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Dracula: A Norton Critical Edition
“In Dracula, we find a monster who takes away our agency, our choice—even as he consumes us. The fantasy of becoming a vampire is a myth of exceptionalism— nobody fantasizes about being the random peasant whom the titular Count devours. Instead, people are thrilled by the thought of turning into vampires themselves—becoming the most powerful consumer, the apex predator. And until we recognize that we have far more in common with prey than predator, we will always feel the vampire's pull. I hope Norton's vital new addition to the conversation about Stoker’s work will cause readers to look at this old story with new to question our preconceptions and refocus our own narrative lenses. Dracula remains evergreen, I'm afraid—because within our monsters... we may find ourselves.” —Kate Hamill (playwright/actor)
This Norton Critical Edition
The first edition of the novel, published by Archibald Constable in London in 1897 and chosen by the editors in order to give readers—insofar as such a thing is possible—a more historically authentic reading experience than has been generally available. Arcane words and usages are footnoted at first appearance.
Editorial matter by John Edgar Browning and David J. Skal.
Eight background pieces, five of them new to the Second Edition, on Count Dracula specifically and vampires more generally; seven reviews and reactions to Dracula’s publication, five of them new to the Second Edition; and six selections, two of them new to and two others updated for the Second Edition, on Dracula’s many dramatic and filmic variations.
Eleven critical essays on Dracula’s central themes, six of them new to the Second Edition.
A selected bibliography.
About the Series?
Read by more than 12 million students over fifty-five years, Norton Critical Editions set the standard for apparatus that is right for undergraduate readers. The three-part format—annotated text, contexts, and criticism—helps students to better understand, analyze, and appreciate the literature, while opening a wide range of teaching possibilities for instructors. Whether in print or in digital format, Norton Critical Editions provide all the resources students need.?
“The notes in Dracula are exactly at the right level for students. The headnotes are extremely helpful. It really does [meet the needs of today's students]. It is my favorite NCE to teach.” —Carrie D. Shanafelt, Fairleigh Dickinson University
This Norton Critical Edition
The first edition of the novel, published by Archibald Constable in London in 1897 and chosen by the editors in order to give readers—insofar as such a thing is possible—a more historically authentic reading experience than has been generally available. Arcane words and usages are footnoted at first appearance.
Editorial matter by John Edgar Browning and David J. Skal.
Eight background pieces, five of them new to the Second Edition, on Count Dracula specifically and vampires more generally; seven reviews and reactions to Dracula’s publication, five of them new to the Second Edition; and six selections, two of them new to and two others updated for the Second Edition, on Dracula’s many dramatic and filmic variations.
Eleven critical essays on Dracula’s central themes, six of them new to the Second Edition.
A selected bibliography.
About the Series?
Read by more than 12 million students over fifty-five years, Norton Critical Editions set the standard for apparatus that is right for undergraduate readers. The three-part format—annotated text, contexts, and criticism—helps students to better understand, analyze, and appreciate the literature, while opening a wide range of teaching possibilities for instructors. Whether in print or in digital format, Norton Critical Editions provide all the resources students need.?
“The notes in Dracula are exactly at the right level for students. The headnotes are extremely helpful. It really does [meet the needs of today's students]. It is my favorite NCE to teach.” —Carrie D. Shanafelt, Fairleigh Dickinson University
- GenresFiction
585 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 15, 2021
19 people are currently reading
18 people want to read
About the author
Bram Stoker
2,687 books5,898 followersIrish-born Abraham Stoker, known as Bram, of Britain wrote the gothic horror novel
Dracula
(1897).
The feminist Charlotte Mathilda Blake Thornely Stoker at 15 Marino crescent, then as now called "the crescent," in Fairview, a coastal suburb of Dublin, Ireland, bore this third of seven children. The parents, members of church of Ireland, attended the parish church of Saint John the Baptist, located on Seafield road west in Clontarf with their baptized children.
Stoker, an invalid, started school at the age of seven years in 1854, when he made a complete and astounding recovery. Of this time, Stoker wrote, "I was naturally thoughtful, and the leisure of long illness gave opportunity for many thoughts which were fruitful according to their kind in later years."
After his recovery, he, a normal young man, even excelled as a university athlete at Trinity college, Dublin form 1864 to 1870 and graduated with honors in mathematics. He served as auditor of the college historical society and as president of the university philosophical society with his first paper on "Sensationalism in Fiction and Society."
In 1876, while employed as a civil servant in Dublin, Stoker wrote a non-fiction book (The Duties of Clerks of Petty Sessions in Ireland, published 1879) and theatre reviews for The Dublin Mail, a newspaper partly owned by fellow horror writer J. Sheridan Le Fanu. His interest in theatre led to a lifelong friendship with the English actor Henry Irving. He also wrote stories, and in 1872 "The Crystal Cup" was published by the London Society, followed by "The Chain of Destiny" in four parts in The Shamrock.
