While I am loathe to use historical context as an argument in support of an abstract concept, such as the value of a work of literature or philosophy, we must remember that ‘Dracula’ is a product of the romantic period, a period in which the authors were very aware of the functionalist nature of the metaphor that they utilized. Dracula, the character, is a symbol for forces that are not meant to be conflated with human nature entirely, as is evident by such quotes as…

“And yet, unless my senses deceive me, the old centuries had, and have, powers of their own which mere ‘modernity’ cannot kill.”

These words, I feel, are central to the understanding of the novel. Romantic literature and poetry was riddled with references not only to human emotion, but to what could be referred to as objective symbolism and its effect upon the psyche. We see littered about the works of poets such as Lord Byron and Percy Bysshe Shelley the ruinous remnants of dead civilizations, and a sense of wonder that human beings such as ourselves were responsible for such monuments, and this is a veritable revelation into the traditional understanding of spiritual concepts. For as much as there is a literal layer to such symbols, as well as a personal and interpretive layer, there is a somewhat metaphorical layer between the two that affects the consciousness of those who experience it. Odysseus was not only a person we can relate to by comparison of his emotion to our own, but a symbol in a complex interaction of symbols that reveals the poetic soul of Greek poetry and pagan morality: a battle between intellect and natural law; and we all know the influence of classical poetry on romantic poets and authors!

In light of this, these articles should make sense of the novel and the subject at hand:

- http://bonald.wordpress.com/2010/08/11/the-meaning-of-vampires/

- http://bonald.wordpress.com/in-defense-of-human-sacrifice/4/#sacrifice4

If you are going to interpret ‘Dracula’ within a humanist context, then I feel that your criticisms hold. I also do not think it is wrong to interpret ‘Dracula’ in this context if it suits you to do so, but in the context of its time and of the well-informed classicist, ‘Dracula’ crushes Twilight with an iron fist.

rue Blood et Les vampires de Mahathan m’ont particuliérement déçu. Depuis quand est-ce que les vampires vivent parmis les humais et v’ont chercher le déjeuné au super marcher ?! Depuis quand ils ont besoin de quémender les électricien pour qu’ils viennes chez eux ?! Dans le livre ils peuvent manipuler les pensée des gens, alors pourquoi ne le ferait-ils pas ?! Et c’est quoi cette histoire de dealer de sang de vampires a la noix ?!

Les Vampire de Mahathan eux, ne sont méme plus vraiment des vampire mais juste des anges déchu qui vivent parmi les humains en formant des asociation et des oeurvre caritative !

Comme je le disait, j’ai beaucoup aimer Twiligth et je l’aime toujours beaucoup, mais je trouve ça triste que Stephanie Meyer n’ait pas mit un peu plus de miment dans l’histoire avec plusq d’interdits. La saga s’apelle “La saga du désir interdits” mais où est l’interdit là-dedans ? Jusqu’a l’apparition des volturie, il n’y avait pa du tout d’interdits dans lerus relation. Et en générale, es “veritables” vampires sont avant tout, des representations de l’interdit, du peche, et plus particulierement de la sexualite hors-norme (Dracula, de Bram
Stoker, devergonde les femmes bien-pensantes de la rigide societe victorienne, Carmilla, de Joseph Sheridan Le
Fanu, est un des premiers personnage explicitement saphique, Lestat, d’Anne Rice, est bi-sexuel, etc.) ceux de la
serie Fascination, au contraire,semble avoir prit sue eux d’étre tout gentils. A l’exemple d’Eward qui refuse de coucher avec Belle avant leurs mariage. Quelle genre de vampire fairait ça ? En tout cas pas ceux des romans classique.

Comme je l’ai dit, J’ADORE Twiligth. Et je relie et reli le livre encore et encore, mais je n’ait pas pu m’empécher de me demander si le livre n’aurait pas était plus passionant si il y avait plus de dévergondages, de péché et de séxualité, au lieu de toutes ces régles et ses protocoles établie pour eux. Tient, il n’y as personne ici qui aurait plutot eu envie que Bella tombe enciente avant qu’elle ne se marie avec Edward par exemple ?

In many ways, I agree with you. Twilight is definitely young adult romantic fiction. It avoids the whole estrus subject in the same way Marvel Comics forbids its artists to include crotches on its characters. The relationship between Edward and Bella is very much in keeping with Wuthering Heights-era novels. Etc.

To say that Dracula has no plot holes, however, is wishful thinking. I mean, is the Count an evil genius or does he have a “child mind”? Van Helsing says both. And do you honestly see any character development in Dracula? They’re all stage characters, full of grandiloquent gesture but little true human emotion.

I mention Wuthering Heights because I believe Bella and Edward face the same sort of mutually headstrong relationship as Catherine and Heathcliff, and they’re dropped into a similarly impossible problem of separate, seemingly irreconcilable societies. That they survive and overcome in the end is due to Bella’s strength of character more than anyone else’s. That Meyer unveils such a rich, inventive supernatural background behind this classic love story raises Twilight above mere junior fiction and—I continue to believe—makes it richer and more impressive than Dracula.

That Stoker never managed to write anything worth reading after Dracula, while Meyer’s The Host is excellent sci-fi, is the final nail in Stoker’s coffin.

Now, Dracula is aimed towards and older audience, people with their heads cleared and usually not influenced by fictional seres. Count Dracula has a humane side and vicious side to himself, more of a seducer and blood-luster then anything else. But, he has flaws.
Dracula is super-powerful, but like everything, has multiple weaknesses. In the end, its his lust that brings him to his grave, while taking good guys with him too. The entire plot is detailed and without holes, with more interesting, realistic characters. And, the entire story as a deep meaning behind it while also being very original.

My wooden stake has been driven! x3