Read length: 6 minutes. Click here to view on youtubeDracula by Bram Stoker - Short version
Jonathan Harker, a young solicitor from England, embarks on a journey to Transylvania to assist Count Dracula, a nobleman from the Carpathian Mountains, with the purchase of an estate in England. Harker is struck by the eerie and remote landscape of Dracula's homeland, and his apprehensions grow as he approaches the Count's castle. Upon arrival, he is greeted by the imposing and peculiar figure of Count Dracula, whose strange appearance and nocturnal habits unsettle him.
Dracula's hospitality initially seems genuine, but Harker soon realizes he is a prisoner in the castle. His unease deepens when he witnesses Dracula scaling the castle walls like a lizard and discovers that the Count has no reflection in mirrors. Exploring the castle, Harker finds a room filled with old coffins and a library containing books on English culture, hinting at Dracula's obsession with moving to England. Harker's fears are confirmed when he encounters three vampire women who try to seduce and kill him, only to be stopped by Dracula.
Desperate to escape, Harker manages to climb down the castle walls and make his way to a nearby monastery. The monks care for him until he is well enough to return to England. Meanwhile, Dracula boards a ship called the Demeter, bound for England, carrying with him boxes of his native soil, which he needs to rest and regain strength. The ship's voyage is marked by a series of mysterious deaths among the crew, and it arrives in England with only the captain's lifeless body tied to the helm.
In England, Mina Murray, Harker's fiancée, is staying with her friend Lucy Westenra in the coastal town of Whitby. Lucy, who has recently accepted a marriage proposal from Arthur Holmwood, begins to exhibit signs of illness, including sleepwalking and a severe loss of blood. Dr. John Seward, who runs an insane asylum and is one of Lucy's suitors, is baffled by her condition and calls in his former mentor, Professor Abraham Van Helsing.
Van Helsing arrives and quickly suspects that Lucy is the victim of a vampire. Despite administering multiple blood transfusions from her suitors — Seward, Holmwood, and the American Quincey Morris — Lucy dies. Her death is marked by strange occurrences, and soon after, reports emerge of a "bloofer lady" attacking children in the area. Van Helsing, Seward, Holmwood, and Morris track Lucy to her tomb and confront the horror of her transformation into a vampire. They perform a ritual to release her soul, driving a stake through her heart and decapitating her.
Jonathan Harker, having recovered from his ordeal, returns to England and marries Mina. He shares his experiences with her, and she helps him organize his notes and journals. The couple soon realizes that Dracula is in England and responsible for Lucy's death. As Dracula begins to prey on Mina, the group, led by Van Helsing, vows to destroy him.
They uncover Dracula's lairs in London and sterilize them with holy wafers, forcing the vampire to flee. Using Mina's psychic connection to Dracula, the group traces his movements and learns he is returning to his castle in Transylvania. The pursuit takes them across Europe, with Mina providing crucial insights despite her weakening condition.
In a dramatic final confrontation near Dracula's castle, the group splits into two: one group travels by river to intercept Dracula's box of earth, while the other approaches the castle by land. They manage to reach Dracula just as he is about to enter the castle. In the ensuing battle, Jonathan Harker and Quincey Morris deliver the fatal blows, stabbing Dracula in the heart and beheading him. As Dracula's body disintegrates into dust, Mina is released from his influence.
Tragically, Quincey Morris succumbs to his injuries and dies surrounded by his friends. The surviving members of the group return to England, deeply affected by their experiences but grateful for the bond they have formed and the evil they have vanquished.
Reflection.
"Dracula" by Bram Stoker conveys the enduring power of friendship, courage, and resilience in the face of profound evil. The novel highlights the importance of unity and collective action, showing how a diverse group of individuals can come together to confront and overcome darkness. It underscores the tension between science and superstition, suggesting that a balance of both is necessary to understand and combat the unknown. The story's emphasis on sacrifice and the triumph of good over evil remains a timeless reminder of the human spirit's capacity to fight against and ultimately vanquish malevolence.