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Micah Stover

Many  of us have at least seen one of Hollywood's many adaptations of the literary masterpiece,  Bram Stoker's Dracula. Like many novels adapted for cinema, much of the  complexity of the original manuscript was replaced  with over-the-top special effects on the screen.

Dracula first appeared in print in 1897. However, over the years, the story and character of Dracula have been mistakenly linked  with things related to  popular culture.

What  comes to your mind  if someone mentions the name Dracula?

Perhaps things like ...

Halloween

Vampires

Blood

Full moons

Nightmares

In fact, in Stoker's original novel, Dracula is ...

More than a vampire

More than a man

He is both, and thus, extremely dangerous.

He is complex and intelligent

He has feelings and vulnerabilities, needs and desires like the rest of us

The character  first appears in a journal written by  Jonathan Harker, who is going to Transylvania to provide the mysterious 'Count Dracula' with information about his newly acquired estate in London.

However,  the young man is imprisoned by Dracula.  Before fleeing the castle,  Harker witnesses many strange and evil things that he believes  to be delusions or a result of temporary insanity.  While Harker was plotting his escape,  trouble was brewing elsewhere. Dracula was making his rounds and marking his territory with new victims.

Not surprisingly, this story  focuses on good versus evil as Dracula takes on Londoners.  In the end, Dracula is defeated and order is brought back to society.

But, considering the novel's popularity, one must wonder if there is more to the story than meets the eye.

What has made this character so fascinating  over the years?

Here are some possible answers ...

We are tempted by things that seem forbidden or even dangerous perhaps

Think of something someone told you not to do. Did it seem more tempting  once you were told that it was bad?

There is a repeating theme in Gothic fiction - the appeal  of danger and all that is  supposed to be wrong.

We like to believe that good people are rewarded in the end, that goodness is stronger than evil.

Think of a time when someone got away with something they shouldn't have done. How did it make you feel?

Many Gothic tales depict characters such as Dracula who disrupt society. Thus, the author tries to depict through his/her story how ordinary  individuals deal with the fear and anxiety that can  affect their day-to-day lives.

We all would like to think we are invincible.

If you knew there was no risk of getting hurt, what is the most dangerous thing you would like to do?

Many of the characters, by the end of the novel, realise that Dracula's invincibility is a curse more than a blessing. His life is prolonged, but he never feels at peace.

Gothic fiction often examines the  concept of death. Death is often something feared and rarely discussed. Perhaps authors of Gothic stories are attempting to suggest that death is not a thing to be feared -  it is  just another part of life.

Dracula's story has been delighting - and terrifying - audiences for more than a century. Can you think of a modern character that has captivated people  as Dracula has done?  Undoubtedly, they  are waiting to have stories written about them.



Bram Stoker's Dracula