Source: https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/ocr/dracula/3-1-3-chapters-5-7 [Revision notes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes.md) › [A Level](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level.md) › [English Lit](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature.md) › [OCR](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/ocr.md) › [English Lit: OCR A Level Dracula](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/ocr/dracula.md) › Chapters 5-7 # Chapters 5-7 English Lit: OCR A Level Dracula, topic 3.1.3 ## Chapters 5-7: Summary and Analysis Here's a summary and an analysis of Chapters 5-7: ### Plot summary ![Plot summary](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2019-10/b930b72b-9673-4d51-b1fc-63da744792a1/propose-engagement-.png) - The narrative perspective switches to Jonathan Harker’s fiancee, Mina Murray, and her good friend Lucy Westenra, who has received three marriage proposals in one day - one from Dr Jack Seward, who also lends his narration to the novel. - Lucy and Mina travel to Whitby where Lucy begins to sleepwalk and a mighty storm coincides with Dracula’s arrival in England aboard the ship, The Demeter. ### Mina Murray and Lucy Westenra ![Mina Murray and Lucy Westenra](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-03/55f411fd-1ee4-4ca0-86c5-1d13a261e2b9/shutterstock_1009461196.jpg) - Stoker quickly introduces his readers to several characters based in England who will take the narrative forward. - Mina Murray is Jonathan’s fiancee and she acts as a literary foil to her good friend, Lucy Westenra. - Whilst Lucy’s __“Why can’t they let a girl marry three men, or as many as want her?”__ is meant in jest, a clear parallel can be drawn to the sexually liberated female-vampires and Lucy’s suggestion that polygamy should be socially acceptable. ### Seward - science and technology ![Seward - science and technology](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2019-10/a8de1806-72d4-4222-a19e-b646664ecd92/phonograph-.jpg) - Jack Seward’s determination to busy himself with his work and his decision to continue his friendship with Arthur Holmwood, whose proposal Lucy accepts, reflects the typical stoicism expected of a Victorian Gentleman. - Seward’s role in the novel is to represent the field of science and technology. He documents his journal using the phonograph (invented by Thomas Edison in 1877). ### Seward's rational approach ![Seward's rational approach](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-08/02824c6c-9c33-4df4-b9c9-0115c5fd8ff4/Quarantine-Lab-Science-Internet-.jpg) - Of all the characters in the ‘band of heroes’, it is Seward who struggles to accept the supernatural events, often desperately clinging to the hope that there must be a logical or rational explanation. - It is only through the combination of science, technology with the more mystic knowledge (provided by Van Helsing) that they are able to triumph over Dracula. ## Chapters 5-7: Analysis (Cont.) Here's an analysis of Chapters 5-7: ### Seward's rational approach ![Seward's rational approach](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-08/02824c6c-9c33-4df4-b9c9-0115c5fd8ff4/Quarantine-Lab-Science-Internet-.jpg) - Chapter 6 introduces Renfield - one of Seward’s patients in his lunatic asylum. - __“Lunatic”__ derives from __“lunacy”__ as it was believed that madness was connected to the lunar calendar. There is also a connection here to lycanthropy, the mythical transformation of a human into a wolf, one of the creatures Dracula is able to transform into - the newspaper report details how __“an immense dog sprang up on deck from below”__ as The Demeter comes to rest on the Whitby sands. ### __“Zoophagous”__ ![__“Zoophagous”__](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-10/37705cb1-28dd-4715-b5d7-55dcbb1a4600/spider-8-legs0.jpg) - Renfield is classified by Seward as __“a zoophagous(life-eating) maniac”__. - Unbeknownst to Seward, he has provided a scientific term for the vampire. __“Zoophagous”__ was first coined c. 1825 - 1835 and there is an obvious connection between the clinically insane Renfield, who consumes flies, spiders