthur Holmwood
3 September report of Van H’s visit: must home to think; ask telegram every day
Dr Seward’s Diary
4 September (125) Zoophagus patient violent at noon, screams
Later another change: back eating flies; back in own room, collect flies (sugar), look for spider “All over ..deserted me”
Midnight after visit Miss Westenre, patient yells at sunset, then calm: no more flies, “sick of all that rubbish”
Telegrams Seward to Van Helsing
4,5,6 September: improved x 2, then “terrible change for worse”
Chapter 10 (128-142)
Letter Seward to Holmwood
6 September Mrs Westenra now expecting Van Helsing, the great specialist
Dr Seward’s Diary
7 September conversation with Van H [unusual syntax] not dig up corn see if grow – must wait both call on Lucy: shocked, ghastly pale need transfusion Arthur arrive – transfusion from him Van H notice red mark throat Arthur sent to rest 2 talk of punctures Van H: must return Amsterdam collect, charges Seward not leave her alone
Dr Seward’s Diary (continued) (135)
8 September sits with Lucy awake, she: afraid go sleep but comforted by Seward, sleeps (smile, no bad dreams) morning, goes to own work
9 September return Lucy, in cheerful spirits can sleep in adjoining room (dog-tired)
Lucy Westenra’s Diary
9 September happy, thankful, close to Arthur
Dr Seward’s Diary (137)
10 September woken by Van H, in to Lucy: white, gums shrunk back transfusion from Seward, who sent to rest Lucy well and strong, though not as much as previous Van H return from walk, says he will stay: “grave reasons” [comment on women’s kindness]
11 September van H excellent spirits, laying out flowers (garlic) over room and wreath around Lucy’s neck - tells her not remove it or open window
Chapter 11 (143-155)
Lucy Westenra’s Diary
11 September not dread sleep: no fear, unknown horrors
Dr Seward’s Diary
12 September both arrive 8am Mrs Westenra remove flowers, open windows (stuffy) Van H break down: Van H provide own blood
Lucy Westenra’s Diary
17 September 4 days peace with Van H, no darkness, noises, flapping
The Pall Mall Gazette, 18 September: The Escaped Wolf
Perilous Adventure of our Interviewer: Interview with the Keeper in the Zoological Gardens [dialect] wolf escape: rails broken, wolf return while journalist there: peaceful, cuts to head, broken glass
Dr Seward’s Diary (151)
17 September in study, patient rush in, cut wrist, as attendants subdue, lick blood on floor “The blood is life”
Telegram Van Helsing to Seward
17 September must be at Hillingham tonight
Dr Seward’s Diary
18 September just off train London, feeling of doom
Memorandum left by Lucy Westenra (153)
17 September, night barely strength write: waked by flapping, hear howl in shrubbery, mother in bed with Lucy, window crash, head of wolf, mother tore off garland, dies, cloud of dust into room, “some spell” recover consciousness: nightingdale singing, 4 maids in, Lucy sends them for glass wine finds all on floor (laudanum) air full of floating specks, “God help me”
Chapter 12 (156-173)
Dr Seward’s Diary
18 September drive Hillingham but servants not answer, all locked then Van H, cut iron bars, find 4 on floor, Lucy with mother raise maids, get hot bath, “stand up fight with death” transfusion needed: Quincy Morris arrive Lucy awake: dozing, tore up paper
19 September (164) day Lucy ravaged: different awake/asleep Arthur arrive
Letter Mina Harker to Lucy Westenra (unopened by her)
17 September staying with Mr Hawkins, Jonathan recovering, send love
Letter from Patrick Hennessy to John Seward
20 September about Renfield: abuses carrier man come to deliver to house next door very calm then escape, attack driver of cart with wooden boxes “fight for my Lord and Master”
Letter Mina Harker to Lucy Westenra (unopened by her)
18 September Mr Hawkins die: treat as son, left al to Jonathan
Dr Seward’s Diary
20 September (169) low spirited, sick of life: watch Lucy as Van H, Arthur sleep Lucy sleep: breathing, gums, teeth, hears/sees bat at window Van H relieve at 6 am: shocked: wounds healed: die soon, Arthur summoned stoop to kiss but told hold hand only change in Lucy (voluptuous, gums, teeth) “Kiss me” Van H throw him aside soft again, kiss Van H hand, “Guard him and give me peace” Arthur allowed hold hand, kiss forehead she dies: in death, beauty returned Van H: not end, “Only the beginning”
Chapter 13 (174-190)
Dr Seward’s Diary (continued)
Funeral next day solicitor formalities 2 look again at Lucy: beautiful, not believe corpse Van H puts garlic, gold crucifix Van H tells: post-mortem knives, asks for trust sees maid enter room(devotion) daylight, Van H wakes: no knives, crucifix stolen, “too late” [solicitor Marquand explain: Mrs Westenra left all to Lucy: not recommend but worked out] (179) Lord Godalming (Arthur) arrive: broken – both to Lucy beautiful, “Is she really dead?” dinner with van H: asks Arthur trust, then: read all Lucy’s papers Van H up all night, patrolling
Mina Harker’s Journal (182)
22 September with Jonathan for service for Mr Hawkins Jonathan “My God” at tall thin man look at pretty girl J terrified: “Count … grown young” sleep shady park then forgetful
Later sad telegram Van H: Mrs and Lucy dead
R Seward’s Diary
22 September Arthur, Quincy gone back to Ring Van H “fit of hysterics”: laugh til cry: N not understand Van H: “if you look into my heart ..would pity me most of all ..Because I know” all scattered: farewell to diary. Finis
The Westminster Gazette, 25 September
A Hampstead Mystery young children go off overnight with “bloofer lady” small wound to throat, as if rat or small dog
The Westminster Gazette, 25 September
Extra SpecialThe Hampstead Horror Another Child Injured: The ‘Bloofer Lady’ another child found: weak, emaciated
Chapter 14 (191-206)
Mina Harker’s Journal
23 September better after bad night, N proud of him
24 September no heart write last night: J’s terrible record: he believes it “fearful Count come to London” types it out
Letter, Van Helsing to Mrs Harker
24 September (Confidence) asks come see – via Lucy’s letters, papers
Telegram, Mrs Harker to Van Helsing
25 September come 10.15 train
Mina Harker’s Journal
25 September anticipating visit: had a cry
Later feels Van H good, record verbatim: phys descry, gives shorthand (little joke) then typed: (196) after read, praise: “you are one of the lights”, comments about “good women” asks of J’s “brain fever”: N on knees, implore Van H: more on role of “good women” gives him typed copy J’s journal
Letter (by hand), Van Helsing to Mrs Harker
25 September, 6 o’clock reassures: diary is true
Letter, Mrs Harker to Van Helsing
25 September, 6.30 pm weight off mind, invite 10.30 train
Jonathan Harker’s Journal
