Dracula: Key Quotations (OCR A Level English Literature)

Dracula: Key Quotations

One of the ways to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of the text is through the effective use of quotations and references to the text. This means that summarising, paraphrasing, referencing single words and referencing plot events are all as valid as using direct quotations.

Overall, you should aim to secure a strong knowledge of the text, rather than memorising a list of pre-prepared quotations, as this will better enable you to respond to the question. It is the quality of your knowledge of the text that will enable you to select references effectively.

If you are going to revise quotations, the best way is to group them by character or theme. Below you will find definitions and analysis of the best quotations, arranged by the following key themes:

• Good vs evil

• Gender roles

• Science vs superstition

• The fear of the unknown/the “other”

Good vs evil

Good vs evil is a significant theme in Dracula and forms the basis of the narrative and the characters’ motivations.

“Do you know that tonight, when the clock strikes midnight, all the evil things in the world will have full sway?” Chapter 1, Jonathan Harker’s diary entry dated 4th May

Meaning and context

• At the start of the novel, as Harker is making his way to Castle Dracula, the innkeeper’s wife tries to warn Jonathan and stop him from going to the castle on the eve of St George’s day

Analysis

• Here, the innkeeper’s wife is desperately trying to warn Jonathan:

  • This highlights how strong and evil the entity is that Harker is going to encounter 

  • It also suggests that on this particular day, at the stroke of midnight, evil things are much more powerful than they would normally be

  • This leads the reader to assume that Dracula has deliberately invited Harker on this particular day

“Lucy Westenra, but yet how changed. The sweetness was turned to adamantine, heartless cruelty, and the purity to voluptuous wantonness” Chapter 16, Dr Seward’s diary entry

Meaning and context

• Professor Van Helsing has gathered the men and taken them to Lucy’s tomb to witness her transformation into a vampire for themselves

• Lucy appears, carrying a small child in her arms whom she has bitten

• The quote is Dr Seward’s reaction to seeing Lucy

Analysis

• Dr Seward’s shock here is evident and he comments on how she has changed from a person of “sweetness” to someone who possesses “heartless cruelty”:

  • It highlights how Dracula has not only corrupted her soul but also her kindness and humanity

  • Her purity has been replaced with a lack of care and the use of the word “voluptuous” creates a vulgar image of Lucy that would not fit into the ideals of that time

  • In life she was seen as “pure”, but as one of the un-dead, she has been sexualised and is rejected by those who once loved her and longed for her

“How good and thoughtful he is; the world seems full of good men – even if there are monsters in it” Chapter 17, Mina Murray (later Harker)

Meaning and context

• Mina makes this statement about Dr Seward as she is writing his transcript

• Dr Seward takes it upon himself to take care of Mina at this moment so that she does not feel lonely

Analysis

• Mina’s comments on Dr Seward highlight the theme of good vs evil explicitly:

  • It reminds the reader that while there is evil in the world, there must always be good to keep the balance

  • Also, Mina does not refer to Dracula as a man but as a “monster”

  • This is powerful as it reinforces the idea of duty and honour that is stereotypically assigned to men

  • In order to be considered a man, you must possess a sense of duty, as Dr Seward does in this chapter

Gender roles

Gender and the role of men and women is a strong theme in Dracula. Characters are defined by their genders and their actions are influenced by their perceived roles. When a character is seen to deviate from these conventions, the narrator either finds a way of justifying their behaviour or, in the case of a woman like Lucy, labelling it as evil.

