Bram Stoker and Russophobia: Evidence of the British Fear of Russia in Dracula and The Lady of the Shroud

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McFarland, Apr 18, 2006 - Literary Criticism - 215 pages

In Victorian England, a marked fear of Russia prevailed in the government and the public. As a result of the Crimean War and other Russian threats to the British empire, the English mind was haunted by a shadowy enemy of barbarous Eastern invaders. The influence of this Russophobia is evident in the works of Bram Stoker, who responded to the Russian challenge to British Imperial hegemony through the character of Dracula, a primitive and menacing Eastern figure destroyed by warriors pledged to the Crown.

The text investigates the role of Russophobia in Stoker's fiction, particularly his novels Dracula and The Lady of the Shroud. It offers historical information about Russophobia and the Crimean War, considers Slavic and Balkan connections, and analyzes Stoker's vampire themes. The resulting work shows how two nations' histories intertwine in an unexpected literary avenue. Illustrations include numerous political cartoons of the era.

 

Contents

ONE Russophobia and the Crimean War
13
The Consequences of the Crimean
48
Righting Old Wrongs and Displacing New Fears
118
John Bull in the Balkans
150
Conclusion
167
Notes
173
Works Cited
191
Index
197
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About the author (2006)

Jimmie E. Cain, Jr., is an associate professor in the English department at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

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