6.1.2

Intertextuality & Cultural References

Test yourself on Intertextuality & Cultural References

Test your knowledge with free interactive questions on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

Intertextuality and Cultural References

Perhaps as a means of furthering the artificial sense of realism in the novel, Stoker makes use of intertextuality, particularly in the opening Chapters.

_Hamlet_

Hamlet

  • Jonathan alludes to Shakespeare’s Hamlet, possibly foreshadowing his lapse into madness with a brain-fever.
_Othello_

Othello

  • Lucy’s sympathising with “poor Desdemona” is chilling proleptic of the violent, phallic imagery by which Arthur drives the “mercy-bearing stake deeper and deeper", whilst the blood from the pierced heart welled and spurted up around it.
  • Arthur’s actions are, like Othello’s murder of his wife, imbued with a higher purpose, with the intention of saving the woman he loved.
Cultural references

Cultural references

  • Literary allusions are also combined with 19th-century cultural references such as:
    • Bradshaw’s Guide - a volume of railway timetables published annually from 1839 - 1961;
    • The Zoological Gardens in Regent’s Park;
    • The ruins of Whitby Abbey;
    • Scientific figures such as French neurologist Jean Martin Charcot and Hungarian historian Arminius Vambery.
Jump to other topics
1

Context - Gothic Literature

1.1

Origins & Conventions of Gothic Literature

1.1.1Origins of Gothic Literature1.1.2Key Ideas in Gothic Literature1.1.3Gothic Genre Conventions in Dracula
1.2

Vampires in Gothic Literature

1.2.1Vampires
1.3

'Terror' & 'Horror'

1.3.1Ann Radcliffe & Lewis' The Monk1.3.2'Terror' & 'Horror' in Dracula
1.4

Narrative Features

1.4.1First-Person Narration & Epistolary Format
2

Context - The Victorian Era

2.1

The Victorian Era

2.1.1Fin de Siecle2.1.2The 'New Woman'2.1.3The Contagious Diseases Act
3

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

3.1

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

3.1.1Chapters 1-23.1.2Chapters 3-43.1.3Chapters 5-73.1.4Chapters 8-103.1.5Chapters 11-123.1.6Chapters 13-143.1.7Chapters 15-163.1.8Chapters 17-183.1.9Chapters 19-203.1.10Chapters 21-233.1.11Chapters 24-253.1.12Chapters 26-27
4

Character Profiles

4.1

Archetypal Gothic Characters

4.1.1Stock & Proppian Gothic Characters
4.2

Count Dracula

4.2.1Count Dracula: Character Profile4.2.2Count Dracula: Different Literary Perspectives
4.3

Other Main Characters

4.3.1Jonathan Harker4.3.2Dr Abraham Van Helsing4.3.3Dr Jack Seward4.3.4Mina Harker4.3.5Lucy Westenra
4.4

Minor Characters

4.4.1Arthur Holmwood & Quincey Morris4.4.2Renfield
5

Key Ideas

5.1

Key Ideas

5.1.1Transgression of Boundaries5.1.2The Supernatural & Un-dead5.1.3Masculinity & Femininity5.1.4Science, Modernity & Superstition5.1.5Madness, Illness & Confinement
6

Writing Techniques

6.1

Writing Techniques

6.1.1Epistolary Form & Narrative Voice6.1.2Intertextuality & Cultural References6.1.3Structure
7

Critical Debates & Interpretations

7.1

Initial Reception of Dracula

7.1.1Initial Reception of Dracula
7.2

Modern Reception of Dracula

7.2.1Modern Reception of Dracula

Practice questions on Intertextuality & Cultural References

Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

  1. 1
    19-century cultural references in _Dracula_:Fill in the list
Answer all questions on Intertextuality & Cultural References

Unlock your full potential with Seneca Premium

  • Unlimited access to 10,000+ open-ended exam questions

  • Mini-mock exams based on your study history

  • Unlock 800+ premium courses & e-books

Get started with Seneca Premium

Epistolary Form & Narrative Voice

Structure