26 September Mina tell of give diaries Van H: now know, not afraid conversation with Van H: praise Mina at station, Van H see Westminster Gazette “”Mein Gott. So soon”
Dr Seward’s Diary (202)
26 September 1 week since wrote ‘finis’ Renfield back to flies/spiders, letters from Arthur, Quincy – recovering Van H show Gazette: same wounds as Lucy. N unable hypothesise Van H: science not explain all / always mysteries / lists oddities of nature / definition of faith: children’s wounds made by Miss Lucy
Chapter 15 (207-221)
Dr Seward’s Diary (continued)
Sheer anger Van H plan: visit children at hospital eat at inn, then 10pm to churchyard where Lucy buried Westenra tomb, key, enter: descry (grim), start open coffin (no old gas): empty N’s feeble explanations (body snatcher) both outside, wait / watch separately: sees white figure, hurries towards, Professor with tiny child in arms (no wound) – “just in time” leave child at heath for policeman to find
27 September 2pm after funeral sexton lock gate reenter tomb: Lucyradiantly beautiful, Prof shows sharp teeth, explain this case different: in trance she is Un-Dead, explains how will kill(head off, stake through) reasons that Arthur must be told
Note left by Van Helsing in his portmanteau, Berkeley Hotel, directed to John Seward (not delivered)
27 September tell plans in case not return: Un-Dead strong if not return, must find and kill great Un-Dead
Dr Seward’s Diary (217)
28 September search for some rational explanation
29 September, morning Arthur (Lord Godalming), Quincy with Van H: asks come churchyard, enter tomb Arthur anger Van H: “not dead..might be Un-Dead…cut off head” he plead: duty, come with, will make same request, also have her blood
Chapter 16 (222-232)
Dr Seward’s Diary (continued)
¼ to 12, all enter tomb N tells: body in coffin Van H open: empty; telle: yesterday just before sunset, garlic in door, not exit all night all outside: Van H: wafer Host in door jam: ominous gloom see white figure, carry child: Lucy but changed: cruel, voluptuous, lips bloodied, flings child, “Come to me Arthur” Van H advance with crucifix but she unable enter tomb, malice, “if ever a face meant death” Van H asks: proceed? Then remove host, woman pass through gap must return tomorrow
29 September, night 1.30 pm after funeral: enter, Lucy “death-beauty” nightmare Van H explain: ever widening circle nosferatu, set her free, holy memory Arthur drive stake: Thing writhe in coffin Lucy: as in life: sweetness, purity “given my dear one her soul again” may kiss lips “is God’s true dead, soul with Him” as leave, Van H: greater task, must find author, stamp out plan: all meet 2 days: “a terrible task before us”
Chapter 17 (233-246)
Dr Seward’s Diary (continued)
Telegram: Mina coming N given typed diaries x 2 to read N meets Mina at station
Mina Harker’s Journal
29 September to Dr Seward’s study he upset, unable tell of Lucy’s death N: read typed diaries, will know me agrees to let N type phonograph recordings (“a mna of noble nature”
Dr Seward’s Diary (137)
29 September absorbed in reading, Mrs H enter: convinces must share with others: “rid earth of this terrible monster”, no secrets, work together
Mina Harker’s Journal
29 September types terrible story of Lucy’s death brain in whirl types to be ready for Dr Van H, Jonathan, Lord Godalming, Mr Morris – all coming
Dr Seward’s Diary
30 September impressed at 1st meeting of Mr Harker
Later strange not think next house Count’s hiding place – enough clues Renfield
Visits Renfield: sane , spoke of immediate discharge, N suspicious – outbursts linked to proximity of Count
Jonathan Harker’s Journal
29 September, in train to London to trace Count’s “horrid cargo”: 50 cases earth – station-master, workers (gives beer money)
30 September Kings Cross station: more ‘thirst’ money carrier worker comment thick dust Carfax – 50 delivered to Carfax – but some may removed (Dr Seward’s diary)
Mina Harker’s Journal
30 September departing husband: brave, true grit. Excited by hunt: no pity Count
Later Lord G, Mr M return: N tells them has read all papers, knows all alone with Lord G: he break down, hysterical grief: women as mother, he pledges self to N as brother then N comforts Mr M: “little girl ..true-hearted kindness
Chapter 18 (247-263)
Dr Seward’s Diary
30 September return 5pm -1st time old house feel ‘home’ Mrs H asks see Renfield: he tidy up by eat all spiders, flies: he asks if she girl doctor want marry; then tells leave; talks philosophy like polished gentleman: had once believed “blood is the life”, even to try kill doctor meet Van H at station: he on attributes of “that wonderful Madam Mina”: no part for woman, heart may fail she tells van H: all records up to date
Mina Harker’s Journal
30 September all meet study after dinner (Lord G, Dr Seward, Mr M, Professor, Jonathan H) Van H tells of vampires: (252) more power do evil, change forms, we must win or gates of Heaven shut, “arrow in side of Him who died for man” – all hold hands, compact, golden crucifix on table more on vampires (254): known through history, not eat/no shadow/no reflection. But: still a prisoner: limitations on him (no power during day), repelled by things sacred. Tells of historical “no common man” Mr Morris outside, pistol shot at bat on window sill Van H tells: Mina no more involved, “too precious” to risk for N, “bitter pill” as men away to Carfax
Dr Seward’s Diary
1 October, 4 am as about leave, urgent request see Renfield: 4 men go: very rational, plead immediate release, fluent, knowledgeable greetings to Lord G, Mr Morris, Professor N decline, plea: for sake of others, but unable explain why (“not my own master”) as all leave, became frantic: “entreat, implore.. sane man fighting for his soul.. later on, remember I tried convince you”
Chapter 19 (264-277)
Jonathan Harker’s Journal
1 October, 5 am as leave, Mina absolutely strong, well Lord G takes whistle at porch, Van H give all: crucifix, garlic, weapons, open rusty door Van H: Latin blessing, dust, Jonathan find way to chapel: his memories of Count (smell) only 29 boxes think see Count’s evil face but only shadows alive with rats, Lord G blow whistle, 3 terriers all spirits rise as rats gone Count’s power not complete: rats will flee return home, Mina asleep: not to be told, “too great strain for woman to bear”
1 October, later Mina heavy sleep, as if bad dream
Dr Seward’s Diary
1 October Professor in, very jolly, ask see Renfield returns later: “you old fool van H”, refuse talk agree: Mrs Harker “better out of it”
Mina Harker’s Journal
1 October goodness of men not to tell; feel sad, low spirited horrible tragedy since come London, if not gone Whitby, Lucy …hide tears from Jonathan recalls last night: profound silence, mist over grass towards house Renfield loud, passionate entreaties, sound of struggle (attendants), feel powerless, thick mist through door joints, pillar cloud, whirl, 2 red eyes recall horror of Jonathan’s women needs be careful such dreams: ask doctors for sleep draft
