Vampires are defeated in Bram Stoker’s novel Dracula by removing their heads or cutting their hearts. This paper will examine the literary importance of these two bodily parts and why Stoker selected them as a technique for annihilating vampires. As the story proceeds, a group of individuals attempts to destroy Count Dracula, a vampire who has traveled from Transylvania to England. The work explores complicated subjects such as sexuality, ethics, and the conflict between intellect and emotion. This conflict is symbolized by the use of the head and heart to eliminate vampires, with each body part symbolizing a distinct component of the self. Throughout the work, the head and heart are emblematic of the rational mind on the one hand and emotions and desires on the other.
The first incidence of a vampire’s head being used to destroy it exemplifies the symbolism of lost reason. After Lucy becomes a vampire, Van Helsing and his men decapitate her. Lucy is depicted at the start of the story as the perfect Victorian woman: appealing, innocent, and subservient. She becomes sexually aggressive and sexually active after being bitten by Dracula. In a letter before the violent confrontation, Lucy states: “Why can’t they let a girl marry three men, or as many as want her, and save all this trouble? But this is heresy, and I must not say it.” This quote demonstrates how Lucy was obsessed with dread and anxiety, which eventually contributed to her transformation into a vampire. Lucy’s vampirism stems from her inability to control her sexual cravings. The statement is significant because it illustrates Lucy’s failure to adhere to contemporary societal norms. Her passions and emotions are regarded as a danger to the Victorian focus on reason and ethics. When Van Helsing and his companions decapitate her, they are metaphorically silencing her unrestrained emotions and restoring logic by removing her anxieties and worries. This underscores the novel’s themes of the war between reason and emotion, as well as the logical and irrational. Furthermore, Lucy’s decapitation might be interpreted as a remark on the role that science plays in society. Van Helsing and his colleagues, who symbolize reason and science, use their understanding of anatomy and medicine to battle Dracula’s supernatural and illogical powers. Ultimately, while the decapitation of Lucy in Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” acts as a metaphor for the conflict between reason and passion, it also has broader implications for the role of scientific knowledge in society and the dismissal of superstition.
In contrast, when Quincey Morris and Jonathan Harker slaughter Dracula, it is his heart that is pierced, symbolizing the victory of emotion over reason. For instance, Dracula’s proclamation, “Listen to them, children of the night. What music they make!” is made as he converts Mina into a vampire. This phrase underlines Dracula’s relationship with the supernatural and his power to corrupt and influences people, such as Mina. This Dracula quotation demonstrates how he is represented as an impulsive and chaotic force. He is connected with darkness and night, which are frequently seen as emblems of the unexplained and the irrational. Morris and Harker’s stabbing of Dracula’s heart illustrates the victory of passion over logic. The two protagonists are able to harness their emotions and overcome their fear via this deed, finally destroying the personification of the irrational and chaotic. Stoker’s decision to have Dracula murdered in this manner emphasizes the significance of emotion and intuition in the battle against evil. Stoker presents a more dramatic representation of the fight between good and evil by emphasizing the power of emotion in the story.
In conclusion, the use of the head and the heart to eliminate vampires in Dracula represents the conflict between reason and passion. These physical parts reflect the cognitive and emotional elements of the self, and their annihilation represents the triumph of one over the other. Stoker’s use of these body parts to defeat vampires underscores the novel’s themes of the conflict between reason and passion, as well as the war between the logical and the irrational. The conflict between reason and emotion is a fundamental human experience that continues to be important today. In Dracula, Stoker’s usage of the mind and the heart to signify the triumph of one over the other might be interpreted as a statement on the significance of balancing reason and passion in our lives. In some cases, such as when dealing with complex challenges, reasoning may be required to make objective conclusions. In other cases, such as when dealing with personal relationships or creative expression, listening to emotions and following one’s heart may be more suitable. Stoker emphasizes the significance of establishing a balance between reason and emotion in life by addressing this conflict in the context of confronting vampires. This equilibrium not only allows for better judgments but also leads to a greater awareness of oneself and one’s role in the world. It aids in navigating life’s difficulties and finding significance in the seemingly every day. In the end, it is this balance that enables one to live a successful and rewarding life that is rich in both reason and emotion.