Jonathan Harker

Religion guides humans to a higher order of existence through the collective organization of beliefs, cultural identities, and world views. Religion seeks to define the meaning of life and human existence through historical narratives, symbols, and faith. Since the birth of religions, these have adopted a central focus of the way people live, their lifestyle choices, and their boundaries. In doing so, religion has been used as a preeminent theme in works of literature since the ancient world, as

from Old World Europe are all gates of difference that Stoker touches on. Dracula dwells at the gates of difference, first at the gates of modernity. Which Stoker has Dracula reject and overcome the modern world. This is shown early in the novel, Harker becomes uncomfortable with his lodgings and his host at Castle Dracula, he notes that “unless my senses deceive me, the old centuries had, and have, powers of their own which mere ‘modernity’ cannot kill.” The turn of the century was bringing about

imagery that critics so often categorize as Catholic” (Bowles 247). In the novel, Jonathan Harker has a hard time accepting the crucifix from the innkeeper’s wife that he meets on his way to Count Dracula’s Castle. Jonathan writes “Whether it is the old lady’s fear, or the many ghostly traditions of this place, or the crucifix itself, I do not know, but I am not feeling nearly as easy in my mind as usual.” (Stoker 30). Jonathan starts out as doubtful about the crucifix. He isn’t sure about the crucifix

West is intertwined in this religious crusade to defeat Dracula. Dracula symbolizes the East since he is from Romania, whereas Jonathan Harker, Quincy Morris and Mina are from Great Britain symbolizing the West. Dr. Van Helsing is from Amsterdam which is between the East and the West. While the eastern ideas are more estranged and traditional, whereas the western ideas are seen as more

to the wilderness of Transylvania 1897. The storyline follows two passionate young lovers (Jonathan Harker, and Mina Murray) that find themselves in a very complicated situation due to Jonathan’s departure for his job. It also follows the suitors, three young friends (Dr. Jack Seward, Quincey Morris, and Lord Arthur Holmwood) who pursuit the same young but frivolous young lady (Lucy Westenra). Before Jonathan left aboard, for his job, he and Mina became engaged to be married at his return. Mina lived

the ideal woman instead of highlighting the New Woman role. Stoker depicts the new woman in the beginning of the novel by illustrating several examples of young, beautiful women. The first example is the three attractive vampires encountered by Jonathan. These vampires represented young striking woman that were open about their sexual needs. They are aristocratic,

Placing two opposite people in the same exact situation can reveal truth about how the human mind works. Differing personalities, decisions made, and impulses of each person influence their destiny. The use of the characters Lucy Westerna and Mina Harker in Bram Stoker’s Dracula, give insight into how certain types of humans think and how decisions they make determine their future. Lucy and Mina have such different views and reactions when placed in an uncertain situation such as being bit by a vampire

characters in Dracula and Frankenstein illustrate the societal expectations of women during the Victorian era. The main culprit is Mina Harker, as she seems to be an incarnation of the quintessential woman during the Victorian era. After she marries Jonathan she becomes attentive to his every need. In one of Mina’s letters to Lucy, she proclaims “I must stop, for Jonathan is waking—I must attend to my husband!” The anaphoric repetition of the imperative ‘I must’ illustrates how Mina believes it is imperative

Transylvania, lives in the Carpathian Mountains, evil, can transform into a bat and is very strong, powerless during the day or when he’s not welcomed in someone’s house, cannot cross water = needs to be on some other transportation like a boat Jonathan Harker: A solicitor that is sent to the castle oversee the plans of Dracula’s purchase of an estate in London, naive and young, trapped inside Dracula’s castle, wants to escape and tries to, brave, suffers a brain fever Mina Murray: Harker’s fiancee

The Victorian era held a strict standard toward the women, especially regarding their responsibilities as home-makers and their expression of sexuality. At the time, woman was considered inferior to her male counterpart in families and her main responsibilities included obeying her husband and bearing and caring for their children. The Victorian society, in general, saw lust and sex as taboo subjects in public. This view was held even stricter against women of the time and society viewed women as