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Character profiles - Coggle Diagram
Character profiles
Dracula
Dracula is the antagonist of the novel, he is what sets the whole narrative of the book in motion, in addition the book is titled after him (eponymous). He is also used to describe the supernatural and the strange that cannot be understood.
Could it be argued that Dracula is a scapegoat to justify the means that the vampire hunters would go to eradicate him.
Dracula is depicted to have supernatural powers that are incomprehensible by the characters in the book, such as: incredible strength, shape shifting and more. However, he is shown to our weaknesses, the sun, holy water etc..
Dracula is now far known as the king or the origin of vampires and there have been several adaptations of the character over time, the character of Dracula continues to change and alter over the course of the years.
Dracula is used to express the theme of the fear of the foreign, as well as the fear of invasion, as he is used to depict the idea of stealing the women and making them like him, it presents him in an almost tyrannical image.
Abraham Van Helsing
Van Helsing could be said to be the complete antithesis of Dracula, as he is the guiding light that helps the other vampire hunters kill Dracula.
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Van Helsing is an interesting character as he emphasises both the faction of Science, as well as Religion, he is portrayed to have a balance of both and unlike other characters, he does not dismiss the supernatural, in fact he actually embraces the idea.
Van Helsing was the 'leader; of the vampire hunters, the oldest of them all and therefore he is shown to be the wisest, so much so that all the other constructs have had to lean on him for support. Furthermore, Van Helsing has been shown to have personal one-on-one conversations with the other constructs.
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The reader cannot forget that Van Helsing is a foreigner. On one hand, he emphasises that idea: 'touched me by the ear'. On the other hand, especially later in the novel, Van Helsing integrates to Victorian England society as he is a helpful figure who without, the reader thinks that the others could not have defeated Dracula with him.
Arthur Holmwood
Arthur is shown to have a higher status than that of the other characters, despite that, he still joins the other men to hunt down Dracula. this suggests that the threat of Dracula affects everyone, Stoker may have used the difference in Arthur's situation (upper class) to present a unified force against the evil of Dracula.
Arthur is very important as he could be argued that he was the most affected by |Lucy's death and her transformation.
"Arthur threw himself on his knees , and hid his face"
Holmwood is presented to be vulnerable when he loses Lucy, this type of behaviour was not expected of a man, especially one from an aristocratic family.
Renfield
He is a mad man who was influenced by the powers of Dracula, he is a "zoophagus" who is fascinated by animals.
Renfield is used to emphasise the powers of Dracula, especially as his moods is always fluctuating.
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'calm at the moon rising, violent when it sets'
Renfield was used to portray the theme of madness in the novel, he could also be linked to the Victorian attitude towards madness. Renfield was studied: "strange case of Renfield", he was treated like an animal which resembled the treatment of those struggling with madness.
Furthermore, Renfield is also used to suggest a link between the moon and madness, as well as implying how the supernatural is at it's most powerful at night.
Quincey Morris
He was one of Lucy's suitor, due to this, he also later becomes a vampire hunter.
He is an American, the reader finds it interesting that he was the only vampire hunter that died, yet he retains an honour, which was that the child of Harker and Mina was named after him.