Dracula: Reason vs. Rationality

In Dracula written by Bram Stoker there is a constant battle between reason using superstition and rationality. Jonathan and Seward are both British men and subsequently express a more rational mindset. As the text continues and Dracula plays a larger role, the characters are forced to use a superstition to describe his role. By the end of the text, Jonathan and Seward use spiritual reasoning to defeat Dracula. Yet these characters use spiritual reasoning, scientific reason becomes the successor because throughout England, rationality is the more adopted method. Stoker uses these characters suggest that even though rationality is the greater successor, the spiritual ideas are still maintained. Rationality and superstition maintain and ever-changing relationship throughout the text which results in the success of scientific reasoning with a lasting concern of spirituality. In the first third of the book Jonathan and Seward both express a rational mindset through their negation of spiritual ideas and scientific reasoning throughout their experiences. In Jonathan’s travels in Transylvania and experiences with Dracula, he is dismissive of the spiritual ideas and perplexed once he is no longer able to use rationality. In his journey to Transylvania he encounters spiritual ideas, but he dismisses them in disbelief of their ludicrousness. In his hotel the old lady “went down on her knees and implored me not to go” because “it is the eve of St. George’s Day,” and “all the evil things in the world will have full effect” (12). Due to his British mindset that is based off a more scientific take on life he thought, “it was all very ridiculous” and “there was business to be done”(13). Even after he hears information that seems life threatening, he thinks she is talking nonsenses and would never let such ridiculous ideas affect his work. Evil spirits coming out a on a day to attack him is blasphemy. Once Jonathan experiences strange spiritual occurrences unexplainable