The Dracula, a 1987 novel by Irish author Mr. Bram Stocker is one that has resulted immense influence on the thinking about the existence of supernatural beings, vampires. It has also attributed to a good number of literary genres and has had a great impact on the human thinking and understanding about various aspects that haunt the human mind. According to Bram Stocker in the Dracula, there are all assumptions and indications that the undead as depicted in the still standing creature with the name Dracula exhibits some special characteristics that are not usually exhibited by normal human beings in the sense that this creature to some extend has some supernatural powers and capabilities which are otherwise not real and practical in an average human being. However a keen look at the still standing creature, the Dracula exhibits some very normal and common human characteristics throughout this novel, characteristics that make one almost think that this was a human being just like any other with a slight difference though in terms of the extraordinary capabilities that this creature has. As a result therefore, I would not hesitate to agree to some extend with the statement that 'Those who cannot find their own reflection in Bram Stockers still standing creature; the Dracula are surely the undead'. A careful look at the character of the Dracula shows and indeed confirms to be in line with some various aspects of the human being as well as the human psyche; this is shows the existence of a close relationship between the Dracula human nature in terms of thinking patterns, behavior and well being. These characteristics are exhibited by the Dracula in the various ways as it undertakes various activities and therefore a conclusion can be drawn as it regards its closeness to the human nature and the reflection this has as far as human nature and psych are concerned. According to Bram Stocker the Dracula though is a super natural and indeed a character that due to its nature is able to undertake extraordinary activities and therefore this goes beyond the normal human ability. The Dracula is hence a living creature that can manipulate the human mind and one that is to some extend vengeful especially when the rest of the members plot to work against it. The Dracula just like would be the case with any other human beings is not pleased by this and goes ahead to retaliate by attacking some of the members of the group that is determined to attack it.
To start with, the Dracula is able to entice Jonathan Harker who comes visiting by being gracious to him and accommodating him at first because it wanted to take advantage of that only for him to realize that he had been imprisoned in the castle as he is not allowed enough freedom to move around. The Dracula was also keen to warn him against moving out of his room especially at night because this would expose a few things about the Dracula that he was not supposed to know as far as the Dracula is concerned. While at the Dracula's castle Mr. Harker is able to notice and realize some unnatural and disturbing activities undertaken by the Dracula at night. The Dracula is careful and keen enough to keep the secrets pertaining its uncommon life and this is the reason why it's carrying out its affairs at night when people can hardly see and notice. This portrays a cunning character on the Dracula's side a characteristic that is common among many human beings who tend to look nice to strangers especially when they want to take advantage of and use them. The Dracula just like many other human beings is well able to keep its affairs secret when by performing them at night so that nobody could be able to notice. Naturally many of the uncommon and universally acceptable activities are committed at night when hardly anyone is able to see this amongst the human beings and therefore this is an extension of the human behavior by the Dracula. The Dracula is also keen and careful enough to warn Mr. Harker against moving out at night because this might lead to the revelation of the kind of affairs that he engages in another characteristic of human behavior. The Dracula does not want its secret affairs known by anyone especially when this has something to do with a behavior that may be unacceptable, a characteristic of human behavior.
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At the same time, the Dracula also seems to operate in the normal and actual timings of a normal human being, carrying out normal affairs at night and the others at night especially when those carried out at night are questionable. When Mr. Harker decides to move out of his room in the castle one night of course against the Dracula's wishes and warnings, he discovers that the Dracula had brides just like any other normal and natural human being. The Dracula also has female friends whom he keeps and this shows that he leads more or less of a normal life just like that of any other normal male human being. The behavior of the Dracula to stick to the timings of any normal human being and it being able to establish a working order both during the day and a resting or carring out other affairs at night shows that just like other human being as, the Dracula runs its life in a normal way. This he does so as to maximize on his timing as he still seems to operate within the normal clock restrictions. My understanding also is that during this time when Harker goes out, the Dracula has set his three brides to punish him for disobeying him, a behavior that is a common characteristic of the human race. The disobedience of any orders extended by a human being attract punishment which comes in many ways and therefore this is the Dracula's way of punishing Mr. Harker for disobeying him and going out of his room at night. This I s a behavior very common among human behavior and is therefore a characteristic of human behavior within the Dracula.When Harker manages to escape from the Dracula's castle, this annoys the Dracula and so he decides to track Mr. Harker and punish him. However, the Dracula doest get to Mr. . Harker soon and instead targets his devoted fiancée Ms Wilhelmina "Mina" Murray and her friend Ms Lucy Westenra a behavior that is characteristic of human behavior where ones disobedience of another's orders and demands attracts sphere punishment as a way of showing ones displeasure with the disobedience. Also when an individual wrongs another, its common among the human behavior to extend the punishment to people close to the person who wrongs you especially close family members, friends and relatives in the believe e that this well affect the per son whop wrongs you. The Dracula fits well in to