DRACULA QUOTES AND
THEMES
Setting
Link to Gothic:
· Occupies a liminal space “on the border of three states”, foreshadows transgression
and blurred boundaries throughout the novel
· “one of the wildest and least known portions of Europe” unknown and its danger-
suggests dangerous nature-suspenseful response
· supernatural setting “known as superstition in the world gathered into the horseshoe
of the Carpathians”
· “a dog howling all night under my window” ref to dog sensing supernatural (link to
The Tiger’s Bride dog being warner)
· “at the beginning of the seventeeth century it underwent, lost 13,000 people”, abject
reminder of death/ transgression through times
· “another link in the chain of doom which seemed drawing tight around us” e suggests
extent of helplessness- vulnerability and naivety
· “dark mass spread over the grass.. red cloud like the colour of red” Gothic setting of
asylum close to Dracula’s abbey imagery of supernatural presence is well estab-
lished- Stoker deploys motifs of its and cloud communicated naturalness and
shape-shifting form of Dracula
· “climatic scene is set in snowstorm at sunset wolves gathering, outside the castle- con-
ditions mean that vampire hunters endangered by cold and working against fading of
sunlight - red sky foreboding of bloodshed”
· “another link in the chain of doom which seemed drawing tight around us”y, link to
setting as form of entrapment
· Atmospheric ruins “spooks” skeletal ruins of Whitby and Abbey incorporated by
Stoker in Dracula relics of 13th century own legends
Gender roles
· Chapter 7 pg 100 “idea that men and women should be allowed to see each other
asleep before proposing or accepting. But I suppose the New Woman wont condescend
in future to accept; she will do proposing herself” Concept of the fallen women
slowly emerging gradual subversion of gender roles
· “men and women are so different in manifestations of nervous strength or weakness”
Chapter 13 pg 186 – different gender roles and conceptualized ideas of each gen-
der role , largely characterised by traditional Victorian gender archetypes and
conventions
· “why are men so noble when we women are so little worthy of them?” (lucy although
identifies the supreme power of men in society seems to want to take control of
her own life and challenge role of women” growing emergence of new woman
· “A brave man’s blood is the best thing on this earth when a woman is in trouble” Chap-
ter 12 pg 160 – indicates his outlook on gender role again reference to blood,
women deemed helpless and vulnerable dependent on male help
· “yours the most faithful Abraham Van Helsing” Chapter 14 pg 199 –
THEMES
Setting
Link to Gothic:
· Occupies a liminal space “on the border of three states”, foreshadows transgression
and blurred boundaries throughout the novel
· “one of the wildest and least known portions of Europe” unknown and its danger-
suggests dangerous nature-suspenseful response
· supernatural setting “known as superstition in the world gathered into the horseshoe
of the Carpathians”
· “a dog howling all night under my window” ref to dog sensing supernatural (link to
The Tiger’s Bride dog being warner)
· “at the beginning of the seventeeth century it underwent, lost 13,000 people”, abject
reminder of death/ transgression through times
· “another link in the chain of doom which seemed drawing tight around us” e suggests
extent of helplessness- vulnerability and naivety
· “dark mass spread over the grass.. red cloud like the colour of red” Gothic setting of
asylum close to Dracula’s abbey imagery of supernatural presence is well estab-
lished- Stoker deploys motifs of its and cloud communicated naturalness and
shape-shifting form of Dracula
· “climatic scene is set in snowstorm at sunset wolves gathering, outside the castle- con-
ditions mean that vampire hunters endangered by cold and working against fading of
sunlight - red sky foreboding of bloodshed”
· “another link in the chain of doom which seemed drawing tight around us”y, link to
setting as form of entrapment
· Atmospheric ruins “spooks” skeletal ruins of Whitby and Abbey incorporated by
Stoker in Dracula relics of 13th century own legends
Gender roles
· Chapter 7 pg 100 “idea that men and women should be allowed to see each other
asleep before proposing or accepting. But I suppose the New Woman wont condescend
in future to accept; she will do proposing herself” Concept of the fallen women
slowly emerging gradual subversion of gender roles
· “men and women are so different in manifestations of nervous strength or weakness”
Chapter 13 pg 186 – different gender roles and conceptualized ideas of each gen-
der role , largely characterised by traditional Victorian gender archetypes and
conventions
· “why are men so noble when we women are so little worthy of them?” (lucy although
identifies the supreme power of men in society seems to want to take control of
her own life and challenge role of women” growing emergence of new woman
· “A brave man’s blood is the best thing on this earth when a woman is in trouble” Chap-
ter 12 pg 160 – indicates his outlook on gender role again reference to blood,
women deemed helpless and vulnerable dependent on male help
· “yours the most faithful Abraham Van Helsing” Chapter 14 pg 199 –