2 October, 10 pm last night not dream, sound sleep but not refreshed Mr Renfield asked see N: gentle, bade God bless N sent away after dinner: Jonathan something important to communicate N ask dr Seward little opiate
Chapter 20 (278-292)
Jonathan Harker’s Journal
1 October, evening looking for workmen who moved boxes: 2 lots of 6 to addresses [dialect] Mina been crying but doctors right keep her out
2 October, evening am, Mina look pale, not well: goes off find workmen: describes Piccadilly house [dialect]: old fellow very strong N realize able move boxes by self takes cab to house to agent’s office: who purchased: unwilling tell but agree send address to Lord Godalming home, put Mina abed, talk others: problems with how break in Mina still pale though less haggard
Dr Seward’s Diary
1 October puzzled by Renfield: this am, a man commanding destiny, N challenge him: “want no souls .. life what I want” later, Renfield sent for N: “how get life without get soul also?” becomes hostile, then calms N realize: he not say “drinking”, sure will get some higher life but not want burden of a soul. N realize: “Merciful God! Count has been to him”
Later tell Van H, both visit: sugar for flies, not talk them
Letter, Mitchell &Sons to Lord Godalming
1 October buyer foreign nobleman Count de Ville – paid cash
Dr Seward’s Diary
2 October instruct attendant write Renfield talk. May heard some prayers midnight but may have ‘dozed’ plan sterilize imported earth between sunrise and sunset
Later beginning of end tomorrow. Attendant rush: Renfield accident, covered in blood
Chapter 21 (292-307)
Dr Seward’s Diary
3 October Renfield pool blood, terrible injuries: back broken, face smashed Professor: must trephine (drill hole skull relieve pressure) breathing gasps, agonizing silence, then: Renfield: “no dream but grim reality..am dying..came window in mist..promised me things…animals with blood …see thousands rats…come in Lord and Master..then come without knock, sneer…Mrs Harker visit: her blood seems have run out…grabbed him, not want him take any more of her life…threw me down”
all break in Mina’s room: Jonathon stupor, tall thin man in black, scar forehead: Count: pull her face to bloodied chest (his teeth, lips, blood mouth) hurl her, Professor hold up Sacred Wafer, others advance with crucifixes, moonlight fail: black vapour Mrs Harker scream, mad with terror Quincey Morris run outside Jonathan roused, “My God, my God..” Mina cry “Unclean” as notice wound in neck but he holds her Arthur tell: Count set fire all records (copy in safe)
Mina explains: (305) horrible crowdings in mind (death, vampires, pain) thin white mist unable wake Jonathan saw figure (tall, thin, black, teeth, eyes) orders silence or smash Jonathan’s brains drinks from throat (not 1st time) mocks men: “frustrate my designs” “you flesh of my flesh…my bountiful wine-press..companion..helper” force drink his blood “God pity me” N: no more miserable house
Chapter 22 (308-320)
Jonathan Harker’s Journal
3 October 6 pm do something or go mad: all been Renfield: loud voices, God, God…agree no more concealment from Mina (“her eyes shone devotion of martyr”) Mina-Van H: if need die, friend must do it / must not til great evil is past (‘My Child’/ she so good, brave)
Van H plan: (311) Piccadilly house locksmith in middle of day (note Mina pale, teeth showing) Van H insensitive: Count sleep late because of banquet
All to leave Mina; to protect, Van H touch forehead with Sacred Wafer, she scream, burn flesh, “Unclean” til Judgement day, ref to Son, Cross, N resolve Mina not go alone (if must be vampire) all enter Carfax: Sacred Wafer/Host in each box find papers, keys Godalming, Morris to 2 addresses to destroy boxes
Chapter 23 (321-334)
Dr Seward’s Diary
3 October long wait for Godalming and Morris great change in Jonathan: “haggard old man” Professor explains: must stamp him out; alive, been most wonderful man, faculties of mind only a child, if we fail, new order of beings (through Death, not Life) gain knowledge slowly, by experiment: could move boxes himself telegram arrive from Mina: D south from Carfax (ref: God is merciful and just), hope today see end Godalming, Morris arrive: found boxes 2 x 6: destroyed; wait til 5: key in door, Quincey organize attack Count enter, panther-like Harker lunge Kukri knife N advance with crucifix, wafer Count grab money, crash through window: “Revenge just begun…girls mine already”, flees
(327) Professor: fears us, sunset: all return Madame Mina, her thanks “God will protect us” sweet, sweet, good, good woman, scar forehead, goodness, purity but outcast from God. Her speech: must pity him too, men in tears [sentimental tenderness], sit in watch
Jonathan Harker’s Journal (330)
3-4 October, close to midnight 1 box remain woman all perfection, Surely God …
Later Mina wakes, men on guard (“Thank God for good, brave men”)
4 October, morning Mina wake night, ask for Professor: ask hypnotise, before dawn, then speak freely: lapping of water, chain, still like death Professor: Count wants escape why pursue? “to jaws of Hell…time to be dreaded…put mark on your throat” she faints
Chapter 24 (335-349)
Dr Seward’s Phonograph Diary, spoken by Van Helsing
This to Jonathan Harker: stay with Mina gone Castle Transylvania, by ship powerful but we strong together: “God watch over his Children”
Jonathan Harker’s Journal
4 October read message to Mina: brighter scar: guiding purpose, instruments of ultimate good? Now 3 pm
Mina Harker’s Journal
5 October, 5 pm report by Van H, all present: ship for Black Sea Czarina Catherine, man at wharf: man in hurry (tall, thin, teeth, eyes) cart with great box captain swear, about leave on tide dense fog come, away next tide ship slow, go by land to Varna
Van H: must pursue…sake humanity…Un-Dead…forces of nature occult, deep, strong…his great nerve, heart, brain when alive…men for whom His Son die, not given to monsters…like man-eater tiger…in past, when defeated Turkey, still come…his careful plan for new place (England)..we willing peril even own souls for honour and glory of God” N at peace but notice red mark – still unclean
Dr Seward’s Diary (342)
5 October all cheerful at breakfast but Mrs H not speak – poison into veins? “Vampire’s baptism of blood” to mention to Van H
Later Van H: Mina changing – slight characteristics of vampire – Count might compel her disclose to tell her: no more speak
Later Mrs H message: not join for discussion (relief). Plans: 3 weeks reach Varna, to leave by 17th - 4 to go, Harker to care for wife, he to discuss with Mina
Jonathan Harker’s Journal (346)
