Prepare for your Edexcel English Literature exams with this comprehensive revision sheet on Bram Stoker's Dracula.
Delve into the historical and cultural contexts surrounding the novel, including the implications of Oscar Wilde's trial and Victorian societal norms regarding gender and sexuality...
Back ground
● Oscar Wilde trial in 1895 - he was a homosexual and was put on trial for gross and
indecency. - Stoker attempts to hide this aspect of the vampire (dracula) due to the prejudice
and unacceptance towards homosexuality in the victorian society
● Victorian society was prim and proper following traditional norms emphasised rationality,
logic and strict disciplined behaviour
● Women - angel of the house - It depicted an idealised image of a woman as the epitome of
virtue, purity, selflessness, and piety, essentially acting as a guardian angel within the
household. The angelic portrayal emphasised the virtues of femininity and placed a high
value on a woman's role as a wife and mother.
● Fallen woman - this idea is linked to religious views of the female being the original sinner.
A term used to describe a woman who has ‘lost her innocence’ falling from God's grace into
promiscuity.
● The novel is an epistolary novel - made out of diary entries, letters novels, monographs
ect..
Always has an innocent hero, spooky setting , bad dark gloomy weather, good vs evil
● Xenophobia - Xenophobia is a strong or irrational fear, dislike, or prejudice against people
from other countries, cultures, or backgrounds. It involves discrimination, hostility, or negative
attitudes towards individuals or groups based on their perceived foreignness or differences.
Foreigners became the scapegoats being talked about in newspapers negatively overall
people not appreciating foreigners
^ this is relevant to Dracula as a transylvanian man who is foreign and seen as indifferent.
Stoker also used the prejudice of the British public - preying on their fears much like a
vampire as back in the time there were misconceptions and ideas of foreigners stealing their
jobs, wealth, and women.
^ links to the idea of leaching of another country to survive or live = dracula leaching of
human flesh and blood in order to survive.
● The east is associated with uncivilisation and west with rational, logical and
civilisation - we see how the further the characters travel east the weirder it gets and more
they lose their sanity however the more they go towards west they are able to use their
rational and think. - when Harker is in the east he feels like he's going insane and crazy but
as soon as he returns to England he gains his conscious and rational thought and logic using
it to plan on how to defeat dracula.
● Modernity vs traditional values:
In 1900 and late 1800 - period of industrialization and rapid change
Dracula's castle in Transylvania follows traditional unmodern ways; we see the use of
lanterns, use garlic around the neck as protection superstitions VS Britain where things are
more modern e.g Harker uses shorthand however dracula doesn't understand lack of
knowledge and lack of modernisation.
, ● Dracula is the embodiment of evil - that's why even the villagers are scared of him and
thus warned Hraker not to go as well as giving him the cross. Dracula is the perversion of
everything christianity stands for. Ideas of the holy communion and eucharist - The
Holy Communion involves the symbolic consumption of bread and wine, representing the
body and blood of Christ. In "Dracula, blood is a central element, as vampires feed on the
blood of the living to sustain themselves. This draws a parallel between the consumption of
Christ's blood for spiritual nourishment and the vampire's need for blood for physical
sustenance.
Dracula leeches of blood for survival
^ Good versus evil: The Holy Communion, representing communion with God and
goodness, contrasts with the evil represented by Dracula and his vampiric nature. The
characters in the novel often use religious symbols, rituals, and sacraments, including the
Holy Communion, to combat and overcome the malevolent forces associated with Dracula.
● Dracula is the embodiment of the satan and evil force that constantly trying to
undermine good things in the world and corrupting innocent characters
Chapter 2
● Dracula welcomes Harker politely and with such hospitality - he tells Harker to eat
dinner - we see how Dracula doesn't eat - he relies his survival upon human flesh and blood.
● Dracula's description of appearance is similar to villains in the eastern european stories.
^ ‘’ high bridge nose’’ , ‘’face was strong, ‘’ very pale face’’
● ‘’ his breath was rank’’ - idea of dracula being dead inside rotting away causes a nauseous
reaction from Harker.
● Dracula can transform into a wolf - links to the idea of Dracula being the hunter and his
innocent victims inc Harker as his prey. He gaslights Harker into thinking he's gone insane
which is all part of his game gaining enjoyment out of hunting his victims
● Harker wanders into a library and sees that there are alot of books- alot! He notices that
the books are based on english culture and history - this shows how clever dracula is and
one step ahead as when Harker was about to come he didn't research the carpathian beyond
assuming its a place of uncivilisation however when he arrives he sees that there is books of
british culture. This also conveys Dracula's fascination towards the British empire and
England - his desire to blend in and conquer England as a foreigner which links to
colonialism. Also displays his envy of their civilisation and rationality and power of the british
empire
● Dracula says to Harker - ‘’ we are in transylvania and transylvania is not england our
ways are not your ways.. There shall be many strange things’’
Implies how Dracula is saying to Harker that his values and ways will not work in transylvania
and neither should he be nosy and get too comfortable. He also gives Harker a heads up of
the unusual things that will happen.
● Harkers job in transylvania is to find dracula a property in london which looks like it's falling
apart fits his aesthetics
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