“I am alone in the castle with those awful women. Faugh! Mina is a woman, and there is nought in common. They are devils of the Pit!” Chapter 4, Jonathan Harker

Meaning and context

• Jonathan expresses his fear and anger over being left alone in Dracula’s castle with the female vampires

Analysis

• Jonathan refers to the vampires as “women” and then immediately compares them to Mina:

  • By comparing them to Mina, he is comparing them to the image of a chaste and virtuous female

• Jonathan was almost seduced by these dangerous female vampires and, as a result, does not wish to place them in the same category as his fiancée:

  • It is evident that the dominant and sexualised characteristics that the vampires possess make them unacceptable and evil 

  • The noun is then replaced with “devils”, as he feels that is more of a befitting label for them

“I suppose there is something in a woman’s nature that makes a man free to break down before her and express his feelings on the tender or emotional side without feeling it derogatory to his manhood” Chapter 17, Mina Harker

Meaning and context

• Lord Godalming breaks down and begins to cry after reading Mina’s account of Lucy’s final days

• Quincey P Morris is also present when this happens, but he leaves the room so that Mina is alone with Lord Godalming

Analysis

• Crying is a characteristic that is traditionally assigned as feminine as it is deemed a sensitive and weak trait

• Mina states that her female presence makes it acceptable for Lord Godalming to cry without it taking away his “manhood”

• It is worth noting that Morris left the room as it would not be appropriate to witness another man’s emotions and weakness:

  • He is therefore uncomfortable with Godalming’s behaviour

“A brave man’s blood is the best thing on this earth when a woman is in trouble. You’re a man, and no mistake” Chapter 12, Van Helsing

Meaning and context

• Van Helsing and Dr Seward arrive at the house to find Lucy’s mother dead and Lucy fighting for her life 

• Quincey P Morris also arrives and offers his services, which relieves Van Helsing as he is eager to conduct a blood transfusion

• This is Van Helsing’s response to Morris’ offer

Analysis

• It is clear that Van Helsing believes that it is a man’s duty to protect a woman who is in trouble

• Morris’ blood represents masculinity and strength, and it is offered willingly to provide sustenance to the female in need:

  • This is in contrast to Dracula’s blood as this is seen as a disease that infects because he is not masculine or good

• Van Helsing's use of the word “brave” highlights how certain characteristics, such as bravery, are synonymous with honourable men and tie in with the idea of duty and service:

  • Men are the saviours and it is men who will triumph over evil and save the female in danger

Science vs superstition

Science and superstition feature heavily in Dracula as they reflect the confusion that Victorian England felt at the time. Science was advancing and more people were turning away from religion and searching for answers through scientific research. However, the rise of scientific research also saw a rise in people’s fascination with the occult and superstition. Dracula reflects these conflicting views through characters, most notably Dr Seward and Professor Van Helsing.

“It was all very ridiculous, but I did not feel comfortable. However, there was business to be done, and I could allow nothing to interfere with it” Chapter 1, Jonathan Harker

Meaning and context

• Jonathan is in Transylvania and is ready to depart for the final leg of his journey to Castle Dracula

• The innkeeper’s wife is clearly very distressed over the news that Harker will be leaving and implores him to stay

• Harker’s comments reflect his views on her behaviour and what she was telling him

Analysis

• Harker naively dismisses the innkeeper’s wife’s pleas by calling them “ridiculous”:

  • His dismissal of her pleas reflects his sceptical views when it comes to the supernatural and vampires

• However, it is worth noting that he did feel uncomfortable, which suggests an internal conflict between his rational mind and his emotions:

  • This may have been influenced by the innkeeper’s wife

  • It may be that rational, scientific conclusions may offer people a sense of comfort that is not present with the supernatural and so, by dismissing it, he is dismissing those feelings of discomfort

“Do you not think that there are things which you cannot understand, and yet which are; that some people see things that others cannot?” Chapter 14, Van Helsing

Meaning and context

• Van Helsing is attempting to convince Dr Seward of the existence of vampires by questioning him on how he thinks Lucy died and why the attacked children have the same marks on their necks as Lucy did

• Dr Seward is finding it difficult to come to a rational conclusion, which frustrates Van Helsing

Analysis

• Van Helsing is attempting to help Dr Seward broaden his understanding by questioning his beliefs:

  • It is apparent that Dr Seward is only interested in forming logical, science-based conclusions

  • This makes it difficult for him to understand that Lucy was not a victim of anything natural, but rather a victim of the supernatural

