This series examines the creation and popularity of the classic literary horror novels of the Victorian Era. The genre of the horror story gained immense popularity during the late nineteenth century and has retained its popularity for over a century. The classic gothic horror novels reveal the ambiguities of the Victorian Era, an era that experienced the changes of the Industrial Revolution and social repression at the same time. Nightmare! The Birth of Victorian Horror would be useful for classes on Literature, Western Civilization, Drama, Culture and Psychology. It is appropriate for middle school and high school.

Dracula

Bram Stoker's masterpiece of horror and repression brought the myths and superstitions of the "undead" to the written word. Completed in 1897, Dracula became an instant favorite and has remained so for the last century. The character of Dracula has been portrayed on the stage, in print, and in various incarnations, on the silver screen; it is a cultural icon that endures generation after generation.

• aristocrat
• diffuse
• elite
• embellish
• exploitation
• languorous
• merchandising
• metaphor
• modus operandi
• parody
• predatory
• repercussions
• solicitous
• synonymous
• synthesize
• tantalize

1. Bram Stoker's Dracula has many faces. Throughout the past century he has been portrayed by various actors and in various mediums. Discuss the different representations of Dracula. How are they different? How are they similar? What do these portrayals reveal about the cultural ideals of the society interpreting the character?

2. Dracula'sinitial popularity was due partly to the enduring myth of the vampire that inspired Stoker's characterization. What were some of the vampire myths? How did they originate? Why do people believe in superstitions?

3. Dracula was written during the late nineteenth century, a time known as the Victorian Era. How is this novel a product of the Victorian Era? What are some of the characteristics of the era that are evident in Dracula?

4. The "vampire trap" is a stage prop that gives the illusion ofthe disappearance of a character. Discuss the origins of the "vampire trap" in the modern theater.

5. Bram Stoker's papers have revealed much about the writing of Dracula and Stoker's thought processes. How have Stoker's papers aided historians in recreating the life and times of Bram Stoker? Why are personal papers of famous people important to understanding historical eras?

6. Why has Dracula remained so popular for over a century?

7. Stoker provides vivid descriptions of Dracula's homeland, Transylvania. Yet Stoker never visited the region. How was Stoker able to provide such a vivid recreation of a place he had never seen?

8. Discuss how Bram Stoker's Dracula is a combination of history, mythology, folklore and culture. How do each of these parts contribute to the whole of Dracula?

9. Dracula was written about the same time that Sigmund Freud and psychoanalysis were gaining in popularity. How have some Freudians interpreted the story of Dracula? Why are there so many interpretations?

1. Flex your creative muscles and write your own horror story. How does your story reflect the culture and times you live in?

2. Create a pictorial story board of Dracula.

3. Create a representation of the character of Dracula for the twenty-first century.

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