Dracula

by Bram Stoker

Dracula by Bram Stoker

Jonathan Harker travels to Transylvania to assist Count Dracula with a real estate transaction, only to discover Dracula’s vampiric nature. Dracula relocates to England, spreading terror. A group led by Van Helsing pursues and ultimately destroys him. The novel explores themes of fear, superstition, and the clash between modernity and ancient evil[1†][2†][3†].

Summary

Jonathan Harker, a young English solicitor, travels to Transylvania to assist Count Dracula with a real estate transaction. Upon arriving at Dracula’s castle, Harker is initially welcomed but soon realizes he is a prisoner. He discovers Dracula’s vampiric nature and witnesses the Count’s supernatural abilities, including his ability to scale walls like a lizard and transform into a bat[1†][2†]. Harker’s attempts to escape are fraught with danger, and he barely survives encounters with Dracula and his three female vampire companions[1†][3†].

Meanwhile, in England, Harker’s fiancée, Mina Murray, corresponds with her friend Lucy Westenra. Lucy, who has received marriage proposals from three men, accepts Arthur Holmwood’s proposal. Mina visits Lucy in Whitby, where a Russian ship carrying fifty boxes of earth from Dracula’s castle is wrecked. Lucy begins sleepwalking and becomes increasingly ill, bearing mysterious puncture marks on her neck[1†][4†][5†]. Dr. Seward, one of Lucy’s suitors, calls upon his mentor, Professor Van Helsing, who recognizes the signs of vampirism and attempts to protect Lucy with garlic and other traditional remedies[1†][6†].

Despite Van Helsing’s efforts, Lucy succumbs to Dracula’s influence and becomes a vampire. The group, including Harker, Mina, Van Helsing, Seward, Holmwood, and Quincey Morris, bands together to hunt Dracula. They track him to his various lairs in England and ultimately confront him in Transylvania. In a climactic battle, they destroy Dracula, ending his reign of terror[1†][7†][8†].

The main message of “Dracula” revolves around the clash between modernity and ancient evil. The novel explores themes of fear, superstition, and the unknown, reflecting the anxieties of late 19th-century Victorian society. It delves into issues of sexuality, immigration, and the fear of the other, using the vampire as a metaphor for these societal concerns.

References and Citations:

1. Wikipedia (English) - Dracula [website] - link
2. Britannica - Dracula (novel by Bram Stoker): novel by Stoker [website] - link
3. Book Analysis - Dracula by Bram Stoker - Book Analysis [website] - link
4. SparkNotes - Dracula Study Guide [website] link
5. SparkNotes - Dracula Full Book Summary [website] - link
6. LitCharts - Dracula by Bram Stoker Plot Summary [website] - link
7. eNotes - Dracula Summary [website] - link
8. Book Summary - Dracula [website] - link