5 October, afternoon Mina like child as sleep
Later she wakes, asks promise: not tell plans while scar “door shut between us”
Later, midnight Mina bright, cheerful, sleep like child
6 October, morning Mina wake earky, ask for Van H: must go on journey, safer for all can tell now while sun rising, maybe not later if Count summons, must go
Van H: most wise, her soul is true Plan: board ship Varna, destroy monster
Later all done, will made danger at sunrise, sunset, in God’s will may be means to good end
Chapter 25 (350-365)
Dr Seward’s Diary
11 October, evening Jon H ask record Mrs H ask see just before sunset, she signs of internal struggle Mina: brave men…poor weak woman…poison in my blood, soul…asks kill if so changed better I die (stake/head) each swear…husband set me free Warns: must not forget: leagued with your enemy asks read Burial Service, husband leads but does so : sad, horror, all affected but comforted
Jonathan Harker’s Journal
15 October, Varna long journey Mina well, Van H hypnotise at sunrise/set: “dark, waves lapping” arrangements with Vice-Consul board ship (bribery)
16 October same report
17October Godalming arrange with shippers, agent, plan act on Count at once, whatever result
24 October week wait: ship not sighted
Lloyds, London to Lord Godalming, telegram
Czarina Catherine sighted Dardanelles
Dr Seward’s Diary
25 October all excited except Mrs H: great change 3 weeks, lethargy Van H concern: checks teeth, neither shrink if necessary: “euthanasia an excellent and comforting word”, boat expected next day
25 October, noon no news, fever of excitement Van H, N little alarmed: lethargy, then sleep – looked well, peaceful
Later she seems brighter, sunset same hypnotic report (Count to doom)
26 October ship should be here – though other ships report fog patches
27 October, noon strange, no news, Mrs H: “lapping waves and rushing water” Van H terribly anxious: “souls and memories can do strange things during trance” try make speak more fully sunset hypnosis
28 October Telegram: Rufus Smith, London, to Lord Godalming, via Vice-Consul, Varna
Czarina Catherine enter Galatz
Dr Seward’s Diary (359)
28 October all expected something strange: response of each train next am, info via Mrs H: more like old self “something shifting …feel freer” Van H to N: some change….hope may deceive us in trance Count sent spirit read her mind, learn we here, most effort escape us cut her off so not come to him hope our man-brains higher than his child-brain that lie tomb centuries Madam Mina: her great brain trained like man brain but of sweet woman and special power which Count gives her
Mina enter: Van H read Jonathan’s journal: what tell us? Criminal mind not full man-brain, not learn by principle apply to Count: invade new land London (like from Turkey): flee back home Mina: criminal selfishness frees my soul somewhat from terrible power an H: criminal does evil for own selfish good but is his chiefest harm; think free from every trace of us; but terrible baptism of blood you free go him in spirit, by my volition, not his to guard self, even cut himself off from knowledge of us …believe our God with us asks N write all down for others
Chapter 26 (366 – 383)
Dr Seward’s Diary
29 October written on train Galatz Mrs H into trance (greater efforts van H): water, men’s voices, chains dragging, then sweetly offer co up tea He close but not ashore sunrise trance short: “water …creaking”
Later sunset, enigmatic words: “strange tongues …wolves” awoke: cold, exhausted, not remember
30 October 7 am near Galatz, trance more difficult: “water …cattle” – stop, go white
Mina Harker’s Journal
30 October Mr Morris took to hotel, men away to learn about ship
Jonathan Harker’s Journal (370)
30 October meet captain of ship: (dialect) run fast with wind (doubts), when near port – fog, Roumanian crew want throw box overboard box collected by Hebrew agent, who pass on to Skinsky who deal with Slovaks – he found “throat torn as if by wild animal”
Nina Harker’s Journal
30 October, evening go over papers, believe made discovery
Mina Harker’s Memorandum (entered in her journal) (373)
Ground of inquiry brough back but how? Rod/rail/water. Final surmise: 2 suitable rivers for Slovaks: Pruth, Sereth – later around Borgo Pass, near Dracula’s castle
Mina Harker’s Journal (continued)
Van H praise: she seen, we blinded Godalming by steam launch, Quincey Morris, Dr Seward by horse. Van H: tells Harker go with Godalming; Mina to go with van H “into heart of enemy’s country” Jonathan angry protest: if Count escape, may sleep century, “our dear one come to him” Jonathan sob “in hands of God”
Later “women love men earnest, brave, true” usefulness of money: horses, arms (N too)
Later goodbye my darling, ref God
Jonathan Harker’s Journal (379)
October 30, night steam launch furnace, Morris, Seward riding
31 October bitterly cold, Godalming sleep, boats scared of them
1 November, evening no news, check every boat – 1 big boat, faST, DOUBLE CREW
2 November, morning new man after sleep – wonder about others “God guide and help them”
Dr Seward’s Diary
2 November 3 days on road, no news
3 November follow launch, signs snow
4 November launch accident, Godalming (fitter) fix, get past rapids
Mina Harker’s Journal
31 October Prof tells: hard hypnotise – lovely country
later Van H with carriage, horses (70 miles) – lots food, fur coats “In hands God …watch beloved husband”
Chapter 27 (384 – 401)
Mina Harker’s Journal
1 November beauty of country people superstitious Prof seem tireless, sunset hypnotise: enemy still on river at farmhouse, Van H sleeping, N to drive
2 November, morning wilder country, hope Borgo Pass in daylight “God grant …not worthy in His sight…unclean”
Memorandum by Abraham Van Helsing
4 November to old, dear friend John Seaward in case not see him. Cold, Madam Mina sleep, all not well arrive pass, sunrise hypnotise (“darkness, water”), she all on fire with zeal long hours by road, near sunset, up/up, wild, rocky wake Madam Mina, look well, she cook but not eat (so hungry, not wait) – “grave doubts”
morning, unable hypnotise, then heavy sleep – healthy, red, like it not, afraid
5 November, morning let accurate: yesterday travel, closer mountains, she sleep, sunset: see castle on summit make fire, prepare food (she not eat) drew ring around, spread broken wafer – well guarded Test: asks come fire but unable; rejoice, soul safe horses scream through night til ‘lowest hour’: snow, mist like woman with trailing garments N’s horrible fears, horses moan terror Mina calm, tell N not go out stoke fire, “None safer”, scar on forehead women materialize (‘voluptuopus’) “Come sister” Mina repulsion, N advance with Wafer, fed fire dawn, figures melt, unable wake Mina, horses dead
