Click on the links below to read this week's lectures on Dracula. These lectures are designed to help you understand the historical, cultural, and political milieu that influenced the writing of Stoker's Dracula. Make sure to review these lectures carefully as they will aid you not only in your analysis of this week's readings but also with the assignments and tests in the course.
Dracula - Origins of the Gothic
Dracula - The Gothic at the Fin de Siecle
Also, as most scholars consider Dracula to be the most popular Gothic text ever written, it is important to understand how the Gothic genre functions in literature. The videos below trace the origins of genre, explore the dominant themes and popular motifs found in Gothic literature, and investigate the cultural history of the vampire.
httos://www.voutube.com/watch?v=gNohDegna00&feature=emb title
httos://www.voutube.com/watch?v= oThKRmvSoU&feature=emb title
PROMPT
Why does Dracula want to move to England? What do you make of his collection of English books, maps, etc. and his desire to speak like an English gentleman? Why might Dracula's move to England and his collection of English texts be viewed as preparations for war to Victorian readers?
Sample Solution