About me, Peter O’Neill and the essay you are about to read. I am a Catholic, so my own spiritual views will be in this essay. Having been raised a Catholic and going to a Catholic middle school and high school I am deeply rooted in the Catholic faith. There are a lot of bible verses that connect with Dracula as mentioned in the book, Dracula. What I am trying to do though is show that Dracula is nothing like Jesus, even if they have similar qualities.

There are many themes in Dracula ranging from natural being unnatural to the use of religion. I am not sure if Bram Stoker wanted there to be these ranging themes, but it is evident that Dracula has them, especially the theme of Dracula being the Anti-Christ.  Stoker portrays Dracula, throughout much of the novel, as the Anti-Christ through the use of biblical quotes or references to harp on the notion that Dracula and Jesus Christ, although with similar characteristics and attributes, are complete opposites.

Dracula in chapter 7 is aboard the Demeter, a ship traveling to England. While the ship is sailing there is a storm that according to the journal entry on page 82, “Rough weather last three days” (Stoker 82) is horrible. The number three in Christianity is a significant number representing the holy trinity between, the Father (God), Son (Jesus), and the Holy Spirit. Further down on page 82, the journal entry describes another horrible storm, but this storm is stronger than the last. The captain writes, “Four days in hell.” (Stoker 82) It is to my understanding that Dracula is the sole cause of this. Jesus, in the bible was able to calm the storms as mentioned in Mark 4: 35-41, but Dracula does the exact opposite. Instead Dracula causes horrible winds and storms. This is the first instance of Dracula being compared to Jesus Christ. Right at this moment, to me Stoker is trying to drive home the notion that Dracula is the total opposite of Jesus, thus the Anti-Christ.

There is another reference to Dracula and Jesus on the bottom of page 96 to the top of page 97. Stoker writes, “The bride-maidens rejoice the eyes that wait the coming of the bride; but when the bride draweth nigh, then the maidens shine not to the eyes that are filled.”(Stoker 96-97) This passage is a reference to Revelation 21.2. The endnote on the bottom of page 97 makes this connection but also mentions that “Renfields biblical-sounding rhapsody equates Dracula’s advent with the coming of the Messiah, but its imagery is unorthodox.”(Stoker 97) I believe Stoker does this again to show that Dracula is the opposite of Jesus. Jesus is seen as the “bridegroom” in the bible as mentioned above and the “bride” would be the church. Renfield says Dracula is like the bridegroom, but unlike Jesus, Dracula has no bride. Dracula is just a selfish being with no one to share his life with. This is just another instance of Bram Stoker connecting Dracula to a major biblical character. Both are seen as the “bridegroom”, but when it comes down to morals and characteristics they are polar opposites.

Stoker on page 206 connects Jesus and Dracula again, but this time through the act of communion. Renfield on this page is defending his motives of why he attacked Seward and Seward actually connects what Renfield says back to the bible. Seward writes in his journal, “Relying of course on the scriptural phrase, For the blood is the life.”(Stoker 206) Jesus in the Last Supper according to Luke 22: 7-38 says, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.” (Holy Bible. New International Version Luke 22:7-38) In the Catholic Church, the wine is transubstantiated into Jesus’ blood. When one drinks Jesus’ blood one is gaining immortal life in heaven. Dracula has been living for ages. Instead of giving his blood to the masses, he is taking blood and life away from others for his own personal gain of immortality. Again the exact opposite of what Jesus does. Jesus, theoretically speaking, gives his blood to the masses, while Dracula takes it all for himself.

The biblical reference that Renfield gives, “I don’t want to talk to you, the Master is at hand” (Stoker 96) can also be a reference to the Passover. In Mathew 26:18 it says, “And he said, Go into the city to such a man, and say unto him, The Teacher says, My time is at hand; I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.” (Holy Bible. New International Version Mathew 26:18) This passage is a strikingly similar reference to what Renfield said. The word “Master” used by Renfield describes Dracula. To Renfield, Dracula is his god, his own savior. In the Holy Bible “Master” is just another name for Jesus. Jesus at the Passover is celebrating the Jewish tradition of Passover, but later on during the night he is to be handed over to the Romans. Renfield uses this quote as the rise of Dracula into this powerful being, but in Mathew’s version, this leads to the eventual fall and death of Jesus. Dracula at this point of the book is getting stronger and his end is nowhere near in sight. In the bible however, Jesus’ time is coming to a close and slowly, physically speaking, is getting weaker.

Another way to view Renfield’s quote, “I don’t want to talk to you, the Master is hand.”(Stoker 96) is through the Second Coming. The Second Coming is referred to as the end of the world in most Christian traditions. The Second Coming as mentioned in Revelation 19:11-16 describes a character much to that of Dracula; “His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King Of Kings, And Lord Of Lords.” (Holy Bible. New International Version Revelation 19:11-16) This biblical character is one that appears to be Dracula. Dracula is mentioned as having blazing red eyes, very sharp long teeth like a sword, and having a craving for blood. The character described in the bible is actually a warrior sent by God to defeat some sort of beast. Dracula although described like this biblical character is actually quite the opposite, much more like the beast. In the bible it says there will be a figure that will pretend to be the Messiah, but that figure, whoever it is, will be killed by the character described above in Revelation 19:11-16. Dracula, to Renfield and Lucy, is like a savior or the Messiah to them. Dracula is acting like some sort of savior, but he really is not, thus being the beast. The one that will pretend to be the Messiah, but really is this selfish, evil and manipulative being, something which Jesus, according to the bible, is not.

Stoker portrays Dracula, throughout much of the novel, as the Anti-Christ through the use of biblical quotes or references to harp on the notion that Dracula and Jesus, although with similar characteristics and attributes, are complete opposites. Dracula and Jesus more than once are connected through miracles and biblical quotes. Dracula and the religious figures used in Dracula are truly complete opposites, thus the whole idea of the Anti-Christ. Dracula creates massive storms while Jesus calms storms. Jesus in the bible is viewed as the “bridegroom” and the Church would be the “bride.” Dracula is also viewed as the “bridegroom” but he has no bride.  When Renfield quotes from Revelation or Mathew it can be viewed in two different ways. When looking at it from the Book of Revelation it can be viewed as Dracula will eventually rule the world and when viewed in Matthews’s rendition of the Passover it can be viewed as Dracula getting stronger. In the bible however, it is quite the opposite. The Book of Revelation quote says that the world is going to be ruled by this religious figure sent by God to kill the beast and in Mathew’s rendition of the Passover, Jesus, physically speaking at that point in time, is getting weaker. There are many themes in Dracula, but the use of biblical quotes to show that Dracula is the Anti-Christ is very unique.

Works Cited:

-Stoker, Bram, Nina Auerbach, and David J. Skal. Dracula. New York: Norton, 1997. Print.

-The Holy Bible: New International Version, Containing the Old Testament and the New Testament. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Bible, 1978. Print.

-Couric, Robert. A King James Bible Biblehub.com. Web. http://biblehub.com/exodus/33-20.htm.