I find Victorian horror to be an extremely fascinating microcosm. It reflects the reactions to the social norms, the buttoned-down and repressed social climate, and the "new moral standards" of the church during that era. It also reveals the new questions that were brought up and hidden away by scientific thought.

However, beneath the surface of late Victorian society, there were extensive changes taking place. The increased marriage rate and the traditional idea of the domestic sphere for women were giving way to the emergence of the New Woman. The divide between the upper and lower classes was gradually being replaced by a new middle class. With the growth of the economy, new ideas of English excellence emerged, while scientific thought also led to the development of scientific racism.

Literature, as always, struggled to respond to these changes. A growing counterculture in literature led to reactions such as the trial of Oscar Wilde, where passages from his only novel were read to prove his homosexuality. Soon after, Bram Stoker, who was formerly acquainted with Wilde, began writing Dracula.

The result is a book that is saturated with fear of the unknown. It reflects the xenophobia and homophobia of the time, as well as the anxieties that arise when someone who embodies both of these fears appears. That is what has stayed with me about Dracula to this day.

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Over the years, I've unfortunately drifted away from reading classics. It's truly a pity because I generally relish the act of reading them, even if the book itself doesn't ultimately capture my heart. To rejuvenate my regular reading of classics, I've chosen one that I should have crossed off my list decades ago, considering my fondness for horror.

Dracula has been depicted in countless ways across various forms of media. He's been presented as suave, sexy, violent, heroic, demonic, and even cute and cuddly.

Going back and exploring Stoker's original vision was an intriguing experience. So, what kind of character was Dracula?

I believe he can be best described as an ever-present entity who only appears for approximately 30 pages. Despite having such limited "screen time" for a title character, his presence is felt in every scene. He's a predator, lurking in the shadows throughout, and the reader witnesses as those around him gradually piece together his actions.

I can only envision the stir this book caused when it was first published in 1897. Although it has a slow pace, it's often disturbing even by today's standards, especially some of the early scenes in Dracula's castle and later when our heroes are staking out (pun intended) a graveyard.

I confess that I'm not a huge fan of epistolary novels. I majored in English and have read quite a few, but it's not a style that typically appeals to me. However, I actually love what Stoker did. He incorporated the 1890s equivalent of modern technology, with diary entries, telegraphs, newspaper articles, and even transcriptions of phonograph recordings. In fact, one of the most fascinating aspects of the novel for me was the prominence of then-current technology, which aided our heroes.

My biggest surprise while reading (aside from some of the frightening content) was the presence of a cowboy in the book. He's not a joke character; he actually serves a purpose. It's truly astonishing to have a random cowboy in the vampire hunt.

Overall, I rate this book 5/5 stars. It's a captivating and thought-provoking read that offers a unique perspective on horror and the intersection of science and superstition.

Dracula (Dracula of Stoker Family #1), Bram Stoker

Dracula is an 1897 Gothic horror novel penned by the Irish author Bram Stoker. It introduced the infamous Count Dracula and established numerous conventions that would later define vampire fantasy. The story follows Dracula's attempt to relocate from Transylvania to England in search of new blood and to spread the curse of the undead. A small group of men and a woman, led by Professor Abraham Van Helsing, engage in a battle against the count.

The narrative is presented in an epistolary format, consisting of a series of letters, diary entries, newspaper articles, and ships' log entries. The narrators are the novel's protagonists, and the story is occasionally supplemented with newspaper clippings that relate events not directly witnessed. Before commencing the writing of the novel, Stoker spent eight years researching and studying European cultures and reading vampire folklore. Dracula is the sole aristocratic and mysterious character who has lost all his wealth. When Jonathan Harker enters Count Dracula's castle, he is treated with courtesy and respect. According to Harker's diary entries, Count Dracula loves to read and owns a vast and valuable library of old and precious books. Dracula himself claims that his books are his best friends and have always helped him in every situation. He is a lonely being and states that due to the loss of his loved ones many years ago, he said goodbye to happiness and now lives in a dark world of grief and sorrow where there is no joy.

First reading date: May 19, 2003 AD

Title: Dracula; Author: Bram Stoker; Translator: Jamshid Eskandani; Tehran, Third Publication, 1997; in two volumes; ISBN of the two-volume set 9649056610; Second printing 1999; Subject: Stories of Irish writers - 19th century

The most famous story of Bram Stoker, an Irish writer, became widely known due to the presence of the bloodthirsty character named Count Dracula. In 1890 AD, in London, Bram Stoker became acquainted with Arminius Vambery, a Hungarian orientalist, and through him, he learned about the legends of Prince Vlad III Dracula, a Romanian. This led to the writing of the story Dracula, which was published in 1897 AD.

Date of dissemination: 06/07/1399 Hijri Shamsi; 29/05/1400 Hijri Shamsi; A. Sharbiani