Title: The Annotated Dracula

In spite of the title this is Dracula the novel.  The "Annotated" refers to the fact that my text contains notes and an introduction to add a critical dimension to the text.  (I own the red cover version) I have several works in this format.  Click here to see Amazon listing.

By - Abraham ("Bram") Stoker

With an introduction, notes and bibliography by Leonard Wolf (see photo--man, this guy needs to get out into the light more often!);
Art by Satty

Genre: - Novel

Sub-genre: - Fantasy // Horror // Gothic

Nationality: - British

Time Period: - 19^th Century

First and Last Read by Dr. Rearick - Spring 1986 // Fall. 2004

Rated: - A

Location: - Rearick Home and Office and on our Campus Hard-Drive

Use: Introduction to Literature: Lit of the Fantastic.  Selected Topics: Literature of the Fantastic
 

Comments: - The novel is, of course, based on folklore and legend.  A combination of Eastern European myth and one hideous historical figure (Vlad the Impaler).  However, this novel based on vampire legend when on to be the shaper of the legend itself:

Among the various demons of ancient folk tradition, the vampire has enjoyed the most conspicuous and continual literary success in the 20th century, owing largely to the popularity of the Gothic novel Dracula (1897) by the British author Bram Stoker. Count Dracula, its "undead" villain from Transylvania, became the representative type of vampire. The novel, a play (1927), and a popular series of films made vampire lore common currency. Tod Browning's classic film Dracula (1931), starring Bela Lugosi, set the pattern for the dozens of vampire movies that followed in the mid- and late 20th century.

"vampire." Britannica Online.
 <http://www.eb.com:180/cgi-bin/g?DocF=micro/617/43.html>
[Accessed 15 November 1997].

The funny thing is that I was not then nor never have been a horror film fan.  I don't believe I have ever sat through the entire Lugosi version of Dracula.  So what was the appeal?  The appeal was primarily the "hollywooderaztion" of the Dracula character which incorporated dread purpose with sex appeal.  He was the perfect carrier for a lonely insecure teenage boy and later early college student filled with adolescent angst.   I can recall my reaction when someone described my costuem as "cute."

"Oh, to have always have this kind of power, to be dramatic, to be dangerous!. . .what was that?   Cute?  Cute!? How can you possibly call the Prince of the Night CUTE!"

On line Versions of Dracula

http://pinkmonkey.com/booknotes/monkeynotes/pmDracula02.asp Pink Monkey has both critical comments and the actual text.

Study Guides on Dracula

http://www.bookrags.com/guides/dracula/copy.htm  My only complaint--if one can call it that since I understand the publishers need to make money-- is that this site tends to tease with info but wants the reader the buy access to their online study book.  It is therefore incomplete.

http://pinkmonkey.com/booknotes/monkeynotes/pmDracula02.asp Good old Pink Monkey

http://www.freebooknotes.com/book.php3?id=119 A list of links to study notes sites which include Dracula, some are free and some are not.