I read the Kindle edition once again, which was the 1897 edition of the novel. It is a a self-named mystery novel and I began reading it during my Bachelor's degree in Liverpool but then had to abandon it due to other reading and academic commitments. I'm generally not one to opt for fantasy novels or even horror, thriller and all that is supernatural. I generally prefer novels that are about real people, and are somewhat historical or at least "realistic". However, I decided I ought to read this classic to at least see where this vampire craze and love for horror began.
The novel is written as a compilation of journal and diary entries, with some occasional letters and telegrams. Stoker captures various voices well, by even incorporating some local dialects of the working classes. I found the characterisation generally quite well-rounded and balanced in terms of developing the more important characters more fully. The general descriptive technique was also fluid and natural, without being tedious and superficial.
Something I feared about reading this novel was that it wasn't going to be as captivating because many of the constructs of vampires and their lifestyle and weaknesses have been so popularised. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that right from the start the novel had me pretty hooked as there was a sense of suspense and urgency throughout that kept me wanting to read on.
This novel incorporates many core themes and concerns of its period, which we still experience in our own time. Those themes include the role of science in our life where there is strong references consistently being made to scientific observation and empirical evidence. The need and attempt to rationalise all matters and yet identifying human error as a pitfall we are given passages where Jonathan Harker, for example, identifies the importance of noting down all of his experiences as soon as possible in order to avoid memory distortion and confusion. This reliance on human reason and scientific observation is repeated in several areas throughout the novel, such as Dr Seward's regular observation of his patient Renfield. Due to our own period being even more steeped in the scientific approach to the world, we can still identify with the protagonists' dilemmas.
Another facet of the period's concern was that of science being insufficient and the existence of supernatural forces. Stoker clearly introduces supernatural phenomena into the novel through the means of Dracula himself but what is interesting is the attempt to decipher the supernatural with scientific means. However religious ideas are always in the background, since it is a part of the history of Europe. The fact that it is a medical doctor, a man of science and impartiality, that discovers the vampire signs in his patient goes to show the extent to which responsibility and hope and truth is attributed to science. Van Helsing, the doctor in question, is also a devout man and it is in fact his religious insight that works as a form of protection. I found that religious superstition was given some space and some sort of validity when confronted with things that took on a supernatural form. However I also found that for at least the first half of the novel, Christianity had been somewhat simplified to chapels, graveyards and crucifixes. Only towards the end was there a language that sought salvation and appealed to God. As the danger increases in the novel the references to God also increase. Another issue I found was that religion and superstition were considered synonymous and this lack of distinction meant that it was still easy for the protagonists to regards various aspects as "silly", such as the evil eye. And yet, in this period of religious doubt, there is still a recognition that religious seems to serve some purpose albeit in rather extreme and complex conditions.
This combination of the supernatural and science triggers a discussion on elements that are not wholly supernatural but are nonetheless difficult to scientifically observe and explain. By this I am making reference to the themes of human psychology, an emerging science of the period, and the practise of hypnotism or even the phenomenon of sleepwalking being associated to nocturnal living. We are forced to wonder as to what the nature of sanity and insanity are and what is the nature of the dividing line between the two, as well as between waking and sleeping states or even life and death. Also the period's fascination with the notion of spirits is an especially obvious reference in the novel, as well as life after death and what the nature of death is. Considering the loss of faith in the West at this time, there was an intense desire to seek an explanation on a range of matters relating to the above matters. And this led to the birth of many spiritist and occult schools*. In this sense it is truly a novel of the modern era where there is an active discussion on what is credible and ought to believed and what is the nature of faith and its role for humans.
In terms of gender roles, the novel presents us with a rather simplified dichotomy of male heroes and female damsels in distress. We have a wise old man that guides the way and any contributions made by Mina to resolve the mystery is attributed to masculinity as if she were acting out of the norm. Her saving grace is that she does not lose her feminine touches of care, affection and fragility as well as an accepting, self-sacrificing nature. The male characters are also rather 'typical' in that they are wealthy, gentlemanly, diplomatic, brave and protective over their womenfolk. I thought it rather a shame that any intelligence and sense of initiative in a female character was considered such a rarity but otherwise Stoker constructs a story that gives a solid motivation to the heroic men to act in the chivalrous manner expected of them. However, I found it rather interesting how there was quite some bribery involved in resolving the case but it was only ever called out as bribery or baksheesh when the characters were off the shores of Britain. When in Britain, the act of bribery was still present yet not considered negative. This made me think of the hypocrisy and double-standards of the 'civilised' nation in relation to other nations, especially the colonial states.
Overall, I found Dracula to be a highly captivating novel with plenty of suspense as well as an elegant literary style. It is a novel rich in themes of the period, which extend to the present day and thus are still relevant and engaging to contemporary readers. The fact that many of the issues explored in the novel haven't been resolved in the modern outlook means that Stoker provided an excellent foundation for the various scruples and theories people have on to offer to be explored in a literary genre that goes a little beyond the ordinary.
* I would recommend reading René Guénon's The Spiritist Fallacy for more information concerning the emergence and nature of these schools.
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