Dracula by Bram Stoker
Barnes & Noble Classics Series
Fiction, 461 pages

FTC Disclosure: Purchased

I recently finished Dracula by Bram Stoker. I made it a little easier on myself by purchasing the Barnes & Noble Classics edition, which has an introduction and notes by book critic Brooke Allen. It was a good decision, as the introduction was very helpful in setting the stage for a more insightful reading.

I’m not sure what my original intent was when I took this book from the shelf, but after reading the forward, I was determined (as she suggests) to “try to peel away the layers of preconception” and to “let the novel stand on its own”. 

So I tried to put out of my mind interpretations of repressed sexuality, Christian mythology, and feminism issues. I simply read it as a novel written for a late nineteenth century audience, who at the time, was struggling with the growing pains that came with modernization.

Even though a lot of scientific advancement had been made by the time Dracula was written, there were still those who clung to old beliefs and folklore. Superstition is deeply rooted within human nature. Primeval fears remain, even though the mind may be well educated and rational.

Bram Stoker seemed to have understood this as his characters act, and react, based upon events which they could not rationalize away easily, but eventually accept regardless of what logic tells them. This is why Dr. Van Helsing insists that the other men come with him to the crypt, to not simply see for themselves, but to experience the truth surrounding the mystery of Lucy’s death. In order to overcome their disbelief and fears of the unknown, each character had to believe that there was a factual basis to Dr. Van Helsing’s outrageous claims. Actually participating in the act of killing a vampire was the only way each would be able to open their minds to another ‘reality’. (It is interesting to note that these men probably thought themselves ‘enlightened’ because of their knowledge and education, yet that same intelligence actually limited them.)

Van Helsing understands the importance of accepting the fact that even in modern times, there are aspects of a culture that must work with science, not against it. He explains, in his own eloquent way, that the acceptance of these old world beliefs allow them to not only believe that Dracula is real; he can be defeated by understanding how his own superstitions will work against him.

At the end of the nineteenth century, many of the old beliefs and traditions were quickly fading away and being replaced with modern, scientific sensibilities. In this novel, Stoker succeeds in reconciling old world tradition with new world technology in a way that demonstrates that this seemingly irresolvable dichotomy can actually work together for a greater good. Faith does not have to die in order for science to live – you can have both.

This book is a must have for any home library, however it is one that cannot be read in a single seating. Written in the late nineteenth century, its style and vocabulary will challenge some readers.