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Dracula: Bram Stoker
The popular appeal of Bram Stoker's Count Dracula, now over a hundred years old, shows little sign of waning. No other monster has endured and proliferated in quite the same way--even if we now seem to prefer interviewing, rather than staking, our vampires. It is only over the last twenty years, however, that Dracula has begun to receive much serious critical attention. The essays in this book represent the most significant contemporary work on the novel from a wide variety of theoretical perspectives, including Marxist, psychoanalytical, historicist, and feminist, forming a unique collection which engages questions about the psychological and social significance of this highly transgressive and enduringly popular text.
225 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1998
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
February 17, 2020
It seems strange to me to review a book that was published over 120 years ago and is as famous as is Bran Stoker's Dracula, but I've been trying to read more famous and classic books lately and this has always been at the top of my "want-to-read" list.
It's interesting that at the time of its publication, Dracula apparently wasn't all that well received by late Victorian readers. I can understand why. It gets a bit tedious. Stylistically Stoker used the technique of presenting the story in the form of letters, telegrams, newspaper clippings, diary pages, journal entries and dictations from the participants. All except Dracula, that is! It was surprising to me just how sparsely Count Dracula actually appears in the book. His presence is always felt and forms a constant sense of foreboding, but rarely does he actually interact with any of the other protagonists. And that became problematic for me.
After a few truly interesting opening chapters, the book bogs down. The main characters dwell long and hard about what to do and when they finally decide their course of action, they ponder, plan, revise, ponder some more, antagonize and discuss at GREAT length before they actually act. Also Stoker would frequently use the rather cinematic technique of telling numerous sides of the story from different perspectives. Also, quite frankly, the ending of the story is quite anti-climatic considering all that led up to it.
However, I can't deny the huge impact this book has had on the entertainment industry. Following the popularity of the 1931 Tod Browning-Bela Lugosi film the world seemed to become obsessed with vampire tales, and that obsession continues today. Interestingly, that film was actually based on a stage place, which was based on the book. It is significantly different than the novel and omits several characters and some crucial plot points. But it truly captured the public's imagination and there are now literally hundreds of vampire stories told for the stage, screen(s), books, comics and more. Dracula might be the most famous movie monster of them all and I'm glad I finally read the source.
It's interesting that at the time of its publication, Dracula apparently wasn't all that well received by late Victorian readers. I can understand why. It gets a bit tedious. Stylistically Stoker used the technique of presenting the story in the form of letters, telegrams, newspaper clippings, diary pages, journal entries and dictations from the participants. All except Dracula, that is! It was surprising to me just how sparsely Count Dracula actually appears in the book. His presence is always felt and forms a constant sense of foreboding, but rarely does he actually interact with any of the other protagonists. And that became problematic for me.
After a few truly interesting opening chapters, the book bogs down. The main characters dwell long and hard about what to do and when they finally decide their course of action, they ponder, plan, revise, ponder some more, antagonize and discuss at GREAT length before they actually act. Also Stoker would frequently use the rather cinematic technique of telling numerous sides of the story from different perspectives. Also, quite frankly, the ending of the story is quite anti-climatic considering all that led up to it.
However, I can't deny the huge impact this book has had on the entertainment industry. Following the popularity of the 1931 Tod Browning-Bela Lugosi film the world seemed to become obsessed with vampire tales, and that obsession continues today. Interestingly, that film was actually based on a stage place, which was based on the book. It is significantly different than the novel and omits several characters and some crucial plot points. But it truly captured the public's imagination and there are now literally hundreds of vampire stories told for the stage, screen(s), books, comics and more. Dracula might be the most famous movie monster of them all and I'm glad I finally read the source.
March 24, 2015
Vibrante, particolare, irripetibile nello stile e proprio per questo aspetto resta speciale nella sua autenticità.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews