A significant thematic undertone of Dracula is that of Victorian anxieties over how science would impact the future of humanity and society. In Chapter VI, Mina has a few encounters with Mr. Swales, a very old man who entertains her with his wild stories and strange opinions on the local community of Whitby and the state of society. This incredibly old man stands in stark contrast to Count Dracula, who himself seems to be aging backwards thanks to his vampiric powers and his increased consumption of blood. The “Sir Oracle” of Whitby, in contrast, shares his opinion “on the subject of legends” and believes that such stories are “‘only fit to set bairns an’ dizzy women a-belderin'” (Stoker, 73). Such an old and supposedly out of touch man can be seen to represent the outdated and incorrect beliefs of a bygone era.
Mr. Swales outright states that myths and legends (such as those of vampires) are silly stories that only the most foolish individuals would believe. He is, of course, wrong, as vampires are real in the context of the story, and the old man himself is later killed by the frightful sight of such a creature (Stoker, 97). The killing of Mr. Swales by the sight of Dracula can be seen to represent the death of an old age and the arrival of a new one. Because Dracula’s mere appearance was enough to end the old man’s life, this event cleverly represents Victorian fears over the coming of a new era whose arrival is hinted at through scientific breakthroughs and social changes. The Victorians did not know what this new age would look like, and that nearly frightened them to death.