What boudaries does the vampire threaten? Discuss possible answers to this question with reference to at least two critical or theoretical essays and at least two tellings' of the Dracula story._______________________________________________
The Vampire What boundaries does the Vampire threaten? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Discuss possible answers to this question with reference to at least two critical or theoretical essays and at least two tellings' of the Dracula story._______________________________________________ The Vampire in Dracula threatens the very existence of Victorian England. Stoker constructs the vampire as an embodiment of threat by surpassing his Gothic novelist predecessors to bring the threat of the Gothic home to Victorian England (Arata 119). This in turn crosses the boundary between what is foreign and what is national; and dually East and West. Dracula is open to many interpretations, each accompanying their own boundaries the Vampire threatens. Marxist's view Dracula as a metaphor for capitalism, whilst the queer perspective views it as a struggle between homosexuality and heterosexuality. Others such as Auerbach argue that "Dracula is in love less with death or sexuality than with hierarchies, erecting barriers hitherto foreign to vampire literature; the gulf between male and female, antiquity and newness, class and class, England and
Discuss possible answers to this question with reference to at least two critical or theoretical essays and at least two tellings' of the Dracula story.
Discuss possible answers to this question with reference to at least two critical or theoretical essays and at least two tellings' of the Dracula story The Vampire in Dracula threatens the very existence of Victorian England. Stoker constructs the vampire as an embodiment of threat by surpassing his Gothic novelist predecessors to bring the threat of the Gothic home to Victorian England (Arata 119). This in turn crosses the boundary between what is foreign and what is national; and dually East and West. Dracula is open to many interpretations, each accompanying their own boundaries the Vampire threatens. Marxist's view Dracula as a metaphor for capitalism, whilst the queer perspective views it as a struggle between homosexuality and heterosexuality. Others such as Auerbach argue that "Dracula is in love less with death or sexuality than with hierarchies, erecting barriers hitherto foreign to vampire literature; the gulf between male and female, antiquity and newness, class and class, England and non-England, vampire and mortal, homoerotic and heterosexual love, infusing its genre with a new fear: fear of the hatred unknown" (p. 148). This essay is arguing that Dracula does cross all of those fore-mentioned
"The Gothic is concerned primarily with representing transgression and taboo, there is nothing more to it as a literary genre." Is this a fair assessment of Gothic writing of the Romantic period?
Romanticism. EN2 Essay II "The Gothic is concerned primarily with representing transgression and taboo, there is nothing more to it as a literary genre." Is this a fair assessment of Gothic writing of the Romantic period? "The invaluable works of our elder writers...are driven into neglect by frantic novels, sickly and stupid German Tragedies, and deluges of idle and extravagant stories in verse.... the human mind is capable of being excited without the application of gross and violent stimulants.." William Wordsworth, Preface to The Lyrical Ballads, 1802. "..Phantasmagoric...kind of fiction, whatever one may think of it, is not without merit: 'twas the inevitable result of revolutionary shocks throughout Europe...thus to compose works of interest, one had to call on the aid of Hell itself, and to find things familiar in the world of make believe.." Marquis (Donatien Alphonse) de Sade, "Reflections on the Novel.", 1800. Gothic literature has been an area of critical contention since Horace Walpole's seminal Gothic novel, The Castle of Otranto, was published in 1764. Although vilified by much of the contemporary press the Gothic had its champions, many of whom were also its practitioners including Walpole, the subsequent generation's Anne Radcliffe and the Marquis de Sade who had his own brand of highly sexualised Gothic. Despite these voices, Gothic was still a
Sexuality in Bram Stocker's Dracula Most critics agree that Dracula is, as much as anything else, a novel that indulges
Christina Monksfield 034497340 History Level 3 HST283 - The Social Construction of Sexuality 1780-1930 Tutor: Sue Bestwick Sexuality in Bram Stocker's Dracula Most critics agree that Dracula is, as much as anything else, a novel that indulges the Victorian male imagination, particularly regarding the topic of female sexuality. In Victorian England, women's sexual behaviour was dictated by society's extremely rigid expectations. A Victorian woman effectively had only two options: she was either a virgin-a model of purity and innocence-or else she was a wife and mother. If she was neither of these, she was considered a whore, and thus of no consequence to society. The transformation of Britain in to an Industrial nation had profound consequences for the way in which women were to be idealised. New kinds of work and a new kind of urban living prompted a change in the ways in which appropriate male and female roles were perceived. The manufacturers and professional men worked long hours in the pursuit of the capital which would enable them to live pleasantly as gentlemen of leisure, and at the end of the day were thankful to return home, or as Ruskin put it "to the shelter"1, maintained by women to ensure their husbands returned home to a pleasant environment. The notion of separate spheres - woman in the private sphere of the
Discuss the relationship between sexuality and cruelty AND/OR or death in any TWO texts.
Discuss the relationship between sexuality and cruelty AND/OR or death in any TWO texts. Dracula's brutal sexuality is exposed when Mina is physically forced to drink the Count's blood. However, in contrast, Lestat psychologically taunts Claudia because she will never experience adult sexuality. Vampires, therefore, cannot be characterised as homogenous creatures, but like humans have considerably differing natures that are driven by individual desires. From this assertion, my argument in this essay will discuss the diverse nature of vampires and humans in the texts Dracula and Interview With The Vampire. Besides suggesting that power, sadism and erotic desire are fundamental to the relationship between sexuality and cruelty. Vampires crave power. In Dracula, power is manifested by the Count's defense of his aristocratic heritage. Michel Foucault's work on sexuality reminds us that: 'one of the characteristic privileges of sovereign power was the right to decide life and death' (Foucault p.135). Considering this, Jonathan Harker's commentary assists in determining Dracula's perception of social status, as his journal comments on the exalted manner in which the Count expresses himself: 'Whenever he spoke of his house he always said "we," and spoke almost in the plural, like a king speaking' (Stoker p.40). In which case Jonathan Harker's diary establishes the Count's
Are Dracula and Atticus portrayed as heroic for breaking society’s taboos?
Are Dracula and Atticus portrayed as heroic for breaking society's taboos? Adam Durbridge Dracula was written in 1897 by Irish author Bram Stoker. The later 1800's were a transitional period in time where social rules and ideas about sexuality, sexual acts and sexual divides were still stringently in place, though a change in the way a person could live, publicly and privately slowly beginning to emerge. The book has many sub text and sub plots, and it is in these place where Dracula parodies and breaks Victorian taboos. At the time when Stoker was writing Dracula, the British held huge prejudices against anyone who didn't fit the WASP or upper middle class mould. Women weren't equal to men, they didn't have the vote, and the childbearing housewife was the ideal and stereotypical woman that was maybe 'respected' or 'required' by the men of the day. The contrast between modern-day taboos and taboos that existed in Stocker's 1897 is massive. Few real taboos exist today, in a discussion in class the only ones that held any truth, which everyone agreed with had to be utterly vile as to compensate for the desensitisation that we have today. To Kill A Mocking Bird was written at the start of the 1960's by Harper Lee. It is set in the 1930's and is written from a child's viewpoint or
"Gothic fiction is erotic at the root" according to Punter. From your reading of Frankenstein and Dracula how far would you agree with Punter's interpretation.
"Gothic fiction is erotic at the root" according to Punter. From your reading of Frankenstein and Dracula how far would you agree with Punter's interpretation. In your essay you should consider: * The author's portrayal of eroticism and sexuality (in all its forms) through characters. * Relevant social/cultural concerns during the period the novels were written. During the 18th century and for a long time after poetry was regarded as the most sophisticated and accomplished mode of the written word. The Gothic novel, a relatively new form of literature was emerging from the popular romances published to meet the demands of a of a growing literacy population. Its popularity was also fuelled by the accompanying developments in book production and distribution. At that time however, the vast majority of critics regarded the Gothic novel as distinctly inferior although this was certainly not the view of the general public, especially the growing female readership. Furthermore, several of the writers associated with the development of the gothic novel were women such as Mary Shelley, Ann Radcliffe, Jane Austen and Emily Brontë. This development was perhaps one of the largest social and cultural concern during the era, the main focus behind this being the male fear of sexual liberation. Many of the early manifestations of what came to be called gothic were not in the area
Look closely at Jonathan Harker’s journey to Dracula’s Castle. How does the director give the impression of danger?