this behavior as it goes on to attack Mr. Harker's long time girl friend and fiancée as well as her friend; people close to him as away of punishing Mr. Harker. The Dracula goes on to attack Mr. Seward's patient Renfield (Seward is Ms Lucy's (Mina's friend) boy friend and fiancé all meant to punish Mr. Harker. However, Renfield plays a crucial role acting as motion sensor detecting the Dracula's proximity and therefore supplies clues as to the Dracula's movements and whereabouts accordingly. The Dracula cunningly makes Lucy waste away in to a condition that shocks everyone, certainly she is transformed in to a vampire by the Dracula a condition that Professor Abraham is afraid to disclose to Mr. Seward. This acts as the Dracula's strategy to get Lucy in too his camp and that is fulfilled when she dies. All these are vital behaviours that characterize human behavior as one that is cunning and seeks revenge at any one given time if wronged or anyone does not obey given instructions. This shows that the Dracula in every aspect characterizes human beings through his behaviours and therefore there is good reason to say that the Dracula has all strong and well inbuilt human aspects.In addition, the Dracula displays male characteristics through his ability to have and keep female vampires as his brides and probably wives. These three work together with the Dracula to attack and revenge on Mr. Harker's disobedience. Just like other males, this behavior as a characteristic of the Dracula is by extension male behavior and therefore a human behavior, another human characteristic possessed by the Dracula. Similarly, the Dracula is also being refereed to as 'He' which shows that the Dracula has male characteristic and hence has human behaviors.The Dracula also plans and takes a revenge against Van Helsinc and others plot to kill him a fact that shows that he is vengeful a behavioral characteristic of human beings. As part of his revenge mission, he visits, attacks and bites Mina at least three times and feeds her with his blood as a way of creating a spiritual bond between the two and hence be able to control her. This is a great achievement by the Dracula in his revenge mission against Mr. Harker and the team in general as the Dracula will now have some form of control over her and by extension the group. The fact that the Dracula tries to revenge against Mr. Harker shows that he got annoyed by Mr. Harker's disobedience a fact that makes him plan to execute a revenge missing against him for not obeying him. This creates a long standing rift between the two as they are both out to punish each other. This behavior is one that represents the general human characteristic where two individuals not in good terms wage war against each other in a bid to revenge in the event that one of the two wronged the other. Consequently, the Dracula cannot be said to be different from human beings as he demonstrates these same characteristics which are common among human beings.
The Dracula is also said to stay in a castle in Transylvania from where he is able to carry out the various activities. Its important to note that he leaves this castle in the morning and comes back in the evening before the sun goes down a characteristic behavior to many human beings, one that is common among all adults as they leave their houses in the morning and go out to vent for their families and satisfy their needs. The Dracula seemingly does the same, leaving his castle in the morning and returning in the evening before the sun goes down. This leaves no doubt that the Dracula has such a close relationship with human beings, their behavior and characteristics. He also owns a house, a home that is the castle where he retires in the evening for the night. Human behavior is a replica of this behavior where one goes home in the evening after the days work to rest awaiting the following days affairs and work. As a result therefore the Dracula has the same routine and programme, one that effectively matches this common human behavior, this leaves no doubt that the Dracula is by all means a representation of a human being only that it possesses extraordinary characteristics that are a bit different from what is expected of a normal human being behavior. His possession of this castle enabled Mr. Harker and his group to track him down as he came back in the evening before sunset and destroy him by shearing "through his throat" and stabbing him in the heart. The Dracula has a heart and a throat like any other human being, these characteristics all seem to confirm that he was indeed a human character with human behaviours and characteristics.In conclusion, the Dracula's possession of human characteristics is a clear indication that he was indeed a human being the only difference being that he was in possession of above average characteristics that differentiated him from the normal human being. In this case, the Dracula exhibited all manner of human psyche and characteristic and therefore it will be true to conclude just like the New York Times author did that "Those who cannot find their own reflection in Bram Stoker's still-living creature are surely the undead." . He is a human being who can be said to fall in the category of the 'un-dead' which in this case means that he posses all but a few human characteristics. This can be seen in his way of life, the behaviours and the activities that he engages in which all fall within the auspices of human behavior portraying an undoubted match between the two. The difference comes in when the Dracula performs extra ordinary activities that a normal human being cannot perform and therefore he is a human being but in a supernatural form that had a chance to lead a normal life until a certain point reached where he converted to what he is at the present. These are what are commonly referred to as 'vampires', extra ordinary beings with special characteristics and able to do beyond the normal human capability. This also comes in to light when Lucy dies, is buried and shows up later after changing in to a vampire as a "bloofer lady" (as they describe it), i.e. "beautiful lady" stalking children at night as reported by a newspaper report. This shows that after her death, Lucy turned into a vampire and returned with vamparipic spirit top carry out the activities associated with vampires. According to Miller, E. (1998), Van Helsing, knowing that this means Lucy has become a vampire, confides in Seward, Lord Godalming and Morris. The suitors and Van Helsing track her down, and after a disturbing confrontation between her vampiric self and Arthur, they stake her heart, behead her, and fill her mouth with garlic.