Dracula context Flashcards
Who was Dracula inspired by?
a real 15th century family
- specifically Vlad the Impaler who was a ruthless man who impaled his enemies on long pikes
What does the historical connection allow Stoker to do?
give his novel a sense of truth
What does stoker rely on ?
tropes of gothic literature
- tall gloomy castle dracula
- sublime setting
- innocent women vunerable to evil
How does stoker add more modern elements to his story?
by moving into London - typical of Late Victorian gothic
How does Dracula threaten civilised society ?
with his own regressed state - warning of dangers of darwinsim - possibility of evolution mat suggest devolution
he also infects others into being hedonistic and decadent
What plays on fears on immigration ?
Dracula’s ability to navigate the London streets unnoticed and afflict vampirism on anyone he pleases
What was immigration seen to be the cause of ?
rise of ghetto communities and urban crime
How does vampirism evoke a fear of STD’s
the notion of tainted blood
What was vampirism seen as a symbol of ?
foreign predators which seeked to destroy English female virtue and encourage sexual immorality
How are women suggested to be at risk of corruption ?
Dracula tells VH “Your girls that you all love are mine already”
What does the ‘New Women’ describe?
it is a term coined in the Late Victorian era describing women who took advantage of new education and employment opportunities to break free of intellectual/social restraints imposed on them by a patriarchal society
not always viewed positively
When was Stoker born ?
Dublin in 1847
How was Stoker as a child ?
sickly
What did Stokers mum entertain him with
fantastic tales
How did he meet Henry Irving ?
he was a freelance journalist and drama critic
Who did Stoker marry ?
aspiring actress Florence Balcombe and had one son Noel
When did Stoker fall in with figures such as Oscar Wilde, Arthur Conan Doyle ?
when he moved to London
When did Stoker die ?
1912
What kind of stories did Stoker write to begin with ?
children stories
What was the reaction to Dracula when it was published ?
not immediate popular success but has been printed continuously since its first publication and later had many film adaptations