and sparrows in order to __“absorb as many lives as he can”__, and the vampire, who must feed on fresh blood to sustain themselves. ### Dracula’s arrival in Whitby ![Dracula’s arrival in Whitby](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-04/1e84519f-8f66-477d-baae-c30a9c618101/shutterstock_89026090.jpg) - Dracula’s arrival in Whitby utilises pathetic fallacy and the storm evokes the Gothic trope of The Sublime - the awe-inspiring power of nature that is both deadly yet thrilling, as postulated by Edmund Burke in _A Philosophical Enquiry into the Origin of Our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful_ (1757). ### The Correspondent’s article ![The Correspondent’s article](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-05/0b370228-9b1f-46c9-98f0-6c1265748da5/shutterstock_558656821.jpg) - The Correspondent’s article states how __“One of the greatest and suddenest storms on record has just been experienced here, with results both strange and unique.”__ - The superlative adjectives evoke the idea of the Sublime; the use of __“strange”__ adds to the uncanniness of the storm, whilst coupled with __“unique”__ also continues the theme of duality that is prevalent throughout _Dracula_. ### Anthropomorphic foreshadowing ![Anthropomorphic foreshadowing](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2019-10/48b77d77-4973-41c5-bd71-b53c52a22525/sea-storm-monster-.jpg) - Anthropomorphic foreshadowing of the destruction Dracula intends to reap is also reflected in the Sublime description of how the storm caused the __“lately glassy sea [to become] like a roaring and devouring monster.”__ ## Test yourself on Chapters 5-7 - Which character, in the 'band of heroes', struggles to accept the supernatural events in _Dracula_? [Practise this topic for free](https://app.senecalearning.com/classroom/course/508a7828-52ed-48a3-9259-00e65066f4c7/section/5658bcd6-9601-41fa-9a90-d99b8c973bf1/session) - Previous topic: [3.1.2 Chapters 3-4](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/ocr/dracula/3-1-2-chapters-3-4.md) - Next topic: [3.1.4 Chapters 8-10](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/ocr/dracula/3-1-4-chapters-8-10.md) ## English Lit: OCR A Level Dracula contents ### 1 Context - Gothic Literature - 1.1 Origins & Conventions of Gothic Literature - [1.1.1 Origins of Gothic Literature](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/ocr/dracula/1-1-1-origins-of-gothic-literature.md) - [1.1.2 Key Ideas in Gothic Literature](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/ocr/dracula/1-1-2-key-ideas-in-gothic-literature.md) - [1.1.3 Gothic Genre Conventions in Dracula](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/ocr/dracula/1-1-3-gothic-genre-conventions-in-dracula.md) - 1.2 Vampires in Gothic Literature - [1.2.1 Vampires](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/ocr/dracula/1-2-1-vampires.md) - 1.3 'Terror' & 'Horror' - [1.3.1 Ann Radcliffe & Lewis' The Monk](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/ocr/dracula/1-3-1-ann-radcliffe-and-lewis-the-monk.md) - [1.3.2 'Terror' & 'Horror' in Dracula](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/ocr/dracula/1-3-2-terror-and-horror-in-dracula.md) - 1.4 Narrative Features - [1.4.1 First-Person Narration & Epistolary Format](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/ocr/dracula/1-4-1-first-person-narration-and-epistolary-format.md) ### 2 Context - The Victorian Era - 2.1 The Victorian Era - [2.1.1 Fin de Siecle](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/ocr/dracula/2-1-1-fin-de-siecle.md) - [2.1.2 The 'New Woman'](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/ocr/dracula/2-1-2-the-new-woman.md) - [2.1.3 The Contagious Diseases Act](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/ocr/dracula/2-1-3-the-contagious-diseases-act.md) ### 3 Chapter Summaries & Analyses - 3.1 Chapter Summaries & Analyses - [3.1.1 Chapters 1-2](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/ocr/dracula/3-1-1-chapters-1-2.md) - [3.1.2 Chapters 3-4](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/ocr/dracula/3-1-2-chapters-3-4.md) - [3.1.3 Chapters 