Jonathan Harker’s Journal
4 November, evening accident terrible: prevented overtaking. “Good bye Mina. God bless.”
Dr Seward’s Diary
5 November see Szgany ride away from river with leiter-wagon – pursue wolves howl, snow “We ride to death of someone …God alone knows who…”
Dr Van Helsing’s Memorandum
5 November, afternoon left M Mina sleeping “within Hioly Circle”, go castle blacksmith tools, break rusty hinges so not locked in to chapel: sulphurous fumes, roaring in ears, howl wolves afraid for M Mina: safe from Vampire in Holy Circle but not from wolf – choose for her: maw of wolf or “grave of the vampire”
knew at least 3 graves: 1st “voluptuous beauty” delay: “fascination of wanton Un-Dead hypnotise him” eyes open, present kiss “man is weak” admits: “I, Van H, moved to a yearning for delay …strangre oppression …lapsing into sleep” roused by long, low wail: voice of M Mina brace for horrid task, look, finds 2nd, then 3rd, “radiantly beautiful, exquisitely voluptuous, calls some of my sex to love, protect …nerved myself to my wild work …no more of active Un-Dead existent”
great tomb DRACULA home of “the King-Vampire” empty, laid in Wafer, banished him for ever “began terrible task …dreaded …butcher work …repose in 1sr face gladness that stole over it as final dissolution …realize soul had been won” horrid screeching, writhing form, bloody foam, severe head death should come centuries ago at last assert “I am here …return M Mina, waking, she: “away awful place …meet husband” pale, weak, eyes pure, glow fervour “with trust, hope yet full fear we go …meet him”
Mina Harker’s Journal (395)
6 November towards east, Jonathan steep down, not fast place of perfect desolation: cold, snow rest, look back D’s castle: grandeur, something wild, uncanny, howl of wolves, full of terror Van H look place in case attack: into rock hollow with field-glasses, look, height: see great distance: snow heavier mounted men around wagon with great square chest evening close, at sunset Thing imprisoned take new freedom, elude all pursuit Professor circle around rock: at least safe from him
see Dr Seward, Mr Morris riding, then 2 more: Jonathan, Lord Godalming Prof shout glee schoolboy strange snow near us but bright sun beyond, wolves gathering
eddies snow block view, fierce, bitter wind drew closer Jonathan call ‘Halt’, leader orders proceed, 4 Winchesters, gypsies draw weapons
leader point sun, then castle 4 dash forward, gypsies surround cart 4 force way to cart, Jonathan seem overawe, on cart, incredible strength throw box over Mr Morris through knives to cart (blood spurting), both pry open box
gypsies no longer resist
sun almost down, Count lying: deathly pale, red eyes glare, with sinking sun look of hate turn to triumph Jonathan great knife shear throat, Mr Morris’ into heart
like miracle: crumple dust that moment, look of peace in face
gypsies, wolves leave
Mr Morris die “only too happy been of any service Oh God ..worth this to die! Look! Look!” sun beams on my face: rosy light, men to knees, dying man speak: “God be thanked …snow not more stainless than her forehead …curse passed away” he dies “a gallant gentleman”
Note (402)
Jonathan Harker (name at bottom)
7 years ago son birthday same as Morris died mother secret belief some brave friend’s spirit in him this year return Transylvania almost impossible believe what happened castle still high above waste of desolation
home, talk of old time: Seward, Godalming married among records, hardly one authentic document hardly proof of so wild a story
Van H: want no proof ask none believe son know one day: brave, gallant woman …her sweetness, loving care …how some men loved her, that did dare much for her sake
Source: http://2011extension.wikispaces.com/file/view/PW+Dracula+by+Bram+Stoker.doc/214508760/PW+Dracula+by+Bram+Stoker.doc
Web site to visit: http://2011extension.wikispaces.com
Author of the text: indicated on the source document of the above text
Abstract: In this article, I would like to reveal the existence and the struggle of two social classes in Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Using the theory of historical materialism, I attempt to show that Count Dracula is the symbol of the 19th century feudal while his opponents the (petty and big) bourgeoisies of the same century. The Count is the monopolistic feudal who tries to revive the ancient mode of concentration and monopoly. His monopolistic feudalism can be seen from his tendency toward territorial expansion and total submission of his subjects. The bourgeoisies in the novel are what Marx & Engels ridicule as the socialistic bourgeoisies who characterize the Victorian Capitalism. Still brand-new, ashamed of themselves, and troubled by guilty feeling, these bourgeoisies try to use their money and both scientific and superstitious knowledge to do good. And yet this in-betweenness is the key of their success in defeating the one dimensional Dracula.
Key words: class, class struggle, monopolistic feudal, socialistic bourgeoisie.
Abraham Stoker (November 8, 1847 – April 20, 1912) is an Irish writer of novels and short stories. During his lifetime, Bram Stoker was better known for being the personal assistant of the actor Sir Henry Irving than a great author of macabre stories. Stoker wrote for supplementing his income. His most famous work is the vampire tale Dracula, published in 1897. When it was first published, Dracula did not gain an immediate attention. According to literary historians Nina Auerbach and David Skal (1997, p. ix) in the Norton Critical Edition, most Victorian readers enjoyed it just as a good adventure story. Dracula only reached its broad iconic legendary classic status later in the 20th century. According to the Internet Movie Database (2011), the number of films that include a reference to Dracula may reach as high as 649. The character of Count Dracula has grown popular over the years, and many films have used the character as a villain, while others have named him in their titles e.g., Dracula's Daughter, Brides of Dracula, Zoltan, Hound of Dracula, etc. An estimated 237 films (as of 2011) feature Dracula in a major role, a number second only to Sherlock Holmes (242).
Formally speaking, Dracula is an epistolary novel, written as a collection of diary entries, telegrams, and letters from the characters, as well as fictional clippings from newspapers and phonograph cylinders. By using the epistolary structure, Stoker maximizes suspense. There is no guarantee to the readers that any first-person narrator will survive by the end of the story. In terms of content, Dracula has been attributed to many literary genres including vampire literature, horror fiction, gothic novel and invasion literature (Rogers, 2000). The Dracula legend as Bram Stoker created it shows a compound of various influences. Before writing Dracula, he spent eight years researching European folklore and stories of vampires. Many of Stoker's biographers and literary critics have found marked similarities to the earlier Irish writer Sheridan le Fanu's classic of the vampire genre, Carmilla (Auerbach & Skal, 1997). Throughout the 1880s and 1890s, authors such as Arthur Conan Doyle, Rudyard Kipling, and Robert Louis Stevenson wrote many tales in which fantastic creatures threatened the British Empire. Invasion literature was at its peak, and Stoker's formula of an invasion of England by continental European influences was very familiar to readers (p. ix).
There are several reasons Dracula is more successful than the other works of its kind. Rogers (2000, p. viii), in his “Introduction and Notes” to Dracula’s Wordsworth Classics edition, believes that the answer lies partly in the novel’s thematic dichotomy. Narratives constructed upon a clash between two polarities such as those of good and evil are as old as narrative itself. Stoker follows this tradition by setting Dracula against men whose qualities, action, and appearance seem to contrast him in almost every way. For this reason the novel provides many different allegorical readings. There are allegorical readings drawn from a number of conceptual polarities between Romanticism and Victorianism, including reason and feeling, rationality and irrationality, the visible and the invisible. There are those that might arise from 19th century debates concerning the struggle between the altruistic and the selfish individual. And there are also Marxist readings associated with class antagonism.
In this article, I am going to read Dracula as a class-struggle text. To be specific, I would like to reveal in it the existence and struggle of two competing classes for world domination. Along the way, I would like also to show how they, using their respective infrastructure and superstructure, try to overcome each other. In doing so, I am going to employ the theory of historical materialism with particular attention to class and class struggle.
Historical Materialism, Class Struggle, and Class
Historical Materialism is the application of Marxist philosophy to historical development. Marx (2010, p. 11) in his preface to A Contribution to the Critique of Political Economy sums up the fundamental proposition of historical materialism in one sentence: "it is not the consciousness of men that determines their existence, but, on the contrary, their social existence that determines their consciousness". In other words, the social relations between people are determined by the way they produce their material life. Marx further elaborates his proposition of historical materialism into several principles in the Introduction of the same book:
The main modes of production Marx identified generally include primitive communism or tribal society (a prehistoric stage), ancient society, feudalism and capitalism (Worsley, 2002). In each of these social stages, people interact with nature and produce their living in different ways. Any surplus from that production is also distributed in different ways. Ancient society was based on a ruling class of slave owners and a class of slaves; feudalism based on landowners and serfs; and capitalism based on the capitalist class and the working class. The capitalist class privately owns the means of production, distribution and exchange (e.g. factories, mines, shops and banks) while the working class live by exchanging their labor with the capital class for wages.
