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Dracula Full Summary
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an indepth description of the events of Bram Stoker's Dracula, large paragraphs for each chapter, split into each chapter
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The Events : Through the ChaptersChapter Description
1 Setting the scene of Harker’s Journey to the Castle. He received
warnings from an older couple but still went ahead. St George’s Day
was approaching when all the evil things in the world have full sway.
2 He hoped his treacherous journey was all a dream but it was not. He
writes that he is a qualified solicitor, therefore should have great
intelligence. He meets Dracula who has a suspiciously similar
handshake to the driver that brought him here. However, Dracula is
actually rather Courteous. We receive a detailed description of the
Count (see bottom of pg 24). Harker begins to see he is unusual as he
never eats with him or sees him in the daylight. They chat business
about the house that the Count would like to buy in London. Harker
could not see Dracula in the mirror even though he was behind him.
Harker cut himself shaving and Dracula’s eyes became “blades with a
sort of demonic fury.
3 Harker realised he is trapped in the castle like a prisoner. Dracula tikka
him he must stay for a month and that he shall not take no for an
answer. Harker continues to be suspicious of him as he watched him
crawl out of his window, crawl down the castle walls and spread his
cloak like wings. The Count tells him not to go looking around the
castle but Harker does not listen to the advice and in his searching
ended up sleeping in another bed. He awoke to the sight of three
women with similar, yet sexualised features to the Count. He felt a
desire that they kiss him and he felt one of their lips upon his neck but
then, in an instant, he was conscious of the Count’s presence. The
Count grabbed this woman by her neck and hurled her away from
Harker, motioning the fate of the others if they were to try.
4 The Count asked him to write three letters; one saying his work was
nearly done, one saying he was leaving the next morning and the final
saying he had left the castle and had arrived in Bistriz. Harker
attempts to make contact with various groups that passed or briefly
visited the castle but he had no luck. He gained entry to the Count’s
bedroom through scaling the window similarly to Dracula and
discovers very little but a large box of soil. The Count later says he can
leave in two days but Harker is desperate to go sooner. In his
desperate search for the key, he wacks Dracula with a shovel, leaving a
scar.
5 Letter exchanged between Mina and Lucy where Lucy tells Mina of
the three men who have proposed to her, Quincey Morris, Arthur
Holmwood, and Dr John Seward. The men all agree to hang out as old
friends to celebrate the one who wins this beauty’s heart.
6 Mina writes in her diary of her and Lucy’s time in Whitby. She spent
time speaking to locals who warned her of a great storm approaching
(bad omen). She missed her fiancé, Johnathan Harker, greatly and has
heard from him in a month after his trip. Dr John Seward writes about
one of his patients in the insane asylum, Renfield, who eats bugs and
all sorts. He describes him as zoophagous (life eating) maniac which
could foreshadow to Dracula as a life eating/attacking being. Mina is
especially confused on her fiancés whereabouts as yesterday she
, received a letter from Mr Hawkins but actually from Johnathan, a
letter written in the Count’s castle. The letter was only one line, that
he is starting home. Mina notes that this extreme brevity is totally
unlike Johnathan. Mina is also concerned because Lucy has once again
taken to her old habit of sleep walking.
7 The storm in Whitby is worsening, the ships are believed to be in
danger. Later, many boxes arrive via ship into Whitby that are similar
looking to the ones in Dracula’s home, yet Mina and Lucy cannot
identify this. A dog is aboard that ship (is Dracula shape shifting but
the reader is currently unaware of such). A log from the ship stated :
they mysteriously lost people at sea and believe there was
“something” aboard. This weather is foreboding of what had just
arrived (Dracula) and how shortly they would understand the severity
of that.
8 First mention of the ‘New Woman’. Mina wakes to find Lucy’s bed
empty. On her search for her she finds Lucy in their favourite seat in
the churchyard with small wounds upon her throat. Mina believes she
accidentally pricked herself with a safety pin as the skin was pierced.
Shortly after, Lucy becomes very unwell. Mina then receives a letter
from a Dr that Johnathan is very sick. This mass of sickness is a key
theme that runs through the book. Dr Seward writes another entry
about his strange patient, Renfield.
9 Mina has gone to see her fiancé and sends back a letter to her dearest
friend Lucy talking of her visit, he is terribly sick so he desires to marry
Mina immediately. So the Chaplain arrives and weds them, she is so
happy to tell Lucy of her joy with Johnathan, her now husband. Lucy
replies expressing her love, and declaring she is to marry Arthur
Holmwood. Dr Seward’s diary continues, Renfield has similar
symptoms to Lucy, but as of yet the two do not know each other.
Lucy’s now fiancé, Arthur, writes to his dear friend Dr Seward to
summon him due to Lucy’s bad health and Seward agrees to come at
once. Seward agrees she is well in physical health yet unappealing to
the eye and looking “bloodless”. Dr Seward then calls for Dr Van
Helsing, one of the most advanced scientists of his day. Dr Seward
sends updates to Van Helsing: Day 1, all good. Day 2, colour coming
back to her. Day 3, there was been an immediate change for the
worse and calls for Van Helsing immediately.
10 Van Helsing believes Lucy needs a blood transfusion immediately
(development of science). All the men offer but eventually Van
Helsing decides it should be the one who loves her the most, Arthur.
All the men take great care of her, however as a beautiful desires
woman they somewhat sexualise her in her sleep. Shortly after she
needed another transfusion and while Arthur slept to gain back his
strength, so without telling him, Dr Seward gave her blood. This is
especially important as it initiates a connection between the two of
them after his proposal. Van Helsing attached a wreath of garlic
flowers around her neck, herbal remedy
11 Lucy’s health continues to fluctuate. Her mother passes away, Arthur’s
father passes away and some of their servants are poisoned by a drink
that was a prescient for her mother. After the passing of Arthur’s
father he becomes the official Lord Godalmimg.
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