We've learned that Dracula is a Christian allegory, or a narrative in which symbols are used to communicate a Christian theme or message. We discussed how characters in Dracula use Catholic sacred objects and practices to protect themselves and defeat the Count, often in unorthodox ways.
Yes, there is deeper symbolism in the characters and events of Bram Stoker's Dracula. For example, the character of Count Dracula represents the fears and anxieties of Victorian society, such as the fear of foreign influences, the fear of loss of morality, and the fear of the spread of disease.
The beliefs of Stoker's generation magnified the already obscene tendencies of the character himself, adversely creating a shock-factor amongst the Victorian audience, making an epic contribution to the controversial views of sex and sexuality within the society.
Vampires and Catholicism: The Truth About the Undead // Distilled Faith
How does Dracula relate to religion?
There is an overwhelming amount of evidence that Count Dracula is more than just evil: he represents the anti-Christ himself. The male protagonists' roles within the plot only further prove this point.
It contained many elements that were considered too shocking or in bad taste for the Victorian population. This included frank descriptions of blood, violence, and sexuality. Many readers were especially disturbed by the portrayal of Dracula's three brides and Lucy Westenra after she is transformed into a vampire.
Before Deane and Balderston's 1927 transmogrification of a disgusting, blood-sucking undead monster with foul breath and hairy palms into a sexually alluring and culturally refined opera-cape-wearing gentleman whom one would plausibly invite into one's English - and Protestant - drawing room, Count Dracula was arguably ...
Vlad III Dracula would have been aware of these beliefs during his lifetime, but we can all agree that he was an avid supporter of the Eastern Orthodox faith. The Wallachian Prince was reported to have spent much of his free time in the countryside at his favorite monasteries, praying.
One of the images that Stoker uses in Dracula is the crucifix. The crucifix represents Jesus Christ's sacrifice for mankind because Christ was killed by crucifixion. The crucifix is an important image in Dracula because possession of a crucifix keeps away vampires.
In the novel, Dracula represents the epitome of evil. Not only is he evil himself, but he actually spreads his evil influence like a virus by infecting certain humans and causing them to become just like him. Conversely, the people in the vampire-hunting group, or the Crew of Light, are inherently good.
Of the plethora of fictional monsters, it is Dracula who most concisely presents to us a metaphor of hu- man evil distilled to its most insidiously perfect form. Dracula can help us understand the monsters we meet in every- day life disguised as everyday people.
Garlic, specifically the chemical compound allicin inside garlic, is a powerful antibiotic. Some European beliefs around vampires stated they were created by a disease of the blood, so a powerful antibiotic would “kill” a vampire.
Van Helsing describes him as '… strong in person as twenty men, he is of cunning more than mortal…he is brute, and more than brute, he is devil in callous, and the heart of him is not,…' Dracula's brutal strength, callous lack of care for others, and heartlessness are what make him so evil.
In 1476, while marching to yet another battle with the Ottomans, Vlad and a small vanguard of soldiers were ambushed, and Vlad was killed and beheaded — by most reports, his head was delivered to Mehmed II in Constantinople as a trophy to be displayed above the city's gates.
Some take this to mean that Stoker opted for the Wallachian, not the Szekler interpretation, thus lending more consistency to his count's Romanian identity. Although not identical to Vlad III, the vampire is portrayed as one of the "Dracula race".
A former warlord who has seen all his descendants buried, Dracula subconsciously wishes he could be brave enough to die – and in seeing the crucifix Jesus died on, Helsing posits, he's reminded of how weak he really is.
Answer and Explanation: Part of the controversy over Stoker's novel in Victorian England was the sexual overtones present in the novel, particularly the sexual connotations of the seduction element in Dracula's predatory behavior.
The director explains that, like Satan, his Dracula was a fallen angel. Coppola even visited the grave of Vlad the Impaler, the historical Dracula who was known to impale his enemies, in Bucharest.
Dracula was at its best as a period piece, allowing Moffat and Gatiss to languish in the gorgeous gothic settings and Hammer Horror inspired mood. They couldn't replicate that tone with the modern setting and they also didn't seem to have a reason to do so beyond the gimmick.
The male characters in Bram Stoker's Dracula perceive women from a misogynistic viewpoint, meaning they consider women to be the weaker sex and are venerated only for their beauty and innocence. Any behavior or action beyond this, including the expression of sexual desire, is seen as repulsive or ugly.
The movie was banned in Sweden due to excessive horror. The ban was finally lifted in 1972. All known prints and negatives were destroyed under the terms of settlement of a lawsuit by Bram Stoker's widow.