Marx & Engels (1998) generally distinguished three major (fundamental) classes. Each of which was characterized in its role in the productive system by the factor of production it controlled. They are the land downers (feudalist), by their ownership of land; the capitalist (bourgeoisie), by their ownership of capital; and the proletariat (working class), by their ownership of labor power. Besides, there are also some classes which are fluctuating between the three major classes. In Marxism discourse they are usually being known as ‘non fundamental classes’. One of them is petty bourgeoisie class, e.g. farmer, owner of small shop, craftsman, and other owner of small means of production.
The classes can also be recognized from their typical superstructure. Superstructure contains more than certain forms of law and politics, a certain kind of state, whose essential function is to legitimatize the power of the social class which owns the means of economic production (Eagleton, 2011). Marx (2010, p. 11) says it also consists of certain “definite forms of social consciousness” (political, religious, ethical, aesthetic and so on), which is what Marxism designates as ‘ideology’.
The Competing Classes and the Exploits of the Infrastructure & Superstructure
There are two competing classes in the novel such as the late 19th century feudalist and bourgeoisie. Count Dracula represents the late 19th century feudalist who tries to revive the feudalism as the dominant system of the world. His opponents consist of the big and petty bourgeoisies of the century. Lord Godalming and Quincey P. Morris represent the big bourgeois class. The petty bourgeois class is embodied by the professionals such as Dr. Van Helsing, Dr Seward, Jonathan and Mina Hawker. Adhering to the Marxist tradition, I am going to focus my discussion on their respective position in relation to production and ideology.
The Monopolistic Feudal
Count Dracula is an aristocrat of the late 19th century. He is a feudal which after years of losing tries to fight back to revive the old mode of concentration and monopoly. For Bram Stoker, monopoly should be feudal and tyrannical. For this reason he can only imagine monopoly in the figure of Count Dracula, the aristocrat, the figure of the past, the symbol of distant lands and dark ages. Furthermore, Stoker sees that monopoly and free trade are two irreconcilable concepts. He therefore believes that, in order to become established, the feudal monopoly and the capital free competition must destroy each other. He cannot accept that monopoly can also be the future of free trade; that free trade itself can generate monopoly in new forms. This can be seen from his ambiguous attitude toward Quincey P. Morris as will be made clear in the next section.
There is a reason only the negative and destructive aspects of feudalism appear in the novel. In Britain where Stoker lived at the end of the 19th century, monopolistic feudalism was reduced (for various economic and political reasons) far more effectively than in other European countries, especially the Eastern ones. Monopoly was perceived as something no longer relevant to British history: as a foreign threat. This is why Dracula is not British, while most of his enemies are British. There are indeed two non-British opponents such as Van Helsing and Quincey P. Morris but they are born in the other well-known cradles of free trade, Holland and USA.
Bram Stoker does his best to characterize the Count with the negative, distant, old timey, feudal accessories. First of all, following the prescription of popular stereotype, the count lives in “a vast ruined castle, from whose tall black windows came no ray of light, and whose broken battlements showed a jagged line against the moonlit sky” (p. 15). The fact that the Count lives in a castle indicates that he is in possession of a vast land, which is the major means of production in the feudal system. Castle was not merely the private residence of feudal masters but also the headquarters of feudal production system (Coulson, 2003). It served a range of purposes, the most important of which were administrative and military (Friar, 2003).
Castle was where feudal masters coordinated and monitored the farming of his land (Coulson, 2003). Castle was usually surrounded by a vast farming land and much smaller houses of peasants working on the land. It is from Castle Dracula the Count directs and controls his subjects. In his lifetime, the Count directs his peasants to farm on his land and harvest its fruits for his wealth. In the 19th century, Count Dracula directs his gypsies and undead subjects to plant the seeds of evil on his territory and to cultivate poor souls for his existence. Carfax in England serves exactly the same purpose as Castle Dracula does. The difference lies only on the subjects he commands. This time he commands Renfield the lunatic, Lucy, Mina, and the other victims of his hellish bites.
Furthermore, castle was an offensive tool used as a base of operations in a new occupied land. As feudal masters advanced through, it became necessary to fortify key positions to secure the land they had taken (Friar, 2003). Beside an offensive structure, castle was primarily intended to be a place of protection from enemies, be it other land-seeking feudalists or rebellious groups of peasants working for him. Count Dracula uses Castle Dracula for this very purpose. He uses it for protection against numerous foreign invaders aiming at taking his territory such as the Magyar, the Lombard, the Avar, the Bulgar, and the Turk. On the other hand, he also uses Castle Dracula for the springboard of offensive towards his enemy:
“Who was it but one of my own race who as Voivode crossed the Danube and beat the Turk on his own ground? This was a Dracula indeed! … Was it not this Dracula, indeed, who inspired that other of his race who in a later age again and again brought his forces over the great river into Turkeyland, who, when he was beaten back, came again, and again” (Stoker, 1999, p. 32-33).
It is for the same strategic military importance that the Count purchases an estate at Purfleet. He wants to make it his new castle in his new conquered land to protect him from his new enemies as well as to expand his conquest. The estate is called “Carfax, a corruption of the old Quatre Face, as the house is four sided, agreeing with the cardinal points of the compass” (Stoker, 1999, p. 25). Carfax meets the criteria of an ideal bastion for the Count, as being described vividly by Jonathan Harker:
It was surrounded by a high wall, of ancient structure, built of heavy stones, and has not been repaired for a large number of years. The closed gates are of heavy old oak and iron, all eaten with rust … It contains in all some twenty acres, quite surrounded by the solid stone wall above mentioned. There are many trees on it, which make it in places gloomy, and there is a deep, dark−looking pond or small lake, evidently fed by some springs, as the water is clear and flows away in a fair−sized stream. The house is very large and of all periods back, I should say, to mediaeval times, for one part is of stone immensely thick, with only a few windows high up and heavily barred with iron (p. 25).
It is from this medieval place Count Dracula launches his repeated attacks on Lucy Westenra, Mina Harker, and his other victims. It is also in Carfax the Count hides from the bitter revenge of Dr. Van Helsing and his associates.
Along with the land, Count Dracula also owns feudal labor power. Bram Stoker does not give any clear account on the Count’s feudal subjects in his lifetime. Yet, Stoker provides quite clear information about his subjects during his undead time. They are not peasants whom feudal masters own for farming land. After all, the Count is not alive in the traditional sense of the word so he does not need farming land and farmer. His subjects are the Romanian gypsies and his victims both in Romania and England.
