The Use Of Gothic Elements In Dracula By Bram Stoker

Vampires: How They Were Made Most people wonder where the idea of vampires came from and how did the first one come about. The novel, Dracula, is set and written in the nineteenth century during the Victorian era. The Victorian people had certain beliefs about Christianity and the roles of men and women in society. Women were allowed only to do certain things and were expected to do specific things in regards to men. The Victorian people also had their own interpretation of superstitions. Stoker introduced the Victorian people to gothic elements in his literary works. In literature, gothic novels often use gothic elements to support their themes and the mood. Since Dracula is a gothic novel Stoker used the same gothic element†¦show more content†¦Therefore, the gothic element of degeneration and decay supports the theme of good versus evil throughout the novel. Stoker also uses the atmosphere throughout the novel to establish the vampire tradition. This gothic element is displayed in Jonathanâ⠂¬â„¢s journey to Bistritz: â€Å"As we wound on our endless way, and the sun sank lower and lower behind us. This was emphasized by the fact that the snowy mountain-top still held the sunset, seemed to glow out with a delicate cool pink...goitre was painfully prevalent† (Stoker 8). Usually the atmosphere of the book is filled with degeneration and decay, so both of these gothic elements play a role in making a gothic novel. These gothic elements also establish the vampire tradition of the setting and superstition. This atmosphere concept is used in other novels as well like the novel Moby Dick: â€Å"...its [the ship’s] weather-stained hull, its venerable bows, its grotesqueness and somber picturesqueness† (Magistrale 203). In this quote, Tony Magistrale is comparing a ship at sea, the Pequod, to a haunted house on land. Magistrale’s purpose of comparing the ship to the house is to present the use of gothic elements to build up the setting for a go thic novel. Stoker uses this concept of gothic elements, specifically the atmosphere, to establish the vampire and gothic tradition of literature. The gothic atmosphere can set a theme for the superstition of certain atmospheres.Show MoreRelatedHow Bram Stoker Uses Gothic Conventions to Create an Atmosphere of Suspense and Fear for the Reader1340 Words   |  6 PagesHow Bram Stoker Uses Gothic Conventions to Create an Atmosphere of Suspense and Fear for the Reader Dracula is one of the most well-know novels, it was written by Abraham Stoker. At the time Dracula was released in 1897, people regarded it as being a romantic horror, with some elements of fantasy and also it was especially famous for its gothic conventions. In modern times the term gothic can be regarded as being barbarous, offensive and uncouth. 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