John Hepworth Look closely at Jonathan Harker's journey to Dracula's Castle. How does the director give the impression of danger? In this assignment I will be analysing a 7-8 minute clip of the film 'Dracula - love never dies' which was directed by the famous director Francis Ford Coppola whose other famous films include: 'The Godfather Trilogy' and 'Apocalypse Now' and I will be commenting on how the director gives us the impression Jonathan is in danger. It is a horror film and had its general cinema release in 1992. It is based on the book 'Count Dracula' which was written 1897 by Bram Stoker. The clip I am studying is Jonathan Harker's (Keanu Reeves) journey to the castle of Count Dracula. Jonathan is a lawyer who works in London, his fiancée Mina (Winona Ryder) was married in a past life to Dracula (Gary Oldman). Dracula is immortal and has lived ever since the death of Mina. Dracula finds out Mina is engaged to Jonathan and calls the company Jonathan works for to enquire about buying a property in London in the hope he will get Mina back. He keeps Jonathan at his castle until Mina comes looking for him. Jonathan is unaware of this because he believes he is going to Transylvania on a business trip. The director uses: setting, camera shots and the sound track to create a sense of danger around Jonathan. Jonathan's journey begins by train, travelling from the East
Discuss the ways the filmmakers have presented the story Dracula.
Discuss the ways the filmmakers have presented the story Dracula. There have been many film adaptations of the novel 'Dracula' written by Bram Stoker (1897) the most well known of these is the film 'Nosferatu' (1921) directed by Fredrick Murnau and 'Bram Stoker's Dracula' (1992) created by Francis Ford Coppola. I will be discussing the ways the filmmakers have presented the story 'Dracula' by; the ways in which the directors have introduced the film: their portrayal of Dracula: the use of special effects and finally the myths and legends used in the destruction of Dracula. 'Bram Stoker's Dracula' by Francis Ford Coppola, and 'Nosferatu' directed by Murnau have both represented the story Dracula in different contexts. 'Bram Stoker's Dracula' was produced during 1992 and 'Nosferatu' was produced in 1921. Despite the time difference of approximately seventy years both films they resemble each other in various ways. They are similar in the fact they both contain a love story. For different reasons both films use subtitles. 'Bram Stoker's Dracula' uses subtitles for showing the speech; as the actors are speaking in a foreign language. Coppola could have had his actors speak English all the way through the film, but at that time Dracula is human and living in Transylvania. Coppola has the foreign language so the audience have a clear picture that the scene is set in a
Literary Gothic
Literary Gothic is a type of imitation of the medieval. When it was launched in the eighteenth century, gothic horror featured accounts of terrifying experiences in ancient castles, experiences connected with dungeons, secret passageways, flickering lamps, screams, moans, bloody hands, ghosts, graveyards, and loads of other things. Eventually it came to describe the macabre, mysterious, fantastic, supernatural, and, again, the terrifying, in literature more generally. Nowadays we tend to see gothic horror in the films, television, and literature. When Gothic horror made its appearance in literature, Henry Walpole was the man behind the very first book involving gothic horror, publishing The Castle of Otranto (1764), a short novel in which the basic outline is a haunted castle, a villain, mysterious deaths, supernatural happenings, a moaning portrait, a woman in distress, and "violent emotions of terror, anguish, and love". The work was tremendously popular, and imitations followed in such numbers that the Gothic novel (or romance) was probably the commonest type of fiction in England for the next half century. In this period, the best-selling author of the genre (Ann Radcliffe), the author of its most enduring novel (Mary Shelley), and the author of its most effective sendup (Jane Austen) were all women. In my opinion I think that since that day when The Castle of Otranto
