Dracula Theme Essay
A theme in Dracula is Old versus New. The group trying to destroy Dracula has all of the latest technology while Dracula is an ancient figure and has been around for centuries. In the end, all of the new technology fails the group when they need it most, and they end up killing Dracula using basic tools and ancient rituals. When Jonathan Harker stayed in Dracula’s castle, he said “unless my senses deceive me, the old centuries had, and have, powers of their own which mere ‘modernity’ cannot kill.”
In the story, the group is equipped with the latest technology of the era to help them defeat Dracula, such as Dr Seward’s Phonograph which was a recording device and extremely new and expensive for the late 1800s. When Lucy was under Dracula’s control, Neither Mina or Dr Seward was able to understand what was happening even though they had some of the most up to date medical technology in London. Only Van Helsing was able to figure out what was wrong when he used knowledge of ancient legends and remedies.
Dracula is an embodiment of ancient times and rituals. He has been around for a long time and keeps his castle locked in time. Dracula doesn’t have an exact age. His appearance depends on his bloodlust. When he drinks blood he becomes younger and as time goes on without feeding, he ages. In the beginning of the book, he is old and “frail”. But when Jonathan harker sees him a second time, He has become nearly 30 years younger.
The Author has an obsession with Technology and Trains are commonly found throughout the book. “It seems to me that the further East you go the more unpunctual are the trains. What ought they to be in China?” Trains were fairly new for the time. The Transcontinental railroad was only finished in 1869. When Jonathan Harker is In Dracula’s castle, He has new technology with him, but it couldn’t keep up with the ancient aura of Dracula’s castle and Dracula himself.
In the story, the group is equipped with the latest technology of the era to help them defeat Dracula, such as Dr Seward’s Phonograph which was a recording device and extremely new and expensive for the late 1800s. When Lucy was under Dracula’s control, Neither Mina or Dr Seward was able to understand what was happening even though they had some of the most up to date medical technology in London. Only Van Helsing was able to figure out what was wrong when he used knowledge of ancient legends and remedies.
Dracula is an embodiment of ancient times and rituals. He has been around for a long time and keeps his castle locked in time. Dracula doesn’t have an exact age. His appearance depends on his bloodlust. When he drinks blood he becomes younger and as time goes on without feeding, he ages. In the beginning of the book, he is old and “frail”. But when Jonathan harker sees him a second time, He has become nearly 30 years younger.
The Author has an obsession with Technology and Trains are commonly found throughout the book. “It seems to me that the further East you go the more unpunctual are the trains. What ought they to be in China?” Trains were fairly new for the time. The Transcontinental railroad was only finished in 1869. When Jonathan Harker is In Dracula’s castle, He has new technology with him, but it couldn’t keep up with the ancient aura of Dracula’s castle and Dracula himself.