It is implied in the story that his servants do not financially depend on the Count. They have already had their own jobs, as testified by Jonathan, “In the morning come the Szgany, who have some labours of their own here, and also come some Slovaks” (Stoker, 1999, p. 53). Although the Count may not give material rewards to his subjects, as any good feudal masters, he provides shelter and protection for them. Life was not easy back during the feudalism era, and commoners needed protection from bandits as well as cruel government officials (Bloch, 1989). Therefore, they naturally looked for protection from a strong feudal lord, and the Szgany and Slovaks of Count Dracula are of no exception. As retold by Harker in his diary, “the Szgany are quartered somewhere in the castle and are doing work of some kind” (Stoker, 1999, p. 48).
Count Dracula’s ideology is more straightforward than the one of his enemies. It is due to the fact that the Count stands in the absolute end of the ideology continuum. He is extremely right in the political sense of the word. Count Dracula is a true monopolist: solitary and despotic, and he will not allow any competition. He does not even allow competition from his own kind. It can be seen from the scene where he gets furious when the vampirellas in Castle Dracula try to seduce Jonathan Harker:
“How dare you touch him, any of you? How dare you cast eyes on him when I had forbidden it? Back, I tell you all! This man belongs to me! Beware how you meddle with him, or you'll have to deal with me” (Stoker, 1999, p. 42).
Furthermore, Count Dracula consistently threatens the idea of individual liberty. Like a good feudalist, his mission is to subjugate liberalist promises and destroy all forms of independence. He does not stop himself from sucking dry physical and moral strengths of his victims. His subjects are not bound to him for a fixed period of time as a capitalist contract usually stipulates with the intention of maintaining the freedom of workers and bosses. Count Dracula wishes to make his victims his forever. He, like feudal masters, destroys the hope that one's independence can one day be bought back.
This applies not only to his victims but also to his servants. The servants see their submission to the master as a natural subordination. They do not feel being forced by the Count and cheerfully serve somebody who they consider naturally superior. For example, on one occasion Jonathan Harker witnesses how the Gypsies seemed to be carefree while carrying out on the Count’s order: “as I waited I heard in the distance a gipsy song sung by merry voices coming closer, and through their song the rolling of heavy wheels and the cracking of whips” (Stoker, 1999, p. 57).
Their adherence toward the master is somewhat religious. No discussion, let alone a conflict, comes between the master and the subjects. It remains so even when it is obvious that the Count was committing a crime. When Harker seeks help from his confinement, for instance, they just ignore his cry:
Then I ran to the window and cried to them. They looked up at me stupidly and pointed, but just then the "hetman" of the Szgany came out, and seeing them pointing to my window, said something, at which they laughed. Henceforth no effort of mine, no piteous cry or agonized entreaty, would make them even look at me. They resolutely turned away. (Stoker, 1999, p. 47)
This state of submission can only be achieved religiously as in the concept of the servant-lord relationship. What the servants do to the master is seen as a service instead of a job. Theologically, the goal is for the servant to achieve union with God (Moertono, 1968). The ideal servant-lord relationship is one in which the lord protects and the servant pledges his total devotion. This is what Marx and Engels (1998, p. 38) identify as “exploitation, veiled by religious and political illusions”.
Last but not least, Count Dracula shows the sentimentalism of medieval knights. Not even his violence has pleasure as its goal. The Count does not like spilling blood: he needs blood. His ultimate aim is not to destroy the lives of others according to whim, but to use them for his survival and the return of the old order. Dracula, in other words, is a knight, an ascetic, an upholder of the monk-warrior ethic. He is some sort of the medieval Knight Templar.
The Socialistic Bourgeoisie
If Count Dracula is the symbol of the 19th century feudal, then Stoker's heroes must be the bourgeoisies of the same era. Among the vampire slayers, there are two big business owners such as Lord Godalming and Quincey P. Morris. Judging from his title, Lord Godalming must have aristocratic blood in his veins or at least have a legitimate connection to the feudalist class. He inherits his title from his deceased father, which was a common practice among feudalists. However, Lord Godalming belongs to a new type of aristocrat. He is one of those aristocrats who were forced to transform themselves into bourgeoisie to maintain their leading position in the 19th century Britain.
Quincey P. Morris is a stereotype of an American, who is adventurous, slang-speaking, a hard nut to crack, and, naturally, a bourgeoisie. From his first appearance, just like the Count, Morris is shrouded in mystery. He is introduced as “such a nice fellow, an American from Texas, and he looks so young and so fresh that it seems almost impossible that he has been to so many places and has had such adventures” (Stoker, 1999, p. 63). Yet, it is never clear in the novel what places he has been to, what adventures he has had. At the end of Dracula the vampire's defeat is complete. Only the death of Morris clouds the happy ending.
The accident seems to disturb the narrative, yet it fits perfectly into Stoker's sociological belief. The American Morris must die because although he embodies the system Stoker defends, he represents its dark side: the monopolistic form of capitalism. As Lenin (1963) stated in his seminal work “Imperialism: the Highest State of Capitalism”, the concentration of production and capital can develop to such a high stage that it creates monopolies. In Stoker’s era, America was perhaps the only country which came close to that state. In Morris, Stoker saw a new, potential enemy and a new, potential vampire.
Indeed, Morris displays this threat repeatedly. Lucy dies and then turns into a vampire immediately after receiving a blood transfusion from Morris. Morris also tells the story of his horse, sucked dry of blood by “one of those big bats that they call vampires” (Stoker, 1999, p. 162). Morris promises to guard the house from the vampire but fails miserably. So long things go well for Dracula, Morris acts like an accomplice. As soon as there is a bad luck, Morris is trying to replace Dracula in the conquest of the world. He does not succeed in the novel but in real history America would succeed to surpass Britain and other European countries in the world competition a few years afterwards.
The interesting thing is to understand why Stoker does not portray Morris as a vampire. The answer may lie in his conception of monopoly as described earlier. For Stoker, it is hard to admit that the very system he defends can produce a monopoly. The American Morris is a product of British Civilization, just as America is a descendant of Britain and American capitalism is a consequence of British capitalism. To make Morris a vampire means accusing capitalism directly or, rather, accusing Britain of giving birth to the monster. For the good of Britain, then, Morris’ true identity should not be revealed and his existence should be sacrificed.
And Britain must be kept out of this difficult task. Morris is eventually killed by a gypsy whom the British curiously allows to escape. And when Morris dies, and his threat disappears, Britain blesses its aggressive young brother, and raises him to the dignity of a hero: “And, to our bitter grief, with a smile and silence, he died, a gallant gentleman” (Stoker, 1999, p. 140). Those are the last words of the novel, whose true ending suspiciously does not lie in the death of the Romanian feudal, but in the killing of the American bourgeoisie.
The Dracula hunters are not only business owners and financiers such as Lord Godalming and Quincey P. Morris. In fact, their role in the elimination of the Count is diminutive compared to that of their professional allies such as Dr. Van Helsing, Dr. Seward, Jonathan and Mina Harker. They are skilled workers in their respective fields. Dr. Van Helsing and Dr. Seward are physicians while Jonathan and Mina Harker are respectively a solicitor and an assistant schoolmistress. They do not rely entirely on the sale of their labor power for survival. It can be said that they are not dealing wih the problems of survival in their daily life. In fact, some of them have subordinates under their care. As Lucy Westenra testifies about Dr. Seward: “Just fancy! He is only nine-and-twenty, and he has an immense lunatic asylum all under his own care” (Stoker, 1999, p. 60). Jonathan Hawker becomes a boss when his former boss Mr. Hawkins leaves him everything he has, “a fortune which to people of his modest bringing up is wealth beyond the dream of avarice and a law firm” (p. 169).
