In Chapter 3 of Dracula, Harker is approached by three un-human women. Instead of Harker being scared, his feelings are described as a desire instead of fear. Do you think that the scenario would be the same if Harker had been a women? (Maira A.)
Dracula tells Harker, " 'Well I know that, did I move and speak in your London, none there are who would not know me for a stranger. That is not enough for me. Here I am noble; I am boyar; the common people know me, and I am master. But a stranger in a strange land, he is no one; men know him not - and to know not is to care not for. I am content if I am like the rest, so that no man stops if he see me, or pause in his speaking if he hear my words, to say, 'Ha, ha! a stranger!' I have been so long master that I would be master still -- or at least that none other should be master of me.' "
Why do you think Dracula feels this way? Why do you think that he wouldn't want to seem like a stranger in London? (Amanda K.)
In Chapter 3, after discovering he is imprisoned, Jonathan Harker approaches the Count with questions about Transylvanian history, a subject to which the Count "warmed up wonderfully," and which Harker calls "most fascinating." The Count speaks with pride, as if he was there--a ruler, a king, plural--and giving the account caused him to "[walk] about the room pulling his great white moustache and grasping anything on which he laid his hands as though he would crush it by main strength." What do you think Stoker's motive was for including such an impassioned oration? More specifically, is it possible there is a correlation between human royalty, power, and vampiric rule? In what way does this oration confound the distinction between lore and history's accounts of conquest? Consider how crucial to the account the Szekelys and "the Dracula as their heart's blood, their brains, and their swords" are. Finally, does this deserve such intricate attention after Harker's imprisonment early in the novel, and what implications for vampirism's role in history (or at least the history of Harker's and Dracula's world) does Stoker seem to leave us by closing this journal entry without interpretation of the discussion from Harker? (Carlie L).
Isolation seems to be a recurring theme that we have discussed in Polidori's "The Vampyre" with Aubrey and in Matheson's I Am Legend with Robert Neville. How does isolation seem to affect Johnathan Harker's character early on? Furthermore, do you think that there is a sense of isolation that his character feels prior to the end of Chapter 2 in which he claims to be a prisoner in Dracula's castle? Is the isolation of being a prisoner different from the isolation that Aubrey or Neville dealt with? (Micaela M.)
When Harker enters the castle do you think his fear disappears because Dracula enthralls him or is it just Harker losing his fear, because the image of the vampire he imagined wasn’t as ugly or monstrous as he thought it would be. I thought this would be some later foreshadowing for Dracula’s powers that are so famously emphasized in every movie or book I have ever read, his beauty incapacitating those around him they are somewhat compelled and they are victims to his will as theirs diminish. (Kevin S.)
In regard to the first question about the un-human women, I think the answer is no. The women have a sexual nature about them that fills him with desire. If he was a woman he would probably feel threatened by the un-dead women, and therefore, fearful.
ReplyDeleteTo answer the last question listed, I believe that his fear disappears because of the enthralling nature of Count Dracula. This is very much reminiscent of Aubrey's initial meeting with Lord Ruthven. It seems to be a common theme throughout vampire literature that vampires have a silent way of putting people at ease. I mentioned this in class a few weeks ago, but this influence vampires have over humans reminds me of the personality of a sociopath. Some similarities include the manipulation of others' emotions, feelings of grandiose, and superficial charm.
I think if Harker had been a women then Harker would have felt fear because in my own experience, men sometimes cannot make rational judgement when they see beautiful women; the infatuation becomes the most dominent feeling above all other feelings and therefore Harker would have felt fear toward those women.
ReplyDeleteI would say the isolation Harker is experencing in the early chapters are similar to what Aubrey and Neville have experienced. They all acknowledge the existence of the vampire but there are not such they could do about it. They are forced to be alone and maybe not so much with Neville, but comparing with Aubrey, Harker and Aubrey were threatened to be killed in exposing the truth about the vampires.
(1.) In Chapter 3, Harker is approached by three inhuman women. I believe that if he was a woman, then he would be filled with fear. I believe this because as a man he is intoxicated by the women's prowess and beauty; however, as a women I feel that the idea of "us and them" would come into play as a human woman would instantly recognize her unequal power, perhaps even become jealous.
