Psychoanalytic Theory on Dacula - 1360 Words

Andy Dodge English 271 Marxist Approach of Dracula 12/17/10 According to Dictionary.com, a vampire is â€Å"a corpse, animated by an undeparted soul or demon, that periodically leaves the grave and disturbs the living, until it is exhumed and impaled or burned.† Our society’s view of Vampires has unfortunately been tarnished by several novels that shall remain nameless. Bram Stoker’s Dracula, however, is an excellent novel that shows just how menacing vampires should be. More importantly, it is a classic book that can provide many different readings and analyses. By using a Marxist approach, elements of this book can be easily compared to the oppression and eventual overthrow of a dictatorship style government. Dracula and Trannsylvania†¦show more content†¦Because of this, they are not used to oppression until Dracula moves to London. Dracula first begins his move to London when he invites Harker to visit him in his castle to talk about a real estate transaction. Harker figures out that the Dracula is keeping h im hostage, but eventually he escapes. This represents the dictator making the first advances into the neighboring country’s soil. Because Harker escapes, the middle class win the first â€Å"battle† between the dictator and the middle class. However, this makes Dracula realize he needs to get to London quickly. Lucy begins to feel mysteriously ill. Two small wounds appear on her neck from where Dracula bit her. and she is extremely sickly and pale. She is kept alive by receiving multiple blood donations. She needed one nearly every day until she finally died. Lucy eventually becomes a vampire herself and Van Helsing hunt her down and kill her. These series of events represent oppression slowly creeping up on the middle class. Dracula’s presence is directly affecting Team Van Helsing by turning Lucy into a vampire and also by instilling fear of death into the group. The oppression continues after that. Mina was also bitten by Dracula as well. In addition to bein g bitten, she was forced to drink his blood. In addition to being physically oppressed by Dracula, she is also hurt by him when he is not present. Stoker writes As he placed the Wafer on Mina s forehead, it had seared it - had burned into the