Appearance
Excerpt
Excerpt from Dracula, by Bram Stoker
So we came down this road; when we meet other ways--not always were we
sure that they were roads at all, for they be neglect and light snow
have fallen--the horses know and they only. I give rein to them, and
they go on so patient. By-and-by we find all the things which Jonathan
have note in that wonderful diary of him. Then we go on for long, long
hours and hours. At the first, I tell Madam Mina to sleep; she try, and
she succeed. She sleep all the time; till at the last, I feel myself to
suspicious grow, and attempt to wake her. But she sleep on, and I may
not wake her though I try. I do not wish to try too hard lest I harm
her; for I know that she have suffer much, and sleep at times be
all-in-all to her. I think I drowse myself, for all of sudden I feel
guilt, as though I have done something; I find myself bolt up, with the
reins in my hand, and the good horses go along jog, jog, just as ever. I
look down and find Madam Mina still sleep. It is now not far off sunset
time, and over the snow the light of the sun flow in big yellow flood,
so that we throw great long shadow on where the mountain rise so steep.
For we are going up, and up; and all is oh! so wild and rocky, as though
it were the end of the world.
Then I arouse Madam Mina. This time she wake with not much trouble, and
then I try to put her to hypnotic sleep. But she sleep not, being as
though I were not. Still I try and try, till all at once I find her and
myself in dark; so I look round, and find that the sun have gone down.
Madam Mina laugh, and I turn and look at her. She is now quite awake,
and look so well as I never saw her since that night at Carfax when we
first enter the Count’s house. I am amaze, and not at ease then; but she
is so bright and tender and thoughtful for me that I forget all fear. I
light a fire, for we have brought supply of wood with us, and she
prepare food while I undo the horses and set them, tethered in shelter,
to feed. Then when I return to the fire she have my supper ready. I go
to help her; but she smile, and tell me that she have eat already--that
she was so hungry that she would not wait. I like it not, and I have
grave doubts; but I fear to affright her, and so I am silent of it. She
help me and I eat alone; and then we wrap in fur and lie beside the
fire, and I tell her to sleep while I watch. But presently I forget all
of watching; and when I sudden remember that I watch, I find her lying
quiet, but awake, and looking at me with so bright eyes. Once, twice
more the same occur, and I get much sleep till before morning. When I
wake I try to hypnotise her; but alas! though she shut her eyes
obedient, she may not sleep. The sun rise up, and up, and up; and then
sleep come to her too late, but so heavy that she will not wake. I have
to lift her up, and place her sleeping in the carriage when I have
harnessed the horses and made all ready. Madam still sleep, and she look
in her sleep more healthy and more redder than before. And I like it
not. And I am afraid, afraid, afraid!--I am afraid of all things--even
to think but I must go on my way. The stake we play for is life and
death, or more than these, and we must not flinch.
* * * * *
Explanation
This excerpt from Dracula (1897) by Bram Stoker is a first-person account from Dr. John Seward’s diary, detailing a critical moment in the pursuit of Count Dracula. The passage occurs late in the novel, as the group—led by Van Helsing (the narrator here), Mina Harker, and others—races through the Carpathian Mountains to intercept Dracula before he reaches his castle. The tone is tense, eerie, and psychologically unsettling, blending Gothic horror, supernatural dread, and the fragility of human resilience in the face of evil.
Context Within the Novel
By this point in Dracula, the characters have discovered that Mina Harker—once a pure and rational woman—has been cursed by Dracula’s bite and is slowly transforming into a vampire. Though she resists the change, her connection to the Count grows stronger, allowing her to telepathically sense his movements (a power Van Helsing exploits through hypnosis). The group is racing against time to destroy Dracula before Mina’s transformation is complete, and this journey through the wilderness is both a physical and spiritual ordeal.
Van Helsing, the Dutch doctor and vampire hunter, is the narrator here. His voice is broken English (Stoker’s stylistic choice to emphasize his foreignness and intellectual intensity), which adds to the raw, urgent tone of the passage. The excerpt captures the uncanny shifts in Mina’s behavior, the supernatural influence of Dracula, and the desperation of the chase.
Themes in the Excerpt
The Corruption of Purity
- Mina, once the embodiment of Victorian virtue (loyal, intelligent, and chaste), is now tainted by Dracula’s curse. Her unnatural sleep, sudden vitality, and refusal of food (a classic vampiric trait) signal her gradual descent into monstrosity.
- The line "she look in her sleep more healthy and more redder than before" is deeply unsettling—her "health" is not human but vampiric, fed by dark forces.
The Limits of Human Control
- The journey is chaotic and disorienting: the roads are unclear, the horses seem to have their own will, and Van Helsing fails to hypnotize Mina (a method that previously worked).
- The loss of control extends to time and perception—Van Helsing dozes off, the sun sets abruptly, and Mina’s behavior becomes increasingly erratic.
Fear and Paranoia
- Van Helsing’s repetition of "I am afraid" underscores the psychological terror of the situation. He is not just afraid of Dracula but of Mina’s transformation and his own failure to protect her.
- The wilderness setting (rocky, desolate, "as though it were the end of the world") mirrors the moral and existential desolation they face.
The Duality of Sleep and Death
- Sleep in this passage is not restorative but sinister. Mina’s unnatural slumber suggests vampiric torpor, while Van Helsing’s failed attempts to wake her foreshadow her loss of humanity.
- The hypnotic trance (a recurring motif in Dracula) is a battle for Mina’s soul—when it fails, it signals Dracula’s growing power over her.
Sacrifice and Determination
- Despite his fear, Van Helsing presses on, knowing the stakes are "life and death, or more than these" (a reference to eternal damnation).
- The ritualistic preparation of food and fire contrasts with the supernatural horror, showing the fragile human rituals against the timeless evil of Dracula.
Literary Devices & Stylistic Choices
Unreliable Narration & Psychological Tension
- Van Helsing’s broken English ("I may not wake her though I try") creates a raw, immediate effect, as if we’re reading his unfiltered thoughts.
- His paranoia and self-doubt ("I am afraid of all things") make the reader question reality—is Mina truly changing, or is Van Helsing losing his grip?
Gothic Imagery & Atmosphere
- "the light of the sun flow in big yellow flood" → The unnatural, almost bloody description of sunlight foreshadows violence and decay.
- "all is oh! so wild and rocky, as though it were the end of the world" → The apocalyptic landscape reflects the moral and spiritual crisis.
- "great long shadow on where the mountain rise so steep" → Shadows symbolize Dracula’s looming presence and the duality of light/darkness.
Repetition & Rhythmic Prose
- "jog, jog" → The monotonous movement of the horses contrasts with the chaotic internal struggle.
- "I am afraid, afraid, afraid!" → The triple repetition amplifies the escalating dread.
- "up, and up, and up" → The relentless ascent mirrors the inevitability of their fate.
Symbolism of Food & Nourishment
- Mina eats alone, hungrily, without waiting—a vampiric trait (vampires feed on blood, not human food).
- Van Helsing’s unease at her appetite suggests she is no longer fully human.
Dramatic Irony
- The reader knows (from earlier in the novel) that Mina is being drawn to Dracula, but Van Helsing clings to hope, making his fear and denial tragic.
Significance of the Passage
Mina’s Tragic Transformation
- This moment marks the point of no return in Mina’s descent into vampirism. Her unnatural sleep, refusal of hypnosis, and eerie vitality show that Dracula’s influence is winning.
- Her smile and tenderness are uncanny—they may be genuine affection or vampiric manipulation.
The Failure of Science & Reason
- Van Helsing, a man of medicine and logic, is powerless against the supernatural. His hypnosis fails, his drugs (if any) don’t work, and even his observational skills are clouded by fear.
- This reinforces Dracula’s central theme: modernity and rationality cannot fully combat ancient evil.
The Horror of the Unknown
- The wilderness, the failing light, and Mina’s changing nature all represent the unknown terrors that defy human understanding.
- The abrupt shifts (sunset, Mina’s laughter, the horses’ instincts) create a dreamlike, nightmarish quality.
The Final Confrontation Looms
- The relentless upward climb ("we are going up, and up") symbolizes the approach to Dracula’s lair—a journey into darkness.
- Van Helsing’s resignation ("we must not flinch") shows that they are past the point of retreat; the only options are victory or annihilation.
Conclusion: Why This Passage is Masterful
Stoker’s writing here is a masterclass in Gothic horror—it blends psychological realism with supernatural dread, making the unseen terror (Dracula’s influence) more chilling than any direct monster. The uncanny shifts in Mina’s behavior, the eroding trust in perception, and the relentless, doomed pursuit create a sense of inevitable tragedy.
This excerpt is not just about a chase—it’s about the fragility of the human mind, the corruption of innocence, and the terrifying power of the unknown. Van Helsing’s fear and determination make him one of literature’s great monster hunters, but even he is not immune to doubt. The passage lingers in the mind because it doesn’t just scare us—it makes us question what we would do in his place.
Would we keep going, knowing we might fail? Or would we succumb to the darkness? That is the true horror of Dracula.