Humanity in Dracual Bram Stoker

As soon as Harker arrives, he notices strange things in Count Dracula’s vast castle. Shockingly, Dracula is capable of communicating with wolves in is compound. Dracula does not have any servant; he is living alone in a very mysterious place. Harker realizes that he is a prisoner in the Dracula’s residence and starts to hatch a plan how to escape. His efforts to escape during one evening ended in futility as he was devoured by three beautiful vampires who happen to be Dracula’s brides. He is challenged by the medical professor, Van Helsing. Bram Stoker applies figurative language to portray this unique, terrifying experience. Stoker uses alliterative figurative language to describe Jonathan’s experience in the vast castle. The author uses similar sounds of words repeatedly within a sentence or a number of sentences.

For instance, when the three women attacks Jonathan in the wee hours of the night, Stoker writes, 'I could feel the soft, shivering touch of the lips on the super sensitive skin of my throat, and the hard dents of two sharp teeth, just touching and pausing there’ (Stoker). Jonathan uses is personal journal to help him navigate his way during is confinement in the horrific castle. Stoker writes, 'Up to now I never quite knew what Shakespeare meant when he made Hamlet say, 'My tablets! Quick, my tablets! 'tis meet that I put it down,'etc. For now, feeling as though my own brain were unhinged or as if the shock had come which must end in its undoing, I turn to my diary for repose' (Stoker). The reference to Shakespeare’s classical literature is one of the examples of allusion used by Stoker in the novel.

The author uses irony as another figurative language. Blood is a very important element in a vampire novel and stories (Walsh 521). Primarily, Dracula and his brides survive on blood. It is relevant to say that vampires prefer consuming human blood. Shortly after Jonathan arrives at Dracula’s castle, he shaves his beads but accidently cuts himself. Dracula lunges at the Jonathan’s throat to consume the oozing blood. During this period, the Great Britain was losing its former glory. The once powerful political and economic block was rapidly disintegrating. Other nations such as Germany and the United States were gaining political and economic mileage. Many Britons were afraid that the Great Britain would lose its reputation as the world’s greatest power. That is why Dracula’s move to Britain represents Britons worry that foreigners, particular from East Europe are invading Britain (Walsh 525).

It is now more than a century since these events allegedly happened, but they still fascinate and repel audiences across the world. The main characters in these stories share the same qualities and values. Draconian was a male vampire who had a great appetite for blood. Similarly, Jack the Ripper was a male-heartless criminal who is believed to have been at the center of serial killings in London metropolis during the 19th century. In 1988, an unknown number of prostitutes operating in Whitechapel, London East were found murdered in cold blood by a serial killer known as Jack the Ripper (Bisang). The main narrator (Stoker) does not know the truth; he relies on bits and pieces from letters, diaries, and newspapers articles from different sources. Stocker uses Jonathan’s experience at the beginning of the novel to introduce readers to what they should expect from the remainder of the novel.

Similarly, no one knows about Jack the Ripper in and out. The article explains that all the stories being peddled about Jack the Ripper are accounts from different people. Since the police was not able to apprehend the suspect, rumors crippled from different sources. No one knew about his nationality, but it was clear that he was not English. The article explains that Jack the Ripper used to clad in black from head to toes. No one could tell his identity. He spoke perfect English but with strange connotations. This reveals that Jack the Ripper was probably a foreigner (Bisang). The novel uses figurative language to narrate the relationship between vampires and humans. Dracula holds Jonathan captive at the start of the novel before invades England to commit further atrocities. The article Dracula, Jack the Ripper and A Thirst for Blood suggest the two stories share similarities in language and themes.

It is somehow evident that Dracula by Bram Stoker is based on historical narrations of Jack the Ripper. Since both stories emerged during different times and they share similar setting and language, it is relevant to claim that they are both drawn from the same historical perspective. Gothic Studies 20. Stoker, Bram. Dracula: The Postcolonial Edition. Universitas Press, 2016. Walsh, Louise.