Huh, I suppose you could use that as a theme. I do feel as if change may be an important idea when it comes to the theme. Applying what you just said to the novel actually does make sense in a way.

Huh, weird how this novel isn’t talked about as much as Dracula is today in that case. You’d think with similar plot / ideas and the popularity it obtained at the time it’d still hold up today. If I can find it in my local library, I’ll definitely give it a read, though not sure if I can finish it in time.

To be honest with you, when I was using the terms conservative and liberal, I wasn’t exactly using them in a political way, at least that’s not what I had in mind. I was using them to portray a group that was more open minded / progressive vs a group that wasn’t as open minded / wanted to stick to traditional ideas in terms of the Victorian view. Though, I suppose that’s my own fault for not elaborating more? And yes, I’m aware that Stoker may have only written it for his own and others entertainment. But like you said, the environment / surroundings of his time could still influence the themes he wrote about (which I mentioned in a comment to another).

I know Victorian society at the time had progressive groups / circles, though, I believe, traditional ideas when it came to gender roles still existed / were the norm (men being part of the working class / inherently masculine, and women sticking to the domestic life / motherhood). Although, I am aware some women at this time (especially of those progressive (mid class) circles) were able to obtain education, and men were obviously able to grieve (though, because of gender roles, kind of looked down upon to do so in public / when not appropriate).

And what I mean with modern tech is stuff like the blood transfusions or the phonograph. Blood transfusions weren’t exactly new, but they weren’t that researched into, and the first transfusion on a human wasn’t somewhere until around the early 1800s. And the phonograph wasn’t exactly used until the late 1800s. But you are right, Britain was quite technologically advanced by the time the early 1900s hit. The mid-late 1800s kind of made a little pathway with these inventions for Britain to be that way. I just felt, at the time Stoker had written Dracula, these inventions were somewhat new for Victorian society at the time.

And in terms of sexuality, I feel like the ideals of Victorian society at the time was all about morals. So, I thought (putting on these ideas together), perhaps Stoker was trying to say something about the group of Victorians who adhered to these ideals / morals that were promoted at the time and maybe what they viewed about those more progressive ideas (Dracula) vs the group of Victorians who weren’t so caught up / engaged with these ideals and favored change a lot more (Van Helsing and Co.). Or maybe even Victorian ideals / expectations vs. the reality of the time.

In terms of the regression you mentioned, yeah, Eastern Europe wasn’t as developed compared to the west, but I also feel that idea could maybe apply to my interpretation since, wasn’t there a fear of regression within certain parts of Victorian society?

But yeah, progressive Victorian society vs regressive feudalism does make sense, and does make the contradictions I was having problems with easier to understand.

Lol, I knew there was going to be at least one person to not actually read it, and that’s fine! And I have come across many people saying Stoker wrote it for entertainment (his and others), or in this case, an easy out for money. I was just looking beyond a superficial meaning / trying to get a coherent meaning because I kind of have to (AP Lit class).

I’m aware that men at the time do emote, and that there was a progressive part of Victorian society (especially with the women). Though, what I meant with vulnerability was sadness in particular. Again, aware it’s totally an emotion Victorian men at the time felt, I just thought displaying it during that time (in public) was kind of frowned upon. I mean, at one point of the novel, Arthur is crying in Mina’s arms and the book takes note about how he doesn’t apologize, like it was surprised he didn’t. And though some women had progressive ideas (and even managed to achieve them in the form of education) they were still expected to take up a traditional home life of marriage and motherhood. Knowing that combined with the fact the novel seems to be commentary on the conservative part of Victorian society is why I guess I got kind of confused on what the good guys may represent. But, I can also see why you may be right in that it shouldn’t really matter / alter the conservative part of the message ‘cause, though Victorian society at the time was kind of based on conservative / traditional ideals, people still have desires / traits that may not live up to those ideals and that, in the end, the novel appeared to still get its message across either way.

Oh, how intriguing! I definitely didn’t know the revenge part of the background; however, I was kind of aware he may have been influenced by other vampiric works. And yeah, the titillation, on point.

Oooo, sounds fun. Probably me in the near future since this novel really was a joy to read! And, yeah, I’ve heard it was merely written as a fun, little book about vampires, which is great. However, being in an AP Lit class, with this novel being a choice that I picked, I kind of have to find some kind of meaning (it was on the lit fic shelf, so clearly someone thought it contained some sort of deeper meaning).

I mean, I am aware there are multiple themes, but the one I’m trying to figure out is what the good and evil represent since that seems to be the big idea (and I’m kind of doing that by looking at those other themes). Also, AP Literature class ¯_(ツ)_/¯

Yeah, so I’ve heard. Which honestly, love that. However, even if that were the case, I feel that one could still be influenced by their surroundings / environment whether consciously or unconsciously when writing a story. Also, I’m taking an AP-Lit class, and this was my choice novel (which was on my teacher’s shelf labeled literary fiction), so I kind of have to find some sort of meaning to it confused or not confused.