Belief Systems and Gender Roles in Dracula :: Dracula Essays

Belief Systems and Gender Roles in Dracula   Thither is a undefiled good versus evil plot to this novel. The evil of course being add up Dracula and the Good being represented by the Harkers, Dr. Seward and Lucy, Arthur, Quincy and the Professor. It is the continuing meshing between Dracula and the forces of good. Good in this case is the delivery boyian God. The affair is foretold by the landlady where she says, It is the eve of St Georges Day. Do you no know that tonight, when the clock strikes midnight, entirely the evil things in the being will have full swing over? and she hands Harker a crucifix (p 12).   The crucifix and the empty cross ar symbols of fear, loathing and danger to Dracula. There is a certain irony here as the cross is the ultimate symbol of redemption to all Christians. blnether or rather the dark side of humanitys turning from God is recognize and can be redeemed by coming to the cross. The cross is similarly a symbol of resur rection. The resurrection is the gift of eternal life through Christ to which all Christians can aspire. This is opposed to the Un-Dead nature of Dracula. He is immortal further it is not an eternal joyful thing. Indeed the eternity is always under threat by the very normalcy and goodness of people comparable the Harkers.   This book is set in an age where science and the humankind of the Enlightenment, that is the world of rational thought and proven theories, ruled. Dr. Seward represents this world. It is opposed to the seemingly unexplainable world of Dracula and his world of mystery and fable. The events that the different characters experience, although documented faithfully ar thought too unbelievable by Professor Van Helsing to be passed on (p 486). It is as if the truth cant be handled by the world at large or that by retaining the story to themselves the central characters will make unnecessary a very terrible but precious remembrance. A memory made p recious because of the depths of courage and faith that had to be mined by and in each of them.   This is not a case of post-modern thought dispute the modernist attitudes of that Enlightenment nor can it be because post-modernist thought was not formulated in the books context.