• This quote also highlights the idea of the “unseen” threat and how some people have the ability to see and understand these unseen threats while others do not

• It reflects the tension between science and logic with the supernatural and the occult

• It also touches upon the idea of perception and belief:

  • The fact that some people can see things that others cannot may be because they are open to ideas and concepts that may not seem logical or rational to those who rigidly follow science and medicine, as Dr Seward does

• However, it is clear that while Van Helsing also practises science and medicine, he is familiar with the occult, traditions and religions that many Victorians may have seen as irrelevant or based on folklore

“Ah, it is the fault of our science that it wants to explain all; and if it explain not, then it says there is nothing to explain” Chapter 14, Van Helsing

Meaning and context

• Taken from the same part of the novel as the previous quote, Van Helsing is trying to help Dr Seward understand what has happened to Lucy and the children by highlighting how science will not be able to explain the incidents that took place

Analysis

• Van Helsing is critiquing science by highlighting its limits:

  • He is also calling attention to the fact that if science cannot find a rational explanation for something, it dismisses the issue entirely by refusing its existence

• Van Helsing is also pointing out that there are things, such as supernatural occurrences, that exist outside the scope of science:

  • Even though it cannot be explained by science, it still exists and is a threat

  • In this case, vampires such as Dracula pose a dangerous threat and cannot be overlooked merely because science cannot explain their existence

• The quote also points out Dr Seward’s main flaw in the novel, as one might argue that he could not save Lucy as he refused to understand her illness if it did not fit in with his science-based beliefs:

  • This could also highlight the limits of modern scientific research and methodologies

  • It can also be argued that it was through Professor Van Helsing’s research and willingness to understand superstition and the occult that Mina was ultimately saved and Dracula was destroyed

Fear of the unknown/the “other”

This is a common Gothic theme that is present in many Gothic novels during that time period. It reflected a societal fear of invasion and “foreignness”, which terrified people during that time. It is also a psychological tool that taps into the mind of the reader and creates a sense of fear. In Dracula, the fear of the “other” is presented through the antagonist, Dracula, and his invasion of London.

“But a stranger in a strange land, he is no one; men know him not – and to know not is to care not for. I am content if I am like the rest, so that no man stops if he sees me, or pauses in his speaking if he hears my words, to say, ‘Ha, ha! A stranger!’” Chapter 2, Count Dracula

Meaning and context

• Harker compliments Dracula on his excellent proficiency in English and Dracula responds by stating that he feels he cannot speak English as a native speaker does

• He goes on to state that he wants to blend into the crowd so that no one notices him and calls him a stranger

Analysis

• Dracula has clearly made the effort to learn the technical aspects of the English language and, as a reader, you may begin to understand the efforts he has put in to be able to move to England:

  • It is clear that he has been planning to move for a long time

• It is also evident that he longs to blend in and be “like the rest”:

  • It could be inferred that Dracula is tired of being known in his native land and wants a life of obscurity

  • However, it can also be inferred that he wishes to blend in to the crowd so that he cannot be stopped by anyone when he commits his crimes

  • This taps into the fear of the unknown and the “other” who has infiltrated and invaded the land, but cannot be stopped as he cannot be seen

“Oh, the terrible struggle that I have had against sleep so often of late; the pain of the sleeplessness, or the pain of the fear of sleep, and with such unknown horror as it has for me!” Chapter 11, Lucy Westenra

Meaning and context

• At this point in the novel, Lucy is experiencing terrifying nightmares and supernatural episodes that have been brought on by Dracula who has bitten and infected her

• She is at her most vulnerable when she is asleep and, as a result, is afraid to sleep or to wait for sleep

Analysis

• It is clear that Lucy’s supernatural experiences increase when she is asleep and this has resulted in her being afraid to sleep

• The use of the word “unknown” suggests that Lucy is afraid of sleep because she does not fully know or understand what awaits her:

  • Dracula attacks her when she is in this state, which adds to her sense of fear as she does not know who attacks her but she wakes up weak