ReplyDeleteHad Harker been a female character, I also believe the predominant feeling would have been one of fear. Not only do men have the obvious history of giving weight to physical attraction and desire ahead of most else, much supernatural literature has a history of creating a special kind of desire for supernatural beings of the opposing gender (in certain cases, usually vampires).
ReplyDeleteIn regards to the third listed question, I believe it's a mix of shock at Dracula's appearance as well as a type of enthrallment (which may incidentally stem from the first factor). Monstrous beings are supposed to look, well, monstrous when one thinks about it, right? So the upending of that expectation may have caused Harker to second guess his threatened feelings and relax a bit. If Dracula is exercising a form of supernatural enthrallment, interestingly enough, this lowering of guard would theoretically also make Harker more susceptible as well.
I find Harker's isolation to be just as terrible as the first two novels. He is alone, molested by supernatural devils and yet charmed by their master. He is completely out of control of his situation, just like robert neville. He is attempting to adapt to the strange circumstances around him. While I Am Legend is over a much longer time period, I think the same thinking can be applied. Harker is trying to piece together what is happening, even from the very beginning of the book where he's noticing all the "quaint" practices of the locals, and adapts what he sees into his behavior around the count (wearing the crucifix around).
ReplyDeleteI don't think Harker's fear disappears, just transforms. Originally when he sets out from England he is not aware he should be afraid, and yet when he hears the local legends he still maintains his decorum. I think what he fears when he gets to the castle is not the supernatural concerns of the villagers he's encountered, but a complete isolation from the western world he's accustomed with. Whether this is Stoker commenting on the limits of British society or not i'm not sure, but I am certain that Harker willingly accepting Dracula's instructions is very indicative of the seductive nature of the count.
I think that Dracula does not want to get to London and not know anyone because in a way he is losing his position of power if he does so. Even before Harker actually gets to meet the vampire, everyone seems to be afraid and almost in awe of the “evil” that is in the darkness. While there is no specific mention of Dracula as what they are afraid of, I think Dracula knows that he is in control of the area. If he were to go to London and become a stranger to the area, he loses the sense of power that he gets from the stories that have been told in Romania. Dracula himself mentions the fact that the (common) people of the area know of him and he is seen as a sort of master because of his nobility, aside from the position of power that he gets from his class I think that there might also be some sort of supernatural elements at work in his favor.
ReplyDeleteAnother instance in which Dracula's supernatural powers might be seen are when Harker loses the fear that he had from the stories that he had been told. Because all of the towns people had just been telling him of the “evil” he did not really have a good idea of what he was getting himself into, so it is possible that he was imaging his host to be a sort of monster. Instead once he arrived he was given a very warm welcome. It is a very common characteristic among vampires, that they are able to calm people down and in some instances even get people to do what they want. I think that the warm welcome in addition to Dracula's calming nature made it so Harker was able to feel comfortable right away. Unfortunately for the Count, this comfort does not last long, once Harker begins to spend more time with his host and he is able to see first hand some of the characteristics that make him the talk of the town (such as his pale skin and pointy ears). Once Harker begins to question the motives of Dracula's instances of his prolonged stay, the fear that he had once again begins to surface.
-Jessica G
I think Dracula feels this way because he's addicted to his strength and power. He's in a way obsessed with himself and his stature. He is known as a legend where he is, as someone above the normal person. Being so used to this kind of treatment, he can't stand the fact that although he isn't normal, he will be considered normal to a passerby. I think my favorite line is, "But a stranger in a strange land, he is no one; men know him not - and to know not is to care not for. I think because of that, we also see that he likes that people fear him, and he knows when he goes to London, no one will fear him (unless he starts going on a rampage). Being a stranger can sometimes be enlightening but it can also be disheartening, but I think Dracula is too far past those normal human emotions to be enlightened OR disheartened, thus leaving him as a nobody in all aspects.
ReplyDeleteFrom Dracula's actions throughout the first few chapters of this book, I think that to be able to exist as a vampire in a society such as London, he needs to impose his will onto others by use of his domineering presence and charisma; he would be unable to do so effectively if the other people were to look down on him for being a foreigner. We find Dracula to be very prideful and cunning throughout these first few chapters, but we don't see him taking any direct approach to feed Harker to the three spectral ladies. Harker has done everything by his own free will; he went to visit Dracula's castle, accepted Dracula's invitation inside, and also decided to stay in the castle the last night where he would have been eaten by wolves. Although, many of these actions on Harker were devised and executed by Dracula, he didn't directly tell Harker what to do in any situation. This seems to be an important part of Dracula's character, either he is unable to directly influence one's decision or he is too prideful to not play with the people that he will eventually feed upon. There are many times where Dracula could have easily overpowered Harker and be done with him, but he wanted things to go according to his plan. So I think a vital part of Dracula's ability to snare people in his trap is that he needs them on their own will to submit to what he has planned, and if he would have this strange accent and mannerisms that these victims would be less likely to completely fall under his trance.
ReplyDelete~Anthony J.
Dracula felt that way because of his high standard of pride and power comparing with other common people. From the word Dracula said, "...But a stranger in a strange land, he is no one...", I could assume that there is a society built by vampires such as London. Therefore, he does not want to be a stanger because Dracula knows that going into London, or being a stranger, would not bring him the control of the power as before.
ReplyDeleteSang K. H.
If Harker had been a woman, I do not believe Stoker would have developed the same feelings of desire in writing this scene. It is the differences in gender, the idea of “the other,” that often intrigue and build desire in dealing with the opposite sex. This curiosity, I believe, helps to build a deeper desire to experience that which is unknown. If the scene had involved only characters of the same sex, there would not have been the initial shock and intrigue connected to something (or someone) less familiar. Therefore, the most logical first response would have been one of fear and a building suspicion instead.
ReplyDeleteIn regards to the second question, I believe Dracula feels this way because there is an alternative kind of power to be gained with anonymity. If he does not appear as a stranger, then Dracula can more easily maneuver his way into society without gaining much notice or suspicion. On the other hand, by appearing less odd he would be able to blend in with his surroundings more and go about his business undetected. This is especially convenient if he does not have the best of intentions in mind for his time spent in London.
Sarah S.
I think that Dracula wouldn’t want to feel like a stranger in London where, “he is no one; men know him not” because he enjoys the notoriety he currently has. Every person Harker encountered on his journey to the Count’s estate knew exactly who Count Dracula was and feared for Harker’s life and well-being. They even begged him not to go and gave him charms to ward off vampires. I believe that Dracula loves knowing that people around him fear him. In London, Dracula would definitely not get that feeling. However, if he moves there and people have heard whispers about who he is and that his solicitor when missing, he would get recognition from the people without ever having set foot in his new abode. He likes people knowing he not just some ordinary person probably because he enjoys his notoriety and luring people to him.
ReplyDeleteKim K.
On his journey to the Count multiple people are regarding him with worry as if he is crazy to be going where he is going; a women even begs and pleads with him not to go. These reactions I think cause Harker's to feel isolated. By isolation, I mean that it is evident that he is feeling anxious, and doubtful of where he is traveling to. What do doubt and anxiety equate to?Fear. He is scared. All these people are scared for him, and it makes him scared of the Count.
ReplyDeleteAfter Harker says: "I have only the Count to speak with, and he-- I fear I am myself the only living soul within the place." I definitely think there is a sense of isolation that the character feels prior to the end of Chapter 2 It is like all at once it hits him after he says that and after he's cut himself. It is solidified when he tries all the doors and they all seem to be locked. He says the only escape in the castle is the window.
I definitely think there is a difference between Harker's isolation and Neville's isolation. I feel from early on in the book that Harker is kind of choosing this isolation because he is given several warnings before he gets to the Count. I kind of feel like he is just drawn to the "bad" like Icarus to the sun. While with Neville, I feel like he did not choose that isolation at all; he was forced into it.
Akanimoh E.
When talking about Transylvanian history the Count gets so exited because it is his history as well. He was there for centuries and has become the most powerful figure in his part of the world. Everyone in Transylvania knows and fears him. London is a smaller area than Transylvania, but has a much denser population. If Dracula goes to London he goes from being the forever reigning king of his part of the world to essentially a nobody. I don't think he can mentally adjust himself to anything less than his current role.
