The same way that in fiftys, an infinite number of science-fiction movies appeared dealing the possible atack of aliens, that all in all represents a real fear: The terror that northamericans had of everything that had to do with Russia. Stoker spoke of a very similar fear who also came from Orient, consternation that we still seing in subsequent films ass some more from James Bond Saga or in fictional characters as Fu Manchu.
    Subsequently we can assure that there is a clear clash and opossicion between the East and the West. The West represented the progress, the british empire, the science, the wisdom, the order, the civilization, nevertheless the new world. The East represented the opposite, in orther words the old, the unknow, the wild, the lust (the Kamasutra come from there), chaos, the feudal aristocracy (evil figure in the most of gothich novel), etc.
    That´s why we see, the count´s figure ass the representation of the monstrousness which is lurking with the skill of destroying all harmony and tranquility (let´s call it a normal appearence), that costs them so much to defend during the novel. It could seem that we are confrontiny a racial conflict or the terror of foreigner danger. But this is exactly what it seems, let´s say that with the Count´s character, Stoker pretend to forget of any element of guilt and convincing himself that all in all tangible fear comes from outside (in this concrete case from the Carpathians) and not from within ass it relly is if we analyse it more in detie. What he is really trying to hide are his own personal horrors and  "inner ghosts" depicted in the character of an evil being who comes from the outside and has nothing to do with him.

                                            © Copyright Miguel Muñoz Grau.
                                                Page maintained by Miguel Muñoz Grau
                                                Created: 19/01/00 Updated: 19/01/00