The First Chapter

As I begin to read through Dracula I am finding - even in the beginnings of the first chapter - that there are two things the reader will find that will vastly impact the story in the later pages. These factors of setting will work against Jonathon Harker once he arrives with the Count, and work for the overall narrative work. The first important thing would be the isolation of the Count and that of Castle Dracula; the second will be the Count's far-reaching influence.

We see in the first chapter that although Jonathon starts out in good time, "the further East you go the more unpunctual the trains." We also find that Jonathon, doing some study before accepting his position, "was not able to light on any map or work giving the exact locality of the Castle Dracula." Once Jonathon boards Dracula's coach, he finds himself falling into more hilly and rough country, without roads in good repair. This combination of mountainous terrain, late trains, unknown location, and roads in disrepair will place Dracula in solitude, and force Jonathon into that solitude with him, cutting off any chance of escape. Of course this is precisely what Dracula wants.

Meanwhile, still in the first chapter, we see portents of doom for poor Mr. Harker as he meets with the landlord, who had evidently received a letter from the Count, which paid for Jonathon's room and board. It also made the entire town uneasy, and we find that they pity Jonathon. The landlord's wife gives him a crucifix, and the town tries to ward off the evil spirits. What we are seeing is Dracula's influence and reputation spreading into the town of Bistritz. This is not only fear, but Dracula's ability to influence situations from afar. It further adds to the isolation of the Count and therefore, Jonathon, and prevents the townsfolk from taking action when they could be helping Jonathon to rid Transylvania of Dracula.

This is the setting for Bram Stoker's Dracula: isolation in a realm where you don't have any control - a contrast to Wuthering Heights and Frankenstein, where each dealt with the main characters having control and dealing with the consequences of their poor choices. In Wuthering Heights it was Heathcliff, and in Frankenstein, naturally it was Victor.