In Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” a novel that embodies the main points of the gothic writing of it’s time. Stoker’s use of tropes in his work assessing a distinct villain, the settings of the novel
Throughout the book Stoker manages to use the trope wild and desolate landscapes as a base and setting for what occurs throughout the book. Certain settings distinguish either the character or the actions that take place. With wild and desolate landscapes it shows and sets up a gloomy and dark setting which can leave the reader on edge or to think that nothing good can occur in the location. The novel starts off with Jonathan traveling to the Count’s castle in a remote place in Transylvania. In the words of Stoker “- in the midst of the Carpathian mountains; …show more content…
The use of supernatural trope is embedded throughout Stoker’s “Dracula” that all ties with the supernatural character, a vampire and the superstitions that surround them. The supernatural was something people in this era heavily believed and intrigued by, or like others, like Jonathan who did not believe in such things. Stoker writes“ But my very feelings changed to repulsion and terror when I saw the whole man slowly emerge from the window and begin to crawl down the castle wall over that dreadful abyss… at first I could not believe my eyes. I thought it was a trick of the moonlight, some weird effect of shadow; but I kept looking, and it could be no delusion… I feel the dread of this place overpowering me; I am in fear- in awful fear - and there is no escape for me” (p.33). Once Harker sees and witnesses the supernatural he does not know what to make of it. This revelation causes Jonathan to become more distressed, with witnessing such action the reader can infer that things abnormal will continue to occur. Another example of the supernatural, the mysterious docking of a boat in Whitby. The captain on the boat who found dead had a log which described horrific events that led to no other crew member aboard, and his death, the events convey supernatural because it states, “ 18 July, things so strange …show more content…
Stoker manages to do this in his use of the three women vampires who are very sexual, promiscuous, and enchanting towards Harker which at the time could not fit a women’s archetype. Stoker writes, “ “Go on! You are first, and we shall follow; yours is the right to begin.” The the other added:- “He is young and strong; there are kisses for us all.”” (p. 36). Women at the time were not to be so forward with such things and this brought a different technique not widely used in literature at the time distinguishing it and making it more of a gothic novel. Gothic novels convey mysterious occurrences happening as seen through Stoker’s use of the past four tropes; gothic novels also include mysterious, as a way to that things signify out of the ordinary occur or transmit into a bad omen. In the words of Stoker, “ It was no wonder that the coastguard was surprised, or even awed, for not often can such a sight have been seen. The man was simply fastened by his hands, tied one over the other, to a spoke of the wheel” (p.77). The death of the captain, an occurrence very sudden and unexpected led people to infer that something wrong and strange happened on on the voyage, the description of his death was something the people of Whitby could not explain. Stoker’s use of the trope, mysterious deaths sets Dracula as being on the boat and the reason for the unexplainable
Throughout the book Stoker manages to use the trope wild and desolate landscapes as a base and setting for what occurs throughout the book. Certain settings distinguish either the character or the actions that take place. With wild and desolate landscapes it shows and sets up a gloomy and dark setting which can leave the reader on edge or to think that nothing good can occur in the location. The novel starts off with Jonathan traveling to the Count’s castle in a remote place in Transylvania. In the words of Stoker “- in the midst of the Carpathian mountains; …show more content…
The use of supernatural trope is embedded throughout Stoker’s “Dracula” that all ties with the supernatural character, a vampire and the superstitions that surround them. The supernatural was something people in this era heavily believed and intrigued by, or like others, like Jonathan who did not believe in such things. Stoker writes“ But my very feelings changed to repulsion and terror when I saw the whole man slowly emerge from the window and begin to crawl down the castle wall over that dreadful abyss… at first I could not believe my eyes. I thought it was a trick of the moonlight, some weird effect of shadow; but I kept looking, and it could be no delusion… I feel the dread of this place overpowering me; I am in fear- in awful fear - and there is no escape for me” (p.33). Once Harker sees and witnesses the supernatural he does not know what to make of it. This revelation causes Jonathan to become more distressed, with witnessing such action the reader can infer that things abnormal will continue to occur. Another example of the supernatural, the mysterious docking of a boat in Whitby. The captain on the boat who found dead had a log which described horrific events that led to no other crew member aboard, and his death, the events convey supernatural because it states, “ 18 July, things so strange …show more content…
Stoker manages to do this in his use of the three women vampires who are very sexual, promiscuous, and enchanting towards Harker which at the time could not fit a women’s archetype. Stoker writes, “ “Go on! You are first, and we shall follow; yours is the right to begin.” The the other added:- “He is young and strong; there are kisses for us all.”” (p. 36). Women at the time were not to be so forward with such things and this brought a different technique not widely used in literature at the time distinguishing it and making it more of a gothic novel. Gothic novels convey mysterious occurrences happening as seen through Stoker’s use of the past four tropes; gothic novels also include mysterious, as a way to that things signify out of the ordinary occur or transmit into a bad omen. In the words of Stoker, “ It was no wonder that the coastguard was surprised, or even awed, for not often can such a sight have been seen. The man was simply fastened by his hands, tied one over the other, to a spoke of the wheel” (p.77). The death of the captain, an occurrence very sudden and unexpected led people to infer that something wrong and strange happened on on the voyage, the description of his death was something the people of Whitby could not explain. Stoker’s use of the trope, mysterious deaths sets Dracula as being on the boat and the reason for the unexplainable