In 1878 Stoker married Florence Balcombe, a celebrated beauty whose former suitor was Oscar Wilde. The couple moved to London, where Stoker became business manager (at first as acting-manager) of Irving's Lyceum Theatre, a post he held for 27 years. The collaboration with Irving was very important for Stoker and through him he became involved in London's high society, where he met, among other notables, James McNeil Whistler, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. In the course of Irving's tours, Stoker got the chance to travel around the world.
The Stokers had one son, Irving Noel, who was born on December 31, 1879.
People cremated the body of Bram Stoker and placed his ashes placed in a display urn at Golders green crematorium. After death of Irving Noel Stoker in 1961, people added his ashes to that urn. Despite the original plan to keep ashes of his parents together, after death, people scattered ashes of Florence Stoker at the gardens of rest.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bram_Stoker
The feminist Charlotte Mathilda Blake Thornely Stoker at 15 Marino crescent, then as now called "the crescent," in Fairview, a coastal suburb of Dublin, Ireland, bore this third of seven children. The parents, members of church of Ireland, attended the parish church of Saint John the Baptist, located on Seafield road west in Clontarf with their baptized children.
Stoker, an invalid, started school at the age of seven years in 1854, when he made a complete and astounding recovery. Of this time, Stoker wrote, "I was naturally thoughtful, and the leisure of long illness gave opportunity for many thoughts which were fruitful according to their kind in later years."
After his recovery, he, a normal young man, even excelled as a university athlete at Trinity college, Dublin form 1864 to 1870 and graduated with honors in mathematics. He served as auditor of the college historical society and as president of the university philosophical society with his first paper on "Sensationalism in Fiction and Society."
In 1876, while employed as a civil servant in Dublin, Stoker wrote a non-fiction book (The Duties of Clerks of Petty Sessions in Ireland, published 1879) and theatre reviews for The Dublin Mail, a newspaper partly owned by fellow horror writer J. Sheridan Le Fanu. His interest in theatre led to a lifelong friendship with the English actor Henry Irving. He also wrote stories, and in 1872 "The Crystal Cup" was published by the London Society, followed by "The Chain of Destiny" in four parts in The Shamrock.
In 1878 Stoker married Florence Balcombe, a celebrated beauty whose former suitor was Oscar Wilde. The couple moved to London, where Stoker became business manager (at first as acting-manager) of Irving's Lyceum Theatre, a post he held for 27 years. The collaboration with Irving was very important for Stoker and through him he became involved in London's high society, where he met, among other notables, James McNeil Whistler, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. In the course of Irving's tours, Stoker got the chance to travel around the world.
The Stokers had one son, Irving Noel, who was born on December 31, 1879.
People cremated the body of Bram Stoker and placed his ashes placed in a display urn at Golders green crematorium. After death of Irving Noel Stoker in 1961, people added his ashes to that urn. Despite the original plan to keep ashes of his parents together, after death, people scattered ashes of Florence Stoker at the gardens of rest.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bram_Stoker
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
March 6, 2025
Unfortunately, I didn’t get BA paper vibes from this one. Pray for me that I find some proposal to hand in.
Also, Dracula himself literally got like 3 lines??? I missed his experience being conveyed in the book, I liked the letter format but he could’ve written one as well I feel. Also, I think Dracula as a character is quite misunderstood, to me he seems in love with Jonathan and suffering from an illness that he can’t really cure. Because of this, he needs to feed. I think it’s significant that Jonathan was with him for months and he didn’t feed on him. He did, however, cross oceans to feed on Jonathan’s wife… jealousy?
Overall, I think this was a great story. There was a big medical focus which interested me greatly. I love Victorian literature :)
Update- I apparently did get BA paper vibes LOL, just delayed.
Monstrous motherhood and menstrual pathologies here I comeeeee
Also, Dracula himself literally got like 3 lines??? I missed his experience being conveyed in the book, I liked the letter format but he could’ve written one as well I feel. Also, I think Dracula as a character is quite misunderstood, to me he seems in love with Jonathan and suffering from an illness that he can’t really cure. Because of this, he needs to feed. I think it’s significant that Jonathan was with him for months and he didn’t feed on him. He did, however, cross oceans to feed on Jonathan’s wife… jealousy?
Overall, I think this was a great story. There was a big medical focus which interested me greatly. I love Victorian literature :)
Update- I apparently did get BA paper vibes LOL, just delayed.
Monstrous motherhood and menstrual pathologies here I comeeeee
April 3, 2025
I originally started reading Dracula for a class, but I finished the book after dropping the class. I don’t know why I thought there was going to be stark differences from Nosferatu, so i was surprised by the similarities. I thought it was so cool to read this classic around the same time I watched the new movie. I’m very hit or miss with classics: despite some lulling in the middle this book is amazing. It’s interesting to think of in a historical context, and to see how other book drew inspiration from the gothic fiction.
Read
December 1, 2025started off very fun but as van helsing's role and monologuing grew... so too my interest in any of the happenings did wane! alas!
November 7, 2024
Read for class. Would personally not have chosen it. I did appreciate the ending of the book.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews