The Phyllis Roth critical essay discusses the themes of the Bram Stoker’s Dracula novel. The research focuses on the summary of Phyllis Roth’s critical analysis of the Bram Stoker’s Dracula novel. The research centers on giving a critical response to the Roth analysis.
The Roth critical essay on the Bram Stoker’s Dracula novel is very entertaining, educational, and touching. In terms of summary, Phyllis Roth emphasized the secrets of Bram Stocker’s Dracula novel. Royce MacGillwray stated “Such a myth lives not merely because it has been skillfully marketed by entrepreneurs but because it expresses something that large numbers of readers feel to be true about their own lives.” (Byron 11).
Maurice Richardson shows Dracula as “a quite blatant demonstration of the Oedipus complex… a kind of incestuous, necrophilous, oral-anal-sadistic all-in-wrestling match” (Byron 11). In addition, Carrol Fry emphasized that the female vampires represent “the fallen women of the 18th and 19th century fiction” (Byron 11).
The women vampires are depicted as sexually aggressive who can easily verbally attack. Richardson characterizes the Dracula story as relevant to Freud’s research indicating that the morbid dread character represents repressed sexual desires; Count Dracula is a morbid dread person. Blake Hobby (23) proposed Count Dracula is seen as a person who is characterized as having lustful anticipation of his successful sexual consummation. In addition, Jonathan Harker eagerly anticipates kissing the three sexually aggressive women vampires.
Likewise, the three women vampires fight to be the first to kiss Jonathan. Vampires are depicted as being death, morality, immortality, and aggressive sexual desires. The story discusses the jealous rivalry of the sons and the father for the mother, originally belonging to the son. Likewise, sexual rival ensues among the three suitors, including the rejected Dr. Seward, for hand of Lucy, who eventually turns into a vampire.
Dracula is shown as making love with both Lucy and Mina to the jealous disgust of the two women’s suitors. In fact, Van Helsing reminded Mina, in front of her suitors, “Do you forget that last night he (Count Dracula) banqueted heavily and will sleep late”. The Val Helsing quote reminds Mina of Count Dracula’s sexual intercourse with Mina (Byron 18).
Count Dracula fumes with jealousy when he discovers Jonathan in the same room as his three women vampires. Dracula furiously states to the three women vampires “How dare you touch him, any of you?”(Byron 19). The story ends up with Dracula destroyed and Van Helsing saved. Likewise, Lucy is destroyed and Mina is saved.
In terms of response, the manner and style of writing of Roth’s critical analysis of the Bram Stoker’s Dracula novel was written in exceptional manner and style. The author uses quotes from the original Bram Stoker’s Dracula novel.
The writer uses the quotes to show proof of the author’s understanding of the Bram Stoker’s Dracula novel. The author gathers many evidences to prove that the entire Bram Stoker’s Dracula novel is grounded on sexual aggressiveness. The novel depicts the women as sexually aggressive. The Roth discussion ends with a big bang. She closes by stating who survived in the Bram Stoker’s Dracula novel. The author also ends by mentioning who perished in the same novel.
The author finally closes the curtain on the Bram Stoker’s Dracula novel by majestically mentioning Van Helsing’s quoted line “We want no proofs; we ask non to believe us! This boy will some day know what a brave and gallant woman his mother is. Already he knows here sweetness and loving care; later on he will understand how some men so loved her, that they did dare so much for here sake” (Byron 21).
Further, Christoph Haeberlein (11) stated that the author’s effect on the mind is very thought enlightening. Before the reading the book, one would generally predicate the theme of the author’s writing is based on fear. However, as one reads the Roth writing, fear is set to the sidelines.
Sexual desire and family are the major themes of the Roth critical analysis. The author vividly shows the vampire women as persons hungry to dive into bed with a male partner. In crystal-clear manner, the author describes Count Dracula as a pleasing lover. The same author points to Count Dracula as a jealous person.
Dracula is shown as both a person who needs love as well as gives love. Just like human beings, Count Dracula does not want his sexual objects of desire to be grabbed by other males. The author creatively metamorphoses the Bram Stoker’s Dracula novel from a horror novel to a love story environment. Furthermore, Carol Davison (166) proposed the Roth critical analysis affects the readers’ emotions.
The readers are emotionally entertained by Roth’s unique interpretation of the Bram Stoker’s Dracula novel. The emotion of happiness will crop up as the readers realize that the Bram Stoker’s Dracula novel is not a horror story. The viewers of the Bram Stoker’s Dracula novel will understand that the novel is filled with love conquests. The story includes emphasis on the women vampires as person needing love and willing to give love to any person who comes to their path.
Likewise, the Roth critical analysis of the Bram Stoker’s Dracula novel specifically describes the vampires, including Count Dracula, have similar preferences to both fall in love and to need love in return. The readers of the Roth critical analysis will eagerly comprehend the author’s message of love and family life. The author clearly discusses Dracula’s failures. Just like other regular persons, Count Dracula has the same problem of resolving failures in life.
In fact, Dracula’s failure is very evident. Count Dracula succumbs to defeat at the end of the story. Count Dracula fails to prevent Jonathan from entering and having love intentions on his three female vampires. In turn, Count Dracula instructs the three females to replace their attention from Jonathan to another child. In addition, the Roth critical analysis painstakingly discusses Count Dracula as a good father of the family.
The average father will do whatever is necessary to protect and care for one’s family members. In addition, the typical father does not want his children to violate any of his instructions. Doing so would be a violation of the children’s respect for their father, Count Dracula. As a father, Count Dracula, only means the best for his wife, Mina, and his children.
Likewise, the Roth critical analysis of the Bram Stoker’s Dracula novel influences the readers’ character. The readers will learn that one’s character is important. The readers are persuaded to put love and family above all else. The same author invites the readers to defend one’s territory, market segment, property, love interest and ownership from intruders.
The author of the Roth critical analysis understandably impresses on the readers to create and defend one’s character at all times, even to the point of endangering one’s life. Count Dracula died trying to protect his territory, market segment, property, love interest and ownership from all intruding parties. Lastly, the Roth critical analysis explains that Count Dracula was successful in some of his characteristic endeavors.
Just like ordinary human beings, Count Dracula was not as successful in other character challenges. The tragic end of Count Dracula clearly shows that the head vampire is just like other human beings. Normally, human beings either win or loss in their characteristic ventures. The author clearly shows that the most important factor is not the winning or the losing in one’s everyday struggles.
On the other hand, the author puts priority to the theory that all persons, including the vampires of the Bram Stoker’s Dracula novel, must prioritize taking a stand on every issue. Winning or losing the struggle to defend one’s side of the struggle is secondary to standing for one’s beliefs and convictions. Based on the above discussion, the Phyllis Roth critical essay discusses the arguments of the Bram Stoker’s Dracula novel. The summary of the Roth critical analysis focuses on love and family life, just like normal human beings.
The critical response to the Roth critical analysis shows that Count Dracula, the three woman vampires, Jonathan, Lucy, Mina, and the other characters need to both give love and receive love, just like other human beings. Indeed, the Roth critical essay on the Bram Stoker’s Dracula novel is exceptionally entertaining, exceedingly educational, and superbly touching. In terms of recommendation, the readers should treasure and implement the many critical teachings of the Roth critical analysis.
The readers must understand that love and family are what drives every person, including the vampires, to live. The author of the Roth critical analysis strongly states that the average person, especially Count Dracula, will go out of one’s way to protect and care for one’s family and love interest. Lastly, death is nothing when compared to fighting for one’s market segment, property, love interest and ownership from all encroachers.
Works Cited
Davison, Carol. Bram Stoker’s Dracula: Sucking Through the Century. New York: Dundun Press, 1997.
Haeberlein, Chriistoph. Issues of Sexuality in “Bram Stoker’s Dracula”. New York: Grin Press, 2009.
Hobby, Blake. Bloom’s Literary Themes. New York: Infobase Press, 2010.
Byron, Glennis. Dracula: Bram Stoker. New York: Palgrave Press, 1999.