Lesson, Research and Reading Blog

We're getting well under way with the Dracula work now so I'm going to blog on some of the research I've done and my new thoughts after re-reading as well as what we've discussed in class.

I found last lesson really helpful as, having just finished re-reading the first section of the text, the discussions helped build upon my own thoughts. Dracula was the first of the gothic texts that I began reading in the Summer so, in a way, it was strange revisiting it as from classes and the reading of the other texts, I feel like I've learnt so much more about the gothic genre and can look at it from a different perspective. I also really enjoyed re-reading the opening chapters as, having read the novel in its entirety, I realised that certain descriptions carry a lot more meaning than I had first thought. My view towards the descriptions of settings, that I had previously found to be 'cinematic' (I'm really not a big fan of long-winded descriptions of settings), for example, I now think act as a sort of prologue. Although I agree with what was said in class with regard to the descriptions of settings being there to enhance the reader's ability to 'suspend disbelief' (verisimilitude), I think there's a metaphorical layer to the descriptions of setting and atmosphere also. For example, the 'shadows of the evening that began to creep around us' and the repeated references to things 'closing round on us from every side' could be seen to be foreshadowing the dark, shadowy nature of the Count's 'trap' in that he can never really be pinpointed but is a constant presense darkening the days and creeping up upon Lucy e.t.c. But rather than simply adding to the eerie setting, the descriptions can be deemed to be direct references to future events, for example, the coach rocking like 'a boat tossed on a stormy sea' could be a direct reference to future events in which Dracula travels to and from Whitby (particularly when travelling back to Transylvania when Lucy gets the visions of the boat).

In relation to the opening descriptions, in the lesson we talked about why making a piece of literature seem more 'real' enhances it...I won't spend too long on this topic as I think I blogged on the effectiveness of the epistolary style with regard to the gothic genre during my first reading of the text but...just to add to what I may (or may not) have already said...I think the fact that the novel is opened by the character of Harker is vitally important as he, through his descriptions, eases the reader into the mystical world, leading them to buy into the idea of Dracula and the superstitions of the Transylvanian people. In class we talked about how the extracts we were given of the opening descriptions (on the hand-out 'Verisimilitude in the opening of Dracula') became increasingly imaginative i.e. increased inclusion of figurature language, similes and metaphors. This steady journey from seemingly factual detail that the reader would be familiar with ('It takes a lot of water...to sweep the outside edge of a river clear') to more abstract description to describe things that the readers perhaps wouldn't be familiar with ('we passed a leiter-wagon-the ordinary peasant's cart-with its long snakelike vertebra') mirrors Harker's journey not only literally in terms of unknown land but also in terms of him becoming so emersed in the society that her starts to buy into and belief in their superstitions - Harker does attempt to hold onto his logical sensibility, reasoning things out (a key aspect of the gothic genre - logic and science vs. myth) BUT...as the audience is encouraged to do, can't help but 'suspend his disbelief' and believe in the myth saying 'It was within a few minutes of midnight. This gave me a sort of shock, for I suppose the general superstition about midnight was increased by my recent experiences. I waited with a sick feeling of suspense'. To summarise...I think the increasingly 'abstract' language used by Stoker in the opening descriptions of Harker's journey eases the reader in to 'suspend their disbelief' and buy into the mysticism in the same way that Harker does as he finds himself more and more emersed in Transylvanian culture. Quite a nice mirror...with the reader and Harker going on a journey together...empathy is set up.

Also...the fact that Harker describes things as if to a British audience e.g. describing Slovaks as 'Barbarian' (only 'Barbarian' by British standards) creates empathy and sets up a sense of familiarity. One last point about the journey from the 'normal' and the 'real' to the mythical...I think the way in which Stoker almost, in describing the people, uses stereotypes and stereotypes that the British readers would be familar with e.g. likening the peasants to those seen in 'old missals' makes the distinction between what's real and what's made-up less...distinct! Which in itself aids the reader's suspension of disbelief as Harker is basically saying 'You know the stereotypes that us English people have of Transylvania and the people living there? That's what it's really like' ... blurring lines between reality and fiction (seems to be what it's all about in the gothic). Through Harker, we get some (as mentioned before) seemingly factual descriptions initially...which don't detract from the reader's belief in Harker as the writer as he states he has researched before his trip...well...when I was doing my research on Transylvanian history, I discovered that Stoker never went to Transylvania and had only researched it himself therefore...he is basically writing what the findings of his research had been (elaborated on, obviously) and passing it off as the truth when, in actual fact, his research could have been made-up. Which makes the blurring lines of reality/fiction all the more confusing.

Speaking of research...I know it was our homework after this lesson to research Vlad the Impaler but I'd already done that as part of my 'History of Transylvania' research so I don't really want to blog about that for too long...all I shall say is...following my research I now sort of understand all the states and sections of Transylvania and what is now Romania better...the history is sort of explained by the Count in the novel but anything remotely to do with geography automatically confuses me so a bit of research has done me good. Also...with regard to Vlad...from my research, I've got the impression that although he may have been the inspiration for Dracula, seeing as Stoker had only heard the rumours and myths surrounding him and elaborated on them himself, they've ended up being far from the truth. Yes, Vlad seems to have been a rather bloody-thirsty ruler...but only in the metaphorical sense...NOT in the literal sense as Stoker would have us believe! Still, as we discussed with regard to 'versimilitude', the fact that it finds its roots in some sort of truth enhances the audience's ability to buy into the mythical side to it...linked to reality.

I know I had loads more to blog about but I fear I've gone on for too long already...final pointers though...1) I was surprised to discover that the superstitions spoken of in the opening of Dracula are still very much alive in Transylvania today...perhaps the superstitions were even fuelled by Stoker's writing!! 2) The 'Queer Theory' research interested me as I see how it can be related to Dracula...especially after reading the 'Vampires and Gender' article from the previous lesson so will have to bare those theories in mind when re-reading further 3) In my re-reading the repetition of words like 'seemed' and 'appeared' were even more obvious than they were the first time in re-enforcing the idea of blurred lines of reality/fiction...Harker's increasing fear and uncertainty.

Off to refresh my memory on Vlad, research into Victorian morality and keep on with the re-reading...if anyone's interested, one of the sites I used to research the history of Transylvania and Vlad was this one...http://dracula-transylvania.blogspot.com/ which is...Shock! Horror! Someone's blog! It's got bits of documentary footage within the project that helped me understand the context more...good stuff.