Salvation Through Superstition and Religion
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Salvation Through Superstition and Religion
In Bram Stokers, Dracula, one vampire causes good and evil characters to collide in the battle of life and death. Dr. Van Helsing leads a group of British men and women hoping to terminate the murderous vampire known as Dracula. Dracula has come to London from Transylvania with the plan to infect innocent people and spread vampirism. Van Helsings crew, consequently, is doing everything in their power to stop this from happening. After a long fight, the forces of good outwit the powerful vampire. Proving the age-old notion that good always wins over evil. In a Victorian Society, superstitious and religious beliefs override scientific knowledge and medicine in warding off evil and outsmarting vampires.
To further this point, garlic is used to protect Lucy from Dracula. Van Helsing tells Lucy “Ill make a pretty wreath, and hang if around your neck, so that you will sleep well.” (Stoker 2231). Van Helsing had to turn to superstition to protect Lucy from vampires because there is no logical explanation for what will ward off vampires and what will not. Science provides no explanation as to why garlic protects Lucy, yet it is the only thing that can help her. Ironically, garlic is used to murder Lucy as well. Dr. Van Helsing learns that Dracula has turned Lucy into a vampire and knows he has to stop her from infecting any other people, so he decides, “I shall cut off her head and fill her mouth with garlic, and I shall drive a stake through her body.” (Stoker 3429). Van Helsing decides that myth must replace medicine when it comes to killing Lucy. He can not simply put her to sleep, or drug, her because after extensive research, he concludes that there is only one way to rid Lucy of her vampire form; to turn to the beliefs of superstition and not medicine. Thereby challenging the notion that one belief is superior over the other.
On Jonathan Harkers journey to Draculas castle, an old woman stops him and warns him not to continue on his journey, but Jonathan refuses. She looks into his doubtful eyes and hangs a rosary around his neck, simply saying “For your mothers sake.” (Stoker 153). In the Christian faith rosaries are supposed to protect believers from evil. The old woman hands Jonathan the rosary to ward off vampires, such as Dracula, because she knows he is going to Draculas castle; where evil dwells. Since Jonathan is only a human, without the rosary, he would be defenseless against the powerful, Dracula. Additionally, there is confusion about who should donate blood to Lucy after Dracula had drained her body of it. Van Helsing starts to panic saying ” There is no time to be lost. She will die for sheer want of blood to keep the hearts actions, as it should be. There must be a transfusion of blood at once. Is it you or me?” (Stoker 2067). Lucys husband, Arthur, bravely steps up to the plate offering his own