„Dracula“ was the smash hit of 1897 – the convoluted novel by Irish author Bram Stoker became an instant classic of the supernatural or „Gothic“ genre. Celebrated as the choice for Dublin's „One City One Book“ initiative in 2009 it was infused with new blood, so to say. Let's take a closer look at this Irish masterwork.
Dracula – What is it About?
Just in case you were locked in a damp cellar and a coffin those last 112 years - „Dracula“ was the first really popular vampire novel and the blueprint for things to come. The story is basically concerned with the trials and tribulations of Jonathan Harker and assorted friends and associates after the unwitting Harker brokered a real estate deal for the mysterious Transsylvanian Count Dracula.
Dracula takes ship to England and, once landing (minus crew) in Whitby, spreads fear and vampirism across Harker's homeland. Enter several opponents, including the famed vampire expert Abraham van Helsing, and the whole show heads for a showdown back in Transylvania. Leaving several people dead (and undead) along the way.
Is Dracula Great Literature?
Well, yes and now – the structuring of the novel in letters, diaries and other writings brings with it an authenticity that many other supernatural novels lack. It also has a sense of accuracy, helped by Stoker perusing railway timetables and the Baedeker. Unfortunately his description of Transylvania leaves a bit to be desired. But overall it is a classic and, yes, a great one too.
Is Dracula Pure Horror or More?
More – in 1897 „invasion stories“ were all the vogue. From space aliens to pesky Germans, everybody was knocking on Merry Old England's door. So, why not a vampire from Transylvania? Dracula combined several perceived threats in one: He was a foreigner buying up English property; he was a seducer of innocent women, luring them to „a fate worse than death“; he was spreading a hideous disease.
Basically Dracula pulled all the right strings – women could swoon over him in the knowledge that a closer contact would be their undoing, men could hate him because they had neither his seductive powers nor his stamina. And every true-blooded son (or daughter) of the empire knew that those foreigners coming over were up to no good. Dracula was the ultimate horror for everyone, even before the fangs came out ...
Where did Stoker get his Ideas for Dracula
While the Count in his more vivid moments was modelled on Stokers employer, the actor Henry Irving, Dracula in his coffin was apparently inspired by a Dublin attraction – the mummies of St. Michan's Church. According to Dublin lore, Stoker visited the creepy crypt when a deceased relative was interred there.
Other inspiration came from Rumanian history – in the form of Vlad „the Impaler“, ruler of medieval Transsylvania, hero of the fight against the Turks, member of the Order of the Dragon („dragul“) ... and less-then-fondly remembered for his expertise in mass impalings of prisoners.
What Dracula-Connected Attractions are in Ireland?
The National Library of Ireland has a good collection of material on and by Stoker – this is available on request for bona-fide researchers. The house where Bram Stoker lived is quite near, just a bit uphill in fact, at No. 30 Kildare Street. A small collection of Stoker material is also found at the Dublin Writers Museum. And don't forget St. Michan's Church, where the mummies that inspired Stoker may still send shivers down your spine.
The Dracula exhibition next to the Bar Code is, however, best avoided.
