The life and times of Bram Stoker and the Gothic novel Dracula The life and times of Bram Stoker and the Gothic novel

Bram Stoker Born Abraham Stoker, April, 1847 in Ireland Attended Trinity College in Dublin After graduation, became the theatre critic for the Dublin Evening Mail; was known for the quality of his writing Attracted the attention of Henry Irving, became his assistant and manager of the Lyceum Theatre in London; held position for more than 20 years

Stoker the author Began writing while working for Irving Highlights of published work: The Snake’s Pass (1890); Dracula (1897); The Lady of the Shroud (1909); The Lair of the White Worm (1911) Dracula was allegedly originally titled The Un-dead, and was changed to Dracula not long before publication Novel was not immediate best-seller; made more popular by film After his death, Stoker’s widow published Dracula’s Guest and Other Weird Stories (1914)

Dracula in context Dracula often put in context with Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1818), Stevenson’s Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1886) Frankenstein considered the beginning of the science fiction genre Novel part of invasion literature popular in Victorian England Inspired by “Carmilla” (1871), a vampire who prayed on lonely females, and “The Vampyre” (1811), which portrayed a vampire as aristocrat

Dracula: The person Character based on the family name of Vlad II of Wallachia (Romania) Took name “Dracul” after entering the Order of the Dragon in 1431. Romanian “Dracul” can mean either “dragon” or “Devil” Others believe Dracula comes from Gallic “Droch Ola” which means “bad blood”

The Gothic Novel: Dracula considered to be part of Gothic horror tradition Structurally: epistolary novel (told in journals, letters, etc.) Horror should inspire emotional, physical or psychological response of fear Began as a genre in the late 1700s; written often by women for women at this time Gothic combines both horror and romance (a pleasing sort of terror) Appreciation of extreme emotion, thrill of fear, quest for atmosphere

Gothic elements Setting in a castle or mansion (place with atmosphere) “[Gothic ]fiction is characteristically obsessed with old buildings a the sites of human decay” An ancient prophecy “typically a gothic tale will invoke the tyranny of the past … with such weight as to stifle the hopes of the present” Omens, portents, and visions and/or supernatural or other inexplicable events High, overwrought emotion Women in distress, threatened by powerful/tyrannical male