Throughout this novel, Dracula and vampirism are created to portray the influences that are not within moral values held by Christians in England. Stoker uses Dracula to embody these foreign and dangerous values that are beginning to make their way into Western culture. Dracula begins his reign of terror in Romania, which is in Eastern Europe, and slowly begins to infiltrate British society. Johnathan’s first interaction with Count Dracula is in a place that he is largely unfamiliar with. As he prepares to depart for the Count’s castle, he is met with warnings from the locals, as they say “It is the eve of St. George’s Day. Do you not know that to-night, when the clock strikes midnight, all the evil things in the world will have full sway?” (Ch. 1). In response to this warning, Jonathan attempts to comfort her and state that “it was all very ridiculous, but I did not feel comfortable” (Ch. 1). The townsfolk are aware of the dangerous aspects of their nation, but Jonathan does not know enough to take caution. His dismissal of the local warnings displays the depiction of the superiority of British society, as Jonathan has never had to concern himself with such dangers in England.
Stoker’s use of vampirism as a symbol of non-British influence is further seen when Mina decides to read through Jonathan’s diary. As she read through his accounts of his experiences in the castle, she sees that the Count has plans to come to England. Upon reading this, she writes that “That fearful Count was come to London… If it should be, and he came to London, with his teeming millions… There may be solemn duty to; and if it come we must not shrink from it” (Ch. 14). This is a call to action for those in Britain. Van Helsing notes that once vampirism infects one individual, they pass it on to others. This illustrates the fear of foreign influences that were present at the time. Once these dangerous people and ideologies make their way in, they upset the status quo and prove difficult to stifle. Mina makes the decision to take action in the fight against vampirism and is praised by Van Helsing for doing so. He describes her as “one of the lights” of the world. Mina is a textbook example of a British patriot and Stoker portrays her as an angel because of this.
I really like this analogy of vampirism as the “other” or a representation of xenophobia in British society. Do you think this is a condemnation or justification for British xenophobia, or perhaps neither? I think, since Stoker was an Irishman living in Britain, this may be a condemnation of this fear of the other. However, I could also see Stoker perhaps wanting to fit in with British society and, therefore, go along with the othering of foreigners that was taking place at the time.
I absolutely agree with you on this point. I wrote something similar in my blog post about how Dracula was a symbol for the British and their fear of foreigners. Not only that but I thought your ending point about Stoker portraying Mina as British patriot surrounded by outside ideals (foreign views) was a good way to wrap up your blog post. One point I would add is how Stoker drops subtle hints as to the dangers of abandoning British ideals.
I really like this thesis. The way you highlighted the presence of Christian morals and values in the novel resonated with me. What intrigued me the most was your take on British society being portrayed as superior. This, combined with the influence of Christianity, gives us a greater understanding of how the characters saw the vampire fears. It adds to the overall sense of evil and monstrosity in the story
This is an interesting point that I agree with. It instantly made me think about the video we watched in Glass that explained the different aspects of Gothic literature. One of the topics mentioned is the use of the gothic in trying to understand conflict/crisis in the real world. The use of vampires can definitely be seen as a way to explain the influence of other cultures. The example of Mina being a “British Patriot” is very. interesting, and I think other characters like van Hesling also take on that role