Dracula symbolizes...(Greek students' answers)
Christina K.(17): The fear imposed by political or social power.
Nancy (16) and Christina F.(17): the isolated unsocial being
Maria (16), Costas (16) and Christina F. (17): the oppression of animal instincts inside us with a vengeance!
Eleni (17): the metaphysical, the unknown
Costas (16): the childish notion of punishment
helen karavanidou , 28-02-08, 17:31
Dracula symbolizes justice in a rough way. It should be give an example for the bad guys to know what will expect them if they want to do something bad.( Oanaas )
Carmen Radulescu , 12-03-2008, 21:10
Survey answers in Greece
14 library members aged 16-18 answered
21% has never seen a Dracula film.
Dracula symbolizes
Evil incarnated 60%
Fear 12%
Afterlife 7%
The metaphysical 7%
The erotic 7%
The upper class’s abuse of power 7%
Why does Dracula still thrill us?
We are charmed by his mystery 50%
We like to feel horror 29 %
He personifies our deepest desires 21%
Find out to what extent our students agree with Dracula commentators here
helen karavanidou , 19-04-2008, 21:46
Other answers from Romanian report Dracula represent the Evil and because of that the subject has been avoided for many persons. He has created a lot of ghost in the people’s mind. True or not, the myth stands up and it is a symbol of Romania. (Albert, 16) This myth scares by the association between the man and the demon. In reality Dracula doesn’t exist but in the people’s imagination he has taken different forms and he has influenced them in a bad way. (Jenny, 16)
All Evil in the world has been embodied in Dracula’s figure, by the reach imagination of the people. This simple name scares and makes your blood boil. When you walk on the street and you see a bat flying from a tree, you are sure it is Dracula. (Diana, 16)
If we consider Dracula as a image of the Evil, not a specific person, certainly we can say that we meet Dracula every day. It is easy to watch the TV, a movie or a news diary for realize that Dracula is everywhere. It represents the negative part of the mankind, which is responsible for the death forces (as Freud named, Thanathos). But, if we consider the circle of life, probably this part of us is paradox ally, a good one, because it allows a resurrection of life after period of time. That’s way Dracula it is represented as a vampire, as a person who is drinking the other’s blood, blood symbolizing the life. (Miruna, 16)
Carmen Radulescu , 13-06-2008, 20:25
In order to thoroughly understand the symbolism in 'Dracula' one must gain an understanding of two important social revolutions that were taking place at the time. The first social revolution involves the changing roles of women. During the time of the writing of 'Dracula', women were beginning to seek their own individual power. For many years they had been oppressed and repressed by men. Women of the time had no right to vote, had little access to education, and were relegated to menial tasks around the house. Men were the movers and the shakers of the time. Men delved into politics, owned factories and made the wheels of Democracy turn. Women noticed these changes and had a desire to be a part of them, but were not received with open arms by their male counterparts."
Carmen Radulescu , 18-06-2008, 20:50
4 comments:
The best answer in the Greek survey
(girl, 18 years old)
“Dracula is the incarnation of Evil, Satan’s spokesman. With his out-of-this-world charm he approaches his unsuspecting victims for a taste of their blood. He symbolizes the metaphysical and he is larger than life and borders on the paradoxal, the irrational.
The out of the ordinary always intrigues the audience. Dracula’s persona radiates a kind of mystery hard to resist. He is a polished cannibal, a count. With his tricky ways he excites the common people and permits them to be a part of his own world.”
«Ο Δράκουλας συμβολίζει το κακό, είναι ο απεσταλμένος του Σατανά στη γη, με σάρκα και οστά και με την εξωλογική του γοητεία προσεγγίζει τα ανυποψίαστα θύματά του με σκοπό να γευτεί λίγο από το αίμα τους.
Ο κόσμος ασχολείται με τον Δράκουλα καθώς το ασυνήθιστο είναι πόλος έλξης για την ανθρώπινη ύπαρξη. Η μορφή του αποπνέει μια μαγεία, ένα μυστήριο που θέλγει και τους πιο αδιάφορους. Είναι ένας εκλεπτυσμένος κανίβαλος (κόμης). Με τα δόλια μέσα που χρησιμοποιεί εξιτάρει τους απλούς θνητούς και τους αφήνει για λίγο να διεισδύσουν στον κόσμο του.»
As I know the Romanian people was very beliver from ancient times, they always belived in a superior force that rules their lifes, making it easier, helping them or punishing them for their mistakes.Also they were afraid of the evil forces born from God's anger and because of that they still superstitious, but I don't know exactly if they are thrilled by Dracula, is just a mistery that represents our evil parts that we are afraid to give life to.
I’d like to suggest Poppy Brite’s “Lost souls”. It’s a book for mature readers, that often puts your sense of dignity to the test. It is ostensibly about vampires, but tackles taboo themes such as homosexuality and incest. It is often shocking, but when you finish it, it makes you think that it is really about our lost generation and the perils we encounter growing up. It takes the pessimistic view that we are all no better than animals. If you can surpass the explicit scenes, then you may well find it worth reading.
Christina Konduli,19, former library member
Διάβασα ένα βιβλίο "χαμένες ψυχές" από την poppy z. Brite, ένα βιβλίο προκλητικό που χειρίζεται την αιμομιξία και την ομοφυλοφιλία με μια άνεση που σοκάρει και με υπερβολικά λεπτομερείς σκηνές. Όταν το τελείωσα είχα την εντύπωση ότι διάβασα μια ιστορία βρικολάκων από μια προκλητική συγγραφέα και ήμουν σίγουρη πως οι μελλοντικοί αναγνώστες δεν θα έχουν τα δικά μου ταμπού.
Σήμερα το πρωί τυχαία ,αν και πιστεύω πως τίποτα δεν είναι τυχαίο, κοίταξα το εξώφυλλο και ξαφνικά κατάλαβα το νόημα του βιβλίου .Δεν πιστεύω πως είναι μια απλή τολμηρή ιστορία βρικολάκων, αλλά η ιστορία των παιδιών της ηλικίας μου και όχι μόνο .Και όσο σκέφτομαι πόσο σκοτεινά είναι τα μονοπάτια που βαδίζουμε χωρίς να το καταλαβαίνουμε τρομάζω .Αναρωτιέμαι αν στο βιβλίο αυτό φαίνεται η παράνοια της ψυχής μας και το αδιέξοδο που νιώθουν κάποια άτομα. ίσως να καθρεφτίζεται και η συνέχιση της εφηβείας ,με τις καταστροφικές συνέπειες για το μέλλον του ατόμου. Φοβάμαι πως είναι η ιστορία του μυαλού των ανθρώπων και η περίτρανη απόδειξη πως δεν ήμαστε τίποτα περισσότερο από ζώα....
Ίσως να ήταν καλή ιδέα να το προτείνετε σε άτομα που δεν θα παρεξηγήσουν το περιεχόμενο του και μείνουν στις προκλητικές σκηνές.
Χριστίνα Κοντούλη, απόφοιτος
God's anger and because of that they still superstitious, but I don't know exactly if they are thrilled by Dracula, is just a mistery that represents our evil parts that we are afraid to give life to.
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