Bram Stoker made his characters stiff and appeared to be repetitive. Mina and Lucy are of similar character and temperament, while the three of Lucy’s suitors embody the same features of nobleness, courage, grit, and industry. But this way, they are able to capture the victorian ideal of perfection in both men and women that is so integral to Stoker’s narrative.
Count Dracula
Count Dracula is the main antagonist of the book ‘Dracula.’ A centuries-old vampire of obscure origins with superhuman strength, shapeshifting abilities, and some control over animals and nature. He lives in an old decrepit castle within the depths of Transylvania. His desire to move to England in search of fresh blood kickstarts events in the book. He hides an evil and cruel soul beneath a veneer of aristocratic gentlemanliness and charm. He is sadistic and unforgiving and seems to harbor a great grudge against humanity.
Although powerful, his limitations, such as the immobilizing effect of sunlight, inability to cross water or enter a victim’s home uninvited, and a vulnerability to religious artifacts like the cross and sacramental wafers, ultimately lead to Dracula’s destruction.
Van Helsing
Van Helsing is the novel’s main protagonist and the most important resource in the conflict against Dracula. He is described as a scientist of great talent as well as a philosopher and metaphysician. Van Helsing’s vast knowledge of vampire lores, coupled with his understanding of the latest advances in medicine, proves decisive in the fight against Dracula.
Van Helsing’s wisdom and mental superiority over the other protagonists come from his perfect straddling of both the old world and the new, of advancement in Science and humble reverence towards religion, which is the main theme of ‘Dracula.’ His knowledge of myths and folk superstitions comes in handy in detecting the problem, where more scientifically focused minds could not. He exudes a fatherly presence to the other protagonists and is wholly pure and selfless.
Jonathan Harker
Jonathan Harker is a solicitor who was sent to Transylvania to finalize the transfer of property in England to Dracula. He is a reasonable but naive gentleman. Despite the warnings of the natives of the area he traverses, he continues on with a great sense of duty and adventure to Dracula’s castle. Being a rational individual, he finds Dracula’s physical appearances and mannerisms odd but ignores them or refuses to take decisive action until it is a bit too late.
However, he grows within the book to become a courageous and decisive actor in the fight against Dracula. His escape from Dracula’s castle was not explained, but one can only assume it took only the greatest strength and fortitude. He is a very curious young man with an adventurous spirit and a meticulous disposition which sees him take note of interesting things he sees.
Mina Murray
Mina Murray is Jonathan Harker’s fiancée. She can be considered the heroine of the novel because of her resourcefulness, innocence, and bravery. Although a teacher, her training as a transcribed allows her to extract valuable information from Harker’s diary, which became important in the fight against Dracula. She is best of friends with Dracula’s first victim, Lucy Westerner, and their close relationship highlights her devotion and purity.
Although attacked by Dracula himself and inflicted with the virus of Vampirism, Lucy devotes her seemingly limited remaining hours to the fight against Dracula. She offered herself to be used as a psychic link to Dracula, and all these contribute to Dracula’s destruction. Lucy is an intelligent, resourceful, and pure woman in an authentic Victorian sense.
Lucy Westerna
Lucy is the young woman who first brings key members of the protagonists together as suitors who had come to ask her hand in marriage. Lucy is Incredibly attractive but also virtuous and chaste. Her tendency for sleepwalking leads her to become Dracula’s first victim in the book. Her transformation into a vampire is a tragic emotional nerve center for the book as it compromises her image of chastity and virtue. Here the evil of vampirism as a corrupter of the human soul is laid bare, and the other protagonists find this hard to deal with. Desiring for her pure soul to be restored, the protagonists overcome their initial attraction and devotion to her to kill her finally.
Arthur Holmwood
Arthur Holmwood is the suitor Lucy chooses among the three vying for her hand. The heir to a rich aristocrat’s title, Hormwood’s status as a benevolent and good noble stands in contrast to Dracula’s evil. He is a brave and intelligent protagonist who is not against making sacrifices for those he loves. He provides a huge amount of blood for Lucy’s sake, and when the time comes, he is the one that plunges a stake into the heart of the vampiric form of his lover.
John Seward
John Seward is a competent young doctor and a protege of Van Helsing. In the book, we find him occupied with the case of a mental health patient in the lunatic asylum he manages not far from Dracula’s English home. Seward’s interviews with Reinfield show both his courage and consummate passion for knowledge in his craft. He was among the suitors that proposed to Lucy and were turned down, although he retains his love for her and tries his very best to care for her during her illness. His exclusive focus on science and little knowledge of spirituality handicaps his capacity to diagnose Lucy’s condition truly.
Quincey Morris
A plainspoken American from Texas and another of Lucy’s suitors. Quincey proves himself a brave and good-hearted man, never begrudging Holmwood his success in winning Lucy’s hand. Quincey ultimately sacrifices his life in order to rid the world of Dracula’s influence. Quincy Morris is another suitor who Lucy rejected in favor of Arthur. Although saddened by the rejection, he does not allow it to affect his relationship with the other protagonists. He is very courageous and ultimately sacrifices his life in the struggle against Dracula and his agents.
Reinfeld
Reinfeld is a patient at Dr. Seward’s lunatic asylum, increasingly comes under the influence of Dracula as the book progresses. He switches between being a refined gentleman and a crazed, insect-eating lunatic. When possessed by Dracula, he is used to carrying out some of the Count’s objectives.
FAQs
Who is the most important character in ‘Dracula?’
Van Helsing. It is only until his arrival in the scene that Dracula’s nature and operations become fully understood. Armed with a wealth of information,
Who killed Dracula?
Dracula was killed by both Jonathan Harker and Quincy Morris. Harker cuts Dracula’s head off while Quincy stabs his heart with a knife.
Why is Dracula evil?
Dracula is likely evil because of his vampiric nature, which fills him with a lust for blood. In this sense, he is like a predator, and the sea of humanity around him is seen as prey.
