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Metaphors
Definition of Mood
The mood of a piece of writing is its general atmosphere or emotional complexion—in short, the array of feelings the work evokes in the reader. Every aspect of a piece of writing... read full definition
The mood of a piece of writing is its general atmosphere or emotional complexion—in short, the array of feelings the work evokes in the reader. Every aspect... read full definition
The mood of a piece of writing is its general atmosphere or emotional complexion—in short, the array of feelings the work evokes... read full definition
Chapter 11
Explanation and Analysis:
The mood in Dracula is frequently foreboding and ominous, as the novel focuses on a chilling series of events in which the lives of the main characters are at nearly constant risk. In the tradition of gothic horror, Stoker largely makes use of nature to set this mood, with storms and fog signaling Dracula's evil doings. Furthermore, the natural cycle of night and day during the novel contributes heavily to mood: during the nighttime, the mood is more ominous, as it is during this period of time that Dracula is at his strongest. In a key example of this, Lucy Westenra records her frightful nighttime experience, occurring right before her death, in a memorandum at the end of Chapter 11:
The air seems full of specks, floating and circling in the draught from the window, and the lights burn blue and dim. What am I to do? God shield me from harm this night! . . . Good-bye, dear Arthur, if I should not survive this night.
Lucy's terror is delineated by the start and end of night: by her logic, the supernatural forces seeking to harm her are only empowered to do so in the dark. If she makes it to the morning, she assumes, she will "survive." The dimness of the lights and the general darkness of night contribute to an overall mood of foreboding as Lucy struggles—and ultimately fails—to last until dawn.
During the day, the characters are less afraid of Dracula and feel more empowered to act. The mood becomes more resolute as the characters are empowered in their righteous fury. This shift in mood as night transitions to day is evident at the end of Chapter 16, when the men emerge from the crypt after vanquishing Lucy's vampire alter-ego:
Outside the air was sweet, the sun shone, and the birds sang, and it seemed as if all nature were tuned to a different pitch. There was gladness and mirth and peace everywhere, for we were at rest with ourselves on one account, and we were glad, though it was with a tempered joy.
Emerging from the tomb, Van Helsing and his comrades feel a sense of relief and happiness, helped by their natural surroundings. Daytime, as opposed to nighttime, provides these characters with much-needed respite; accompanying the day, therefore, is a lighter and more carefree mood.
Related Themes:
Chapter 16
Explanation and Analysis:
The mood in Dracula is frequently foreboding and ominous, as the novel focuses on a chilling series of events in which the lives of the main characters are at nearly constant risk. In the tradition of gothic horror, Stoker largely makes use of nature to set this mood, with storms and fog signaling Dracula's evil doings. Furthermore, the natural cycle of night and day during the novel contributes heavily to mood: during the nighttime, the mood is more ominous, as it is during this period of time that Dracula is at his strongest. In a key example of this, Lucy Westenra records her frightful nighttime experience, occurring right before her death, in a memorandum at the end of Chapter 11:
The air seems full of specks, floating and circling in the draught from the window, and the lights burn blue and dim. What am I to do? God shield me from harm this night! . . . Good-bye, dear Arthur, if I should not survive this night.
Lucy's terror is delineated by the start and end of night: by her logic, the supernatural forces seeking to harm her are only empowered to do so in the dark. If she makes it to the morning, she assumes, she will "survive." The dimness of the lights and the general darkness of night contribute to an overall mood of foreboding as Lucy struggles—and ultimately fails—to last until dawn.
During the day, the characters are less afraid of Dracula and feel more empowered to act. The mood becomes more resolute as the characters are empowered in their righteous fury. This shift in mood as night transitions to day is evident at the end of Chapter 16, when the men emerge from the crypt after vanquishing Lucy's vampire alter-ego:
Outside the air was sweet, the sun shone, and the birds sang, and it seemed as if all nature were tuned to a different pitch. There was gladness and mirth and peace everywhere, for we were at rest with ourselves on one account, and we were glad, though it was with a tempered joy.
Emerging from the tomb, Van Helsing and his comrades feel a sense of relief and happiness, helped by their natural surroundings. Daytime, as opposed to nighttime, provides these characters with much-needed respite; accompanying the day, therefore, is a lighter and more carefree mood.
Related Themes:
