Context notes- Dracula
Notes on the Cambridge Companion to Dracula
Chapter 1: the Prehistory of Dracula
Blood sucking demons have existed since medieval times- Lilith, she went against Adam
Romans and Greeks had their version
Idea that Huns also had this “how many monasteries were captured, how many streams were
reddened with human blood!” Attila the Hun choked on his own blood
This conveys the idea that Dracula is related to them foreshadows how he is also dangerous and as
bloodthirsty as they are- in a more literal sense
Hungarian countess Elizabeth Bathory bathed young girls in blood to maintain their youth- links to
Dracula as he drinks blood to maintain his youth.
Fifteenth century Wallachian Lord- roared children fed them to their mothers, forcing husbands to
devour their wives, impaling all their victims.
Also had British myths and legends about the vampire.
Sabine Baring- Gould’s “Book of Werewolves” 1865- detailed these myths- idea that the Victorians
had a fascination with the Gothic.
Took Dracula’s name from Vlad Tepes- son of Vlad Dracul (dragon) - way of impaling people kept the
victim alive for days- idea that whoever Dracula affects is the “undead”
Chapter 5- Dracula and Psychology
Ideas of Freud- conflict between inner desire can be translated in Jonathan’s interaction with the
female vampires
Idea that sex comes from an oral fixation
But the book itself is not really based on Freudian theories
“Dracula is a Gothic rendition of psychology on the cusp of shifting paradigms”
York Notes-
Stoker’s enthusiasm for Henry Irving and friendships with Oscar Wilde and Walt Whitman caused
speculation about his sexuality.
The Gothic sensibility is seen by some as an attempt to deal with the feared and unknown
consequences of social change. Sensational thrills come from going outside the boundaries of
acceptable behaviour for the characters. This usually ends unhappily for the protagonist.
Notes on the Cambridge Companion to Dracula
Chapter 1: the Prehistory of Dracula
Blood sucking demons have existed since medieval times- Lilith, she went against Adam
Romans and Greeks had their version
Idea that Huns also had this “how many monasteries were captured, how many streams were
reddened with human blood!” Attila the Hun choked on his own blood
This conveys the idea that Dracula is related to them foreshadows how he is also dangerous and as
bloodthirsty as they are- in a more literal sense
Hungarian countess Elizabeth Bathory bathed young girls in blood to maintain their youth- links to
Dracula as he drinks blood to maintain his youth.
Fifteenth century Wallachian Lord- roared children fed them to their mothers, forcing husbands to
devour their wives, impaling all their victims.
Also had British myths and legends about the vampire.
Sabine Baring- Gould’s “Book of Werewolves” 1865- detailed these myths- idea that the Victorians
had a fascination with the Gothic.
Took Dracula’s name from Vlad Tepes- son of Vlad Dracul (dragon) - way of impaling people kept the
victim alive for days- idea that whoever Dracula affects is the “undead”
Chapter 5- Dracula and Psychology
Ideas of Freud- conflict between inner desire can be translated in Jonathan’s interaction with the
female vampires
Idea that sex comes from an oral fixation
But the book itself is not really based on Freudian theories
“Dracula is a Gothic rendition of psychology on the cusp of shifting paradigms”
York Notes-
Stoker’s enthusiasm for Henry Irving and friendships with Oscar Wilde and Walt Whitman caused
speculation about his sexuality.
The Gothic sensibility is seen by some as an attempt to deal with the feared and unknown
consequences of social change. Sensational thrills come from going outside the boundaries of
acceptable behaviour for the characters. This usually ends unhappily for the protagonist.
