Theme Of Entrapment In Dracula

There are a few common Gothic themes in Bram Stoker’s novel, Dracula. One of the most evident themes is entrapment. Another undeniable theme in the novel is sex. Besides these two subjects, the traditional theme of good versus evil appears. These three themes are customary of Gothic literature due to their mysterious and sometimes dark nature. The motif of entrapment is seen throughout the novel. The first notable occurrence of entrapment is when Jonathan gets trapped inside Castle Dracula. Jonathan knew he was a prisoner when he noticed that all the doors in the castle were locked by Dracula. However, Jonathan was not the only trapped one. Dracula and his fellow vampires are also trapped in their own way. Since they are immortal …show more content…
The novel was written in the Victorian era when sex was a restrained topic. The first main happening that had a sexual suggestion was when Jonathan was in a trance and he saw the three vampire women. Although he was disgusted by the wicked women, he ashamedly knew deep down that he felt an odd attraction towards them. This scene in the novel likely reciprocates how many men in the Victorian era felt about forbidden, lustful attractions they may have felt--especially married men. Along with the theme of repressed sexual feelings, the whole idea of being bitten and turning into a different creature is certainly an allusion to sexual intercourse. Another allusion to sex from the novel is the scene in which Dracula forces Mina to drink his blood. This is undoubtedly a reference to rape since Mina did not consent to drinking the blood. In conclusion, the motif of sex is abundant in …show more content…
When Jonathan was travelling to Castle Dracula, the others on the carriage ride spoke words about the count, and one of the words was “devil”, which suggests Dracula is in league with Satan. Throughout Dracula, Dr. Van Helsing uses religious artifacts such as crucifixes, holy water, and sacred wafers to combat the demonic forces of the vampires. In addition, most of the benevolent characters have an apparent faith in God based on their words and actions. In Chapter 1, Jonathan mentions that he is an English Churchman. Mina and Lucy are obviously Christians as well, which is evident in their letters to each other and their virtuous, altruistic lifestyles. Dr. Van Helsing appears to have faith in God as well since he is interested in helping afflicted souls such as Lucy’s. The many Christian characters of the novel would understand that the real adversary behind the evil powers of the vampires is none other than the