5-7](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/ocr/dracula/3-1-3-chapters-5-7.md) - [3.1.4 Chapters 8-10](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/ocr/dracula/3-1-4-chapters-8-10.md) - [3.1.5 Chapters 11-12](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/ocr/dracula/3-1-5-chapters-11-12.md) - [3.1.6 Chapters 13-14](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/ocr/dracula/3-1-6-chapters-13-14.md) - [3.1.7 Chapters 15-16](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/ocr/dracula/3-1-7-chapters-15-16.md) - [3.1.8 Chapters 17-18](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/ocr/dracula/3-1-8-chapters-17-18.md) - [3.1.9 Chapters 19-20](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/ocr/dracula/3-1-9-chapters-19-20.md) - [3.1.10 Chapters 21-23](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/ocr/dracula/3-1-10-chapters-21-23.md) - [3.1.11 Chapters 24-25](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/ocr/dracula/3-1-11-chapters-24-25.md) - [3.1.12 Chapters 26-27](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/ocr/dracula/3-1-12-chapters-26-27.md) ### 4 Character Profiles - 4.1 Archetypal Gothic Characters - [4.1.1 Stock & Proppian Gothic Characters](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/ocr/dracula/4-1-1-stock-and-proppian-gothic-characters.md) - 4.2 Count Dracula - [4.2.1 Count Dracula: Character Profile](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/ocr/dracula/4-2-1-count-dracula-character-profile.md) - [4.2.2 Count Dracula: Different Literary Perspectives](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/ocr/dracula/4-2-2-count-dracula-different-literary-perspectives.md) - 4.3 Other Main Characters - [4.3.1 Jonathan Harker](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/ocr/dracula/4-3-1-jonathan-harker.md) - [4.3.2 Dr Abraham Van Helsing](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/ocr/dracula/4-3-2-dr-abraham-van-helsing.md) - [4.3.3 Dr Jack Seward](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/ocr/dracula/4-3-3-dr-jack-seward.md) - [4.3.4 Mina Harker](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/ocr/dracula/4-3-4-mina-harker.md) - [4.3.5 Lucy Westenra](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/ocr/dracula/4-3-5-lucy-westenra.md) - 4.4 Minor Characters - [4.4.1 Arthur Holmwood & Quincey Morris](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/ocr/dracula/4-4-1-arthur-holmwood-and-quincey-morris.md) - [4.4.2 Renfield](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/ocr/dracula/4-4-2-renfield.md) ### 5 Key Ideas - 5.1 Key Ideas - [5.1.1 Transgression of Boundaries](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/ocr/dracula/5-1-1-transgression-of-boundaries.md) - [5.1.2 The Supernatural & Un-dead](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/ocr/dracula/5-1-2-the-supernatural-and-un-dead.md) - [5.1.3 Masculinity & Femininity](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/ocr/dracula/5-1-3-masculinity-and-femininity.md) - [5.1.4 Science, Modernity & Superstition](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/ocr/dracula/5-1-4-science-modernity-and-superstition.md) - [5.1.5 Madness, Illness & Confinement](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/ocr/dracula/5-1-5-madness-illness-and-confinement.md) ### 6 Writing Techniques - 6.1 Writing Techniques - [6.1.1 Epistolary Form & Narrative Voice](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/ocr/dracula/6-1-1-epistolary-form-and-narrative-voice.md) - [6.1.2 Intertextuality & Cultural References](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/ocr/dracula/6-1-2-intertextuality-and-cultural-references.md) - [6.1.3 Structure](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/ocr/dracula/6-1-3-structure.md) ### 7 Critical Debates & Interpretations - 7.1 Initial Reception of Dracula - [7.1.1 Initial Reception of Dracula](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/ocr/dracula/7-1-1-initial-reception-of-dracula.md) - 7.2 Modern Reception of Dracula - [7.2.1 Modern Reception of Dracula](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/ocr/dracula/7-2-1-modern-reception-of-dracula.md)