The issue of social class and its effects on society in Victorian-era Europe is a central theme in Bram Stoker's novel Dracula. On the surface, the novel appears to be the story of a battle between good and evil; after deeper analysis, it could be seen as a battle between high and low social classes. The vampire Dracula is a quintessential aristocratic figure, one who prides himself on his superior bloodlines in more ways than one. The people who kill him are of assorted nationalities, genders, ethnicities and economic privileges. Through interactions between characters of different socioeconomic statuses, Stoker illustrates the class prejudices operating in a society. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original EssayThe first explicit example of this is Dracula's almost vainglorious description of his family and heritage in Chapter I. The Count states, on behalf of his ancestors and himself, that "in our veins runs the blood of many brave races" (p. 33). This is a curious comment due to its obvious double meaning. Although Dracula uses the word "blood" as it is commonly used, that is, as a metaphor for ancestry and inheritance, he also uses it in a literal sense: as a vampire, the blood of many people flows in his veins. However, neither the reader nor Jonathan Harker yet knows of Dracula's habit of drinking blood, so this comment could easily be dismissed as a description of Dracula's social status. It is only later, after the nature of the Count's character is revealed, that both the ambiguity and twisted humor of this phrase become apparent. In the same passage, Dracula uses the word "race" interchangeably with the word "family" or "ancestry." This is another example of a possible double meaning that foreshadows what the reader will learn about Dracula. Like the idea of ​​blood both literal and figurative, the idea of ​​race can be interpreted in this way. As a vampire, Dracula is truly a member of a distinct race, perhaps even a distinct species. His gruesome lineage (or taxonomy) grants him not only respect among lower-ranking Transylvanians, but physical power greater than that of other men, even immortality. In telling Jonathan Harker the story of his ancestors, Dracula speaks of the events in the first person plural, implying that he could have been present: as an immortal vampire, this is very likely. However, both of these statements can be interpreted figuratively: the skeptical Harker does not readily accept the gory nature of Dracula's tale. Indeed, all that is immediately apparent is the Count's emphasis on both nobility and the achievements of his legacy. For example, Dracula claims to be descended from Attila the Hun, a powerful, violent and fearsome warrior. According to Dracula, this power is directly proportional to the purity of the lineage: when his distant ancestors "mated with devils in the desert", the power and glory of the vampiric race was sacrificed. The mention of other supernatural beings, such as "devils and witches" should be noted: although easy to get around as metaphorical hyperbole, Dracula could be literally talking about the superiority of vampires not only over humans, but also over other monsters (p. 34). .Whether Dracula is implying a supernatural heritage or not, his pride in being what he considers to be a member of a high social class is evident. The Count explicitly considers himself a “boyar,” or a member of the privileged class, which has ensured him not only monetary fortune but a high status among the peasants of his land (p.26). This nobility doesdistinguishes from the common Transylvanian, whom he considers "a coward and a fool" (p. 27). These qualities are in stark contrast to those of his own race of fearsome warriors. Unfortunately, Jonathan Harker misses the double meaning of the Count's life story. Although he enjoys Dracula's narrative and yet seems vaguely impressed by his social status, he is not intimidated by what is a subtle warning of Dracula's potential power. Initially, Harker even takes Dracula's side regarding the ignorance of the local farmers. Here we see that, although a man largely driven by pragmatism, Jonathan Harker is not free from class prejudice. As a civil servant he does not occupy a high position on the socioeconomic ladder, but he is not a peasant, and therefore consequently despises the beliefs and practices of the common people of Transylvania. He dismisses their practices as superstitions, but there is an element of contempt in this statement quite separate from his conflicting spiritual beliefs. Jonathan Harker is not rich, but he is educated and Anglican. The Romanian peasants are ignorant and rely heavily on Catholic relics as protection against evil, and are therefore considered by Jonathan to be "ridiculous" and "idolatrous" (p. 13). However, Jonathan changes his mind when he realizes that the crucifix he accepts from a peasant girl is his only protection from Dracula once he is imprisoned in the castle. Harker's acceptance of practices he previously avoided represents a reclamation of the common person, a theme taken up by Bram Stoker at several points in the text. The social disparity between men and women is another example of the theme of class in the novel. The most pronounced and, curiously, the least developed of these cases is demonstrated through the characters of the three "strange sisters". These vampire women that Dracula keeps imprisoned in his castle represent the "kept woman" common during the Victorian era. Indeed, the sisters are "kept" by the Count in the most literal way: they are not allowed to hunt, leave the castle, or even prey on Jonathan Harker without Dracula's consent. This can be interpreted as a parallel to the role of many women of the time, who were not allowed to do anything outside the home without the permission of their male superior. Of course, the example of the strange sisters is clearly hyperbolic, even humorous, since the average Victorian woman did not worry about hunting human prey and could most likely eat whenever she wanted. However, the subjugation of the three vampire sisters is even more interesting when taking into account Dracula's opinion on the vampire race. As mentioned above, Dracula speaks volumes about the superiority of the vampire race over the human race. The strange sisters, being vampires, are undeniably part of the same race as Dracula. It is curious, then, that Dracula shows more hospitality to Jonathan Harker than to his fellow man, even though he ultimately intends Jonathan to be a victim. It would have been easy enough for Dracula to drain Jonathan's blood the moment he entered the castle, but he doesn't. Despite being a monster, Dracula seems genuinely interested, at least briefly, in the knowledge of the outside world that Harker brings with him, and attempts to hide his bloodthirsty nature from the clerk for as long as possible. Dracula never seems to extend the same courtesy to his female prisoners, even though they should be, by his standards, elevated above Jonathan in their social status. Therefore the issue of sexism within the larger realm of class prejudice is present in this novel. Perhaps the most explicit example of the effects of social class is illustrated by the events leading up to the death.