On the other hand, the professionals do not own means of production nor buy the labor of others to work it. They do not run or profit from any material production process. Their existence is merely supplemental to the capital system. The bourgeoisies everywhere need healthy and educated workers and legal certainty for their business. Those are what Dr Van Helsing, Dr Seward, Mina and Jonathan Hawker provide. Indeed they may have subordinates but they do not own them. No matter how prestigious a physician like Dr. Van Helsing or Dr Seward could be in the society, they are essentially the bourgeoisie’s “paid wage labor”, as Marx & Engels (1998, p. 38) puts it.
The professionals’ unique position in relation to production makes them different ideologically from the business owners and financiers. Dr. Van Helsing and his associates embody the in-betweennes typical to the petty bourgeoisie ideology. First of all, they believe in the world of the past full of witchcraft and at the same time the emerging modern world of science and technology. Van Helsing personifies this fluctuating ideology. He uses modern technologies like blood transfusions. He also uses hypnotism to locate Dracula's position. During their pursuit of the vampire, the bourgeoisies use railroads and steamships, not to mention the telegraph and the telephone, to keep a step ahead of him (in contrast, Dracula escapes in a sailing ship). Mina even employs Criminology to anticipate Dracula's actions and quotes Cesare Lombroso and Max Nordau, who at that time were considered experts in the field.
However, Van Helsing is not so modern as to believe in the idea that an undead being causes Lucy's illness. He spreads garlic around the sashes and doors of her room and makes her wear a garlic flower necklace. After Lucy's death, he receives an indulgence from a Catholic cleric to use the Eucharist in his fight against Dracula. In trying to bridge the rational/superstitious conflict within the story, he cites new sciences, such as hypnotism, that are only recently considered magical. He also quotes the American psychologist William James, whose writings on the power of belief become the only way to deal with this conflict.
In Dracula, some superstitious beliefs are described as having an empirical basis and promise to yield to scientific research. Jonathan Harker displays the problems of living in a strictly rational world. As a solicitor, Harker is concerned with bare facts, verified by numbers and figures, of which there can be no doubt. For example, he ignores the peasants who tell him to delay his visit to Castle Dracula until after Saint George's feast day. The first time he witnesses Dracula crawling down the castle, he is in total disbelief. Not believing what he sees, Harker attempts to explain what he sees as a trick of the moonlight.
No character at the end of the novel, however, advocates a rejection of science in favor of superstition. The garlic, crucifixes, holy wafers, and so on, are not important for their intrinsic superstitious meaning but for a practical knowledge. Their true function consists in setting impenetrable limits to the Count's activity. They prevent him from entering this or that place and seducing this or that woman. Setting limits to the monopolistic feudal means attacking his very reason of existence. He must by his nature be able to expand his land and to have his loyal subjects. Count Dracula, the feudal that is true to his own nature, cannot survive this condition.
Van Helsing receives the admiration of the other characters and succeeds to defeat Dracula by a combination of scientific and superstitious knowledge. Late in the novel, as Dr. Seward comes to embrace Van Helsing's superstition, he writes, "In an age when the existence of ptomaines is a mystery we should not wonder at anything!" (Stoker, 1999, p. 350). For Stoker, science opens the possibility of unfamiliar phenomena. As if he reminds the readers that ‘established science’ cannot offer a complete understanding of the world.
Despite their differences, the big bourgeoisies and petty bourgeoisies in this novel cooperate to destroy the Count Dracula. It is quite commonplace and common practice these two different strata of bourgeoisie work hand in hand in defeating the crumbling feudalist class. The Great French Revolution is a classic example of this type of alliance. And indeed alliance has a significant role in Dracula. The idea of alliance is important because it is collective. It unites individual energies and enables them to resist the threat. While Dracula threatens the freedom of the individual, every individual hero in the novel lacks the power to defeat him. Individualism is not the weapon with which Count Dracula can be beaten, just as the French Revolution would not succeed to champion individualism without the Parisian mobs.
In this alliance, the big bourgeoisie provide capital while the petty contribute knowledge. The capital of Lord Godalming is one that refuses to become capital and that denies the profane economic laws of capitalism. Towards the end of the novel, Mina Harker thinks of her friend's financial commitment: “it made me think of the wonderful power of money! What can it not do when it is properly applied; and what might it do when basely used!” (Stoker, 1999, p. 387). That is the point Stoker wishes to make: money should be used to do good. Money must have a moral, anti-economic end. Furthermore, the knowledge of the professionals must also refuse to become supplemental to capitalism and aims to have an altruistic end.
Such a perception on money and knowledge is a false ideology of Victorian capitalism, a capitalism which was ashamed of itself. Dracula's enemies are the exponents of this type ofcapitalism. They are the militant version of what Marx and Engels (1998, p. 70) calls “socialistic bourgeoisie” who “is desirous of redressing social grievances in order to secure the continued existence of bourgeois society”. They find their fulfillment in and overcome their guilty feeling by doing good with their money and knowledge.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Bram Stoker’s Dracula portrays the fierce struggle between the feudals and the bourgeoisie at the end of the 19th century for class domination. Count Dracula is the symbol of the feudal of the century while his opponents are the representative of the big and petty bourgeois class. The Count is the monopolistic feudal who tries to revive the crumbling mode of production. His monopolistic feudalism can be seen from his tendency toward territorial expansion and total submission of his subjects. The bourgeoisie in the novel is what Marx & Engels ridicule as the socialistic bourgeoisies who characterize the Victorian Capitalism. With the exception of Quincey P. Morris, they are brand-new capitalists who are still ashamed of themselves and troubled by guilty feeling. As a result, they have a fluctuating belief on money and knowledge. And yet this ‘flexibility’ is the key of their success in defeating the one dimensional creature like Dracula.
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Gothic Fiction
Bram Stoker relies heavily on the conventions of gothic fiction, a genre of literature that was extremely popular in the early nineteenth century (1800s). Gothic fiction traditionally includes elements such as:
Setting
Dracula has many settings:
Conflict
Protagonists—the main character(s)
These characters above represent good. They are out to eliminate evil and save the world. They must work together in order to survive.
Antagonist—character who goes against the protagonist(s)
He makes a formidable enemy for the protagonists.
Character List
Count Dracula:
Jonathan Harker:
Mina Murray:
Abraham Van Helsing:
Dr. Seward:
Lucy Westenra:
Quincey P. Morris:
Arthur Holmwood:
Characteristics of Dracula
Other writers since Stoker have edited Count Dracula’s characteristics. Here are the original Stoker-created characteristics:
Abilities and Supernatural Traits:
Limitations:
Themes of Dracula
Motifs of Dracula
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Web site to visit: http://www.stegen.k12.mo.us
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