"Dracula" by Bram Stoker

Essay by unique_or_a_freek September 2005

download word file, 2 pages 4.0

Downloaded 37 times

The novel Dracula was written by Bram Stoker and was first published in June 1897. The novel was instantly a best seller and is considered by many people to be one of the most famous horror stories ever written. Bram Stoker observed the sinking of the "Dimitri", a Russian schooner that sank just outside the harbour of Whitby in Yorkshire. Using this experience and the atmosphere of the town and using Whitby characters he completed and published the novel of sexual repression and Gothic horror, and it remains unbeatable in its ability to shock.

The author studied legends of East European demons, some of them blood sucking and he also studied the historical information of a late Count, Vlad the impaler who was renowned for his thirst for the blood of his enemies, the author used all of these influences along with those of watching the sinking of the ship and came up with the character of Dracula.

Bram Stoker wrote his novel Dracula in journal form of narrative, personal letters and telegrams, this was particularly popular with the educated persons of 1897.This was a good choice of how to write the novel since it is beneficial to the plot of Dracula.Examples of how the journal form is beneficial to Dracula is seen in his writing and book. One of the Greatest benefits of the journal narratives is that the reader is allowed to see, and feel the emotional hearts and souls of the charactors.This is somewhat interesting to the reader because when a character is trying to hide something the reader will pick up on it and this adds to the intense build up of horror this book seems to hold. The journal is written by Jonathan Harker - a solicitor from England sent by a...