Technology

[Katrina]

One of the great themes in Dracula is the use of technology. Stoker does a good job showing us how technological advances can be both a burden and a blessing. I find it fascinating to see how technology is used by both the "good guys" and the "bad guy(s)" