Early Reactions to Dracula
Bram Stoker's "Dracula" was released in 1897. At the time of it's release, many of the concepts presented in the book were new to readers in this time period. One of the most prominent effects of the novel is the popularization of old legends and Stoker's use of superstition. Paul Adams details an old review that "Dracula" has two things which are remarkable: "...the confident reliance on superstition as furnishing the groundwork for a modern story; and the second... is the bold adaptation of the legend to such ordinary spheres of latter-day existence..." (1)
The legends of the vampire and the were-wolf existed long before "Dracula" was released. But people in the late nineteenth century didn't have a clear idea or set of rules relating to these mythical creatures. Bram Stoker brought them to the light with his novel. A review from the Manchester Guardian after the book was released says, "A writer who attempts in the nineteenth century to rehabilitate the ancient legends of the were-wolf and the vampire has set himself a formidable task." (2) Stoker brought these creatures into a well developed story and made them accessible to a wide audience. In doing this, the review goes on to say, "...the reader must reluctantly acknowledge that the region for horrors has shifted its ground." This is in regard to superstitions becoming viable topics for horror fiction.
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Though Dracula, as a character, was a spectacle for readers at the time, people hardly read past his existence as a vampire until decades. A review from 1897 in the Pall Mall Gazette suggests, "...the story deals with the Vampire King, and it is horrid and creepy to the last degree." (3) Dracula would not be analyzed as a deeper character until the story was brought to the big screen in the 1950s, and the portrayal of the character by talented actors prompted further examination of who Dracula is. (1)
Works Cited
(1) Adams, Paul. Written in Blood: A Cultural History of the British Vampire. The History Press, 2014. Google Books. Web. 15 October 2018.
(2) Niland, Lauren. "Bram Stoker's Dracula: a review from 1897." The Guardian, Guardian News, 20 April 2012, https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/from-the-archive-blog/2012/apr/20/bram-stoker-centenary-dracula-review
(3) Miller, Elizabeth. ed. Bram Stoker’s Dracula: A Documentary Volume (Dictionary of Literary Biography, vol 304), Detroit: Gale, 2004.
I think it's very interesting to see how Stoker was able to almost "set the standard" for these types of stories simply by being one of the first authors to tackle such a subject in his writing. Since we, as readers today, are largely familiar with common aspects of horror stories, I always wondered how people at the time would have reacted to such a novel. Perhaps the fact that the novel was almost "alien" to readers at the time prevented it from being analyzed fully until years later, like you mentioned in your blog; this makes me look forward to watching a movie version of the story in class to see how the filmmakers tackled their interpretations. Great job!
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ReplyDeleteThis post was very interesting to read. I think that the analysis of how Dracula has been perceived and evolved through time is something we, as a society, should pay close attention. How Dracula is read now is entirely different from the 19th century. In my opinion, I think that this allows the literary mind to wander into different conclusions, which makes Dracula such a great read. This novel does not have the same impact today as it did, but it is still enjoyable to read it as if we are still within a world of superstition and little to none scientific explanation.
Awesome!
Interesting stuff! This actually addressed one of my earliest questions about the story (how much people really knew about vampires when it was written). I wonder now if Nosferatu as a legend existed before Dracula, or if it was an offshoot that came from the book itself. Either way it's pretty apparent that Dracula had an immense impact on the genre of horror.
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