ReplyDeleteRick R.
In response to Amanda's question, I concur that on some level, Dracula is self-absorbed enough to be addicted to power, conquest, recognition, his own 'blue blood,' if you will. However, while these addictions and desires help delineate his character--he's not just a monster, he has these relatable human qualities too--I think it's worth noting the incubus-succubus relationship Dracula has with those recognizing him. It isn't simply that he wants recognition, it compels him. It's the fire behind his speech, part of the reason he keeps Harker around this long--so Harker can know, appreciate, be awed by him. It seems to me Stoker has developed the traditional succubus to feed on idolatry and fear, away from its grotesque form and place in our nightmares. We fear it for a new and entirely opposite reason now: it has a captivating humanness, a power over man as if one of royalty, and demands a place in our society that Dracula establishes he has been and feels he should be. In Stoker's world, vampires are horrifying for more than blood sucking and don't depend on shock alone. They are developed, not only like humans but like the most powerful recognizable humans, and, as Dracula shows Harker in this dialogue, they demand this position in society.
ReplyDeleteIt seems like isolation has also been a key factor in Bram Stoker’s Dracula thus far. Just like Aubrey and Robert Neville, John Harke has encounters with vampires, while he is his alone. Although he is not initially aware of that he is dealing with vampires, he does have a looming sense of terror and he knows something is not right from the very beginning when he first sees the stagecoach driver scare off the wolves. The isolation John Harker experiences at the end of Chapter 2 is in some way similar to that of Robert Neville and Aubrey, in that he had just noticed Dracula’s “eyes blaze” and make a “grab at [his] throat” after he had cut himself shaving (Stoke 56). In a way, Harker’s perception of the hidden ferocity and peculiar behavior of Dracula add to John Harker’s sense of impending doom. In addition, John Harker feels alone and uncomfortable in his environment, a foreign land, shrouded in mysticism and superstition. His sense of isolation is demonstrated through his wish that he were “safe out of it, or that [he] had never come” (Stoker 56). This is very similar, to Aubrey, since he too found himself isolated in a foreign land when he partly discovers Lord Ruthven’s secret, the isolation only get worse from there. Although Robert Neville still lives at home, he too, also realizes his status as a foreigner since none on Earth that he encounters after the spread of the virus, are like him. At the same time, the latter two characters experience this isolation after they have come to the realization that they have encountered or are among vampires, whereas John Harker’s sense of isolation begins even before his arrival to Dracula’s castle.
ReplyDeleteIf the character played by harper were to be a woman, the scenario would lose its purpose. It plays on man’s animalistic tendencies in the respect of sexual desires, and how it often times gets in the way of reason (Bill Clinton for example), So far in the novel he has faced every observation/encounter with speculation, but in this scene he only shows this lustful desire, leading to vulnerability. He says "a wicked, burning desire that they would kiss me" and we know what a vampire's kiss entails.
ReplyDeleteDracula was so enthused to talk about Transylvania's past because he was a part of it. He had to of obtained his great wealth through being in some position of power/royalty so his reputation has probably proceeded him throughout Transylvania for centuries. Power is corrupting, and it is evident throughout history that once power is obtained, without checks and balances more is constantly sought out. Everyone knows of Dracula and everyone fears him. His image of fear is what empowers him, and power seems to be the desired essence of Dracula's being. This would explain his distaste for being merely a stranger in London.. By being a stranger he loses this position of being a known living legend that he seems to adore so much, and this is a concept his apparent egotistical mind cannot accept .
Giancarlo L.
Dracula's character is an iconic symbol of a vampire. He is portrayed as a wealthy nobleman of Transylvania who is isolated from the rest of the world. However, Dracula's isolation is distinct in which it does not weaken him but instead empowers him. His isolation actually helps Harker to relate with Dracula more. Instead of seeing some blood thirsty vampire he sees a typical nobleman who is very passionate about the world around him.
