Source: https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/ocr/dracula/3-1-8-chapters-17-18 [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 17-18 # Chapters 17-18 English Lit: OCR A Level Dracula, topic 3.1.8 ## Chapters 17-18: Summary and Analysis Here's a summary and an analysis of Chapters 17-18: ### Plot summary ![Plot summary](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-08/bb108e55-9149-48d0-9078-56517f767627/letter-old.jpg) - Mina comforts Arthur and Quincey Morris, who was also present during the saving of Lucy’s soul, and continues to prove her worth as a working woman, collating all the narrative documents in preparation for a crucial meeting led by Van Helsing. - The men agree to aid Van Helsing in his quest to destroy Count Dracula, although decide it is best to exclude Mina from further aiding them for her own safety. ### Mina - maternal and domestic ![Mina - maternal and domestic](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/courseImages/biology/5.2.1%20-%20The%20nervous%20system/brain-1845940_640-min.jpg) - Mina’s role, and standing amongst the other male characters, becomes increasingly complex. - She is both a maternal and domestic figure, embracing the grieving Arthur and __“strok[ing] his hair as though he were my own child”__. - Counter to this traditional role, she acts a secretary for Van Helsing and he asserts that __“She has man’s brain – a brain that a man should have were he much gifted – and woman’s heart.”__ ### Irony - men excluding Mina ![Irony - men excluding Mina](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2019-10/3242182e-6ef9-4aa3-8c38-f2cc9a9039cf/blood-smears-.jpg) - There is an irony in the men ultimately deciding to no longer involve Mina in the battle against Dracula as this intended act of chivalry indirectly leads to her being subject to the Baptism of Blood in Chapter 21. ### Voivode Dracula's story ![Voivode Dracula's story](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2019-10/70a14096-0234-45d2-95a4-63f06cb8da10/dracula-vampire-.jpg) - Whilst Van Helsing assures the others that the __“resources of science__” will have a role to play, it takes a secondary role as he details the history of Voivode Dracula, informed by his friend Arminius Vambery from Buda-Pesth University. - Some critics believe that the historical figure of Vambery, a Hungarian traveller and professor of oriental languages, was the inspiration behind Van Helsing’s character. ## Chapters 17-18: Analysis (Cont.) Here's an analysis of Chapters 17-18: ### Dracula the opponent ![Dracula the opponent](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2019-10/1c4d3258-ddf8-4060-904d-92ac4ab544c7/dracula-man-.jpg) - It is clear that Dracula is a formidable opponent, possessing both the supernatural abilities of the vampire alongside his human intellect and cunning. ### Van Helsing - triple modal verbs ![Van Helsing - triple modal verbs](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-03/678243d8-24b7-40dd-9608-598fb8a78894/shutterstock_696061531.jpg) - Van Helsing’s triple use of modal verbs of certainty (__“We must trace each of these boxes; and when we are ready we must either capture or kill this monster in his lair; or we must, so to speak, sterilize the earth, so that no more he can seek safety in it"__) adds a real sense of purpose and gravitas to their task. ### Renfield's request ![Renfield's request](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2019-05/c9f2034d-fc0d-4721-ad91-dd1d27757466/beg-.jpg) - The Chapter ends with a request from Renfield to be freed by Dr Seward. - Renfield speaks with lucidity and clarity, with little trace of the madness that once plagued him. - He implores that he is in earnest, __“a sane man fighting for his soul”__ yet Seward will not acquiesce, promoting an ominous reply from Renfield to remember this conversation - foreshadowing both Renfield’s death at the hands of Dracula and the fact this will provide Dracula with access to Mina. ## Test yourself on Chapters 17-18 - Which of these are true of Mina? - Who informs Van Helsing about Voivode Dracula? [Practise this topic for free](https://app.senecalearning.com/classroom/course/508a7828-52ed-48a3-9259-00e65066f4c7/section/1519ca7d-4c26-4623-8f93-0eb4a21d8b4d/session) - Previous topic: [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) - Next topic: [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) ## 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)