‘Dracula’ Reading Log
Ch Summary and character involved Key Quotations and analysis Context, Theories
ap. and Links
1 Summary: "Not able to map the exact locality of the Castle Dracula"- Uncanny- wolves
Jonathan writing diary- EPISTOLARY FORM Obscure/ mysterious and night events
Jonathan, a newly made solicitor, arrives in Romania and follows Xenophobia-fear of
instructions to meet his friend Dracula. Aims to sell a house to "Every known superstition in the world is gathered into the unknown cultures
Dracula. Locals scared for Jonathan Carpathians"- superstition theme in unknown place and religions
Superstition
"Queer dream"- Freud- repression? And foreshadowing Idea of East less
evolved that West-
Characters: "It seems the further East you go, the more unpunctual are the colonial/ imperialist
Jonathan Harker's POV trains"- idea West more advanced than East mindset
Innkeeper and wife Set in rural area-
Peasants and villagers “Taking a crucifix from her neck [and] offered it to me”- Challenge Carpathians- forest
Mina anti catholicism very gothic setting
Freud
"Women looked pretty except…. They were clumsy about the Male gaze theory-
waist". "Fitting almost too tight for modesty"-male gaze-laura Laura Mulvey
Mulvey Gothic edifices
Reverse
"Hysterical way/ excited state" - damsel in distress trope and colonisation
female vulnerability
"Starting from an unknown place to an unknown man"- obscurity
“Wild howling”-ominous
“Paralysis of fear”-terror of the wolves
“Vast ruined castle” “tall black windows” “jagged”- Gothic edifice
reflect character
2 Summary: Dracula-”more like the hand of a dead than living man” “hand like Supernatural
Jonathan writing diary- EPISTOLARY FORM ice”-terror imagery- Dracula’s
Jonanthan goes to castle and encounters mysterious occurrences “Peculiarly sharp white teeth”- mystery- allude to vampire sharp teeth, no
Finds that he cannot leave the castle and Dracula does not have a “Horrible feeling of nausea”- unknown feelings or reason for reflection and his
reflection and begins to feel uneasy feelings undead appearance
Locked doors “veritable prison”- thresholds symbolising unknown links shows signs of
, Characters: knowledge vampirism and
Jonathan Harker's POV Counts house in London-”Carfax” “ancient structure” “gloomy”- revenants.
Dracula gothic edifice Liminality - When
“Something strange about this place” “feel uneasy”- uncanny stepping into the
“No reflection in the mirror”- Supernatural being-terror castle(parallels hell),
“Demonic fury”- monster as well as Dracula’s
body himself as he is
alive yet feels as cold
as a dead person
3 Summary: “He spoke as if he had been there” at the wars- suggest Dracula Terror
Jonathan writing diary- EPISTOLARY FORM is older than he looks- supernatural Supernatural
Trying to find out more about Dracula and how to get out “No servants in this house” “entirely alone”- terror as alone with Female vampires
3 “woman”-vampires try to feed on Jonathan, but Dracula protects monster with no escape- gothic trope epitomise male
him. He discovers what Dracula is when he sneaks into his chambers “Bad dreams for those who sleep unwisely”- Dracula warning desires and female
and sees him asleep in a coffin. Jonathan- mysterious sexuality- like sirens
“Repulsion and terror” “crawl face down” “creature in semblance (Greek mythology)
Characters: of a man”- monstrous, grotesque, inhuman Homosexuality
Jonathan Harker's POV “There was a deliberate voluptuousness which was both thrilling
Dracula and repulsive”- Female sexuality evoke confusing feelings, terror
“This man belongs to me” “- homosexuality
“Sank down into unconsciousness”- damsel in distress trope
reversed
4 Summary: “I could find no trace””attribute wickedness to me”- all Jonathans Homosexualiy
Jonathan writing diary- EPISTOLARY FORM stuff goes missing- erased existence so no one will look for him- Terror
Writes letters for his boss and wife which would mean no one would terror Supernatural
suspect anything if he goes missing. Sees Dracula wearing his “Becoming hypnotised”-supernatural influence Uncanny
clothes and he cannot find any of his travel documents- he cannot “Monster, give me my child” “abandoned herself to all violences of
escape. savage emotion”- embodiment of evil(taking a child) and woman
Sees Dracula take a child and mother get murdered by wolves on extremely emotional and violent
Dracula’s command. “Eyes open and stony, but not glassy with death”-unnatural and
Jonathan tries to escape-left on cliffhanger uncanny
“The door would not move” “despair seized me”- feeling of
Characters: hopelessness as entrapped
Jonathan Harker's POV “Basilisk horror””nethermost parts of hell” “the devil and his
Dracula children walk with Earthly feet”-Dracula is evil and like the Devil
5 Summary: “I shall be useful to John”- gender roles demonstrated Threat of female
Mina and Lucy’s letters “Settle down soon soberly into old married women” Sexual Repression
Dr Sewerds diary “I can’t help but crying”- women more emotional and how women are
Ch Summary and character involved Key Quotations and analysis Context, Theories
ap. and Links
1 Summary: "Not able to map the exact locality of the Castle Dracula"- Uncanny- wolves
Jonathan writing diary- EPISTOLARY FORM Obscure/ mysterious and night events
Jonathan, a newly made solicitor, arrives in Romania and follows Xenophobia-fear of
instructions to meet his friend Dracula. Aims to sell a house to "Every known superstition in the world is gathered into the unknown cultures
Dracula. Locals scared for Jonathan Carpathians"- superstition theme in unknown place and religions
Superstition
"Queer dream"- Freud- repression? And foreshadowing Idea of East less
evolved that West-
Characters: "It seems the further East you go, the more unpunctual are the colonial/ imperialist
Jonathan Harker's POV trains"- idea West more advanced than East mindset
Innkeeper and wife Set in rural area-
Peasants and villagers “Taking a crucifix from her neck [and] offered it to me”- Challenge Carpathians- forest
Mina anti catholicism very gothic setting
Freud
"Women looked pretty except…. They were clumsy about the Male gaze theory-
waist". "Fitting almost too tight for modesty"-male gaze-laura Laura Mulvey
Mulvey Gothic edifices
Reverse
"Hysterical way/ excited state" - damsel in distress trope and colonisation
female vulnerability
"Starting from an unknown place to an unknown man"- obscurity
“Wild howling”-ominous
“Paralysis of fear”-terror of the wolves
“Vast ruined castle” “tall black windows” “jagged”- Gothic edifice
reflect character
2 Summary: Dracula-”more like the hand of a dead than living man” “hand like Supernatural
Jonathan writing diary- EPISTOLARY FORM ice”-terror imagery- Dracula’s
Jonanthan goes to castle and encounters mysterious occurrences “Peculiarly sharp white teeth”- mystery- allude to vampire sharp teeth, no
Finds that he cannot leave the castle and Dracula does not have a “Horrible feeling of nausea”- unknown feelings or reason for reflection and his
reflection and begins to feel uneasy feelings undead appearance
Locked doors “veritable prison”- thresholds symbolising unknown links shows signs of
, Characters: knowledge vampirism and
Jonathan Harker's POV Counts house in London-”Carfax” “ancient structure” “gloomy”- revenants.
Dracula gothic edifice Liminality - When
“Something strange about this place” “feel uneasy”- uncanny stepping into the
“No reflection in the mirror”- Supernatural being-terror castle(parallels hell),
“Demonic fury”- monster as well as Dracula’s
body himself as he is
alive yet feels as cold
as a dead person
3 Summary: “He spoke as if he had been there” at the wars- suggest Dracula Terror
Jonathan writing diary- EPISTOLARY FORM is older than he looks- supernatural Supernatural
Trying to find out more about Dracula and how to get out “No servants in this house” “entirely alone”- terror as alone with Female vampires
3 “woman”-vampires try to feed on Jonathan, but Dracula protects monster with no escape- gothic trope epitomise male
him. He discovers what Dracula is when he sneaks into his chambers “Bad dreams for those who sleep unwisely”- Dracula warning desires and female
and sees him asleep in a coffin. Jonathan- mysterious sexuality- like sirens
“Repulsion and terror” “crawl face down” “creature in semblance (Greek mythology)
Characters: of a man”- monstrous, grotesque, inhuman Homosexuality
Jonathan Harker's POV “There was a deliberate voluptuousness which was both thrilling
Dracula and repulsive”- Female sexuality evoke confusing feelings, terror
“This man belongs to me” “- homosexuality
“Sank down into unconsciousness”- damsel in distress trope
reversed
4 Summary: “I could find no trace””attribute wickedness to me”- all Jonathans Homosexualiy
Jonathan writing diary- EPISTOLARY FORM stuff goes missing- erased existence so no one will look for him- Terror
Writes letters for his boss and wife which would mean no one would terror Supernatural
suspect anything if he goes missing. Sees Dracula wearing his “Becoming hypnotised”-supernatural influence Uncanny
clothes and he cannot find any of his travel documents- he cannot “Monster, give me my child” “abandoned herself to all violences of
escape. savage emotion”- embodiment of evil(taking a child) and woman
Sees Dracula take a child and mother get murdered by wolves on extremely emotional and violent
Dracula’s command. “Eyes open and stony, but not glassy with death”-unnatural and
Jonathan tries to escape-left on cliffhanger uncanny
“The door would not move” “despair seized me”- feeling of
Characters: hopelessness as entrapped
Jonathan Harker's POV “Basilisk horror””nethermost parts of hell” “the devil and his
Dracula children walk with Earthly feet”-Dracula is evil and like the Devil
5 Summary: “I shall be useful to John”- gender roles demonstrated Threat of female
Mina and Lucy’s letters “Settle down soon soberly into old married women” Sexual Repression
Dr Sewerds diary “I can’t help but crying”- women more emotional and how women are