ReplyDeleteThese noble qualities given to Dracula's character helps to establish him as more powerful human. Ironically, this blurs the lines of what exactly distinguishes a vampire from a human. Dracula's qualities of being wealthy, powerful, and having a historical identity correlates with any other noble or political figure. Even knowing that he has to survive as a blood-sucking vampire does not really distinguish him from the parasitic relationship that exists between a wealthy class of people and the rest of the world.
I think the fact that the protagonist is a male who finds the three un-human women desirable is believable in the sense that he is a man and men desire women, especially mysterious and beautiful women like the three in the book. However, I think this would still have been the case if the roles were reversed and the protagonist was a female being seduced by three un-human simply due to the fact that the un-human characters (vampires) could use their incredible beauty and skills of manipulation to make anyone of any gender obey them as we have seen and discussed in recent classes and literature. I suppose if the protagonist and the three un-human characters were all women it would still have the same outcome, although I don't think this would be something most authors would put in their work at that time in history.
ReplyDeleteI think it is pretty obvious why Dracula wouldn't want to seem like a stranger in England. If people see him as one of their own it would be much easier for him to terrorize and feast off of them because they would be more comfortable around him, which in turn just makes them weaker. It is similar to how con men tend to usually be really nice and want to be your friend only to screw you over in the end, because they know that it is easier to manipulate you should they gain your trust and friendship.
ReplyDeleteI do not believe that the situation would have been the same if Harker were a woman. I think that part of the power of this scenario is that Harker is a man yet these women are making him feel emasculate all throughout the situation. Although he should be feeling afraid at this moment, these women are controlling both his mind and body’s actions. This is shown in the passage, “Then the skin of my throat began to tingle as one's flesh does when the hand that is to tickle it approaches nearer, nearer.” His body is involuntarily giving into these women as they seduce him. Not only that, but when someone is about to tickle you, there is a sense of initial fear because you normally try to run away from them. It is an interesting description he chooses to compare this situation to tickling instead of some other situation that doesn’t leave you as vulnerable. The vampires’’ sexuality gives them great strength and power over him. I think Broker wanted to show the versatility of the power that vampires have over human beings though this scene. This point is best made if a man, (known for having power and being in control at this time in history) were to lose all of his power at the expense of three women vampires. It is because of this that I believe that the scenario would not be the same had Harker been a woman.
ReplyDeleteI think that this is an interesting statement Dracula is making. I think that there are two things that can be inferred from this statement. I think one of the reasons he is saying this is because of his situation as a vampire, since he is a vampire he is different from humans and therefore a “stranger” no matter where he is. However, if Dracula stays at his castle he is in control of his situation and is the master of his territory. If he were to go to England or somewhere else he may not have the same control. Vampires are immortal and have most likely been either descendents of or friends of royalty, so power and recognition is important to them no matter where they are. Dracula wouldn’t want to seem like a stranger in London because he would no longer be in control of the situation. Where he currently is, Dracula is a noble, he is known, and he has power and control of his situation. If he were to go to London he wouldn’t have as much control of his situation and would be nothing more than a stranger.
ReplyDeleteI also think that Dracula is saying this statement to sort of reinforce the idea that Harker is a stranger on his territory therefore he is not the master of this situation. Harker is no longer in London, so his power in a sense is taken away from him since he is far away from home. Dracula is subtlety telling him that he is a prisoner at the castle because “a stranger in a strange land, he is no one.”
I think there would have been the same outcome. Mina would have become a slave. In Dracula we see there is definitely a strong power struggle between men and women. We even see the men trying to be the most macho head honchos they can be, and women are no mental equivalent to men. And they even make a point-to-point out that its like a supernatural occurrence if a women is potentially as smart as a man: "Ah, that wonderful Madam Mina! She has man's brain, a brain that a man should have were he much gifted, and a woman's heart.” But I also believe the men don’t want to lose another women and feel like a failure when they lost Lucy.
ReplyDeleteI think if Mina were to stay involved in the men’s effort most likely she would have given everything away to Dracula, once she became his slave. Mina is under Dracula’s possession I believe this will give her inside knowledge if they can break the hold; I believe she can give the hunters vital information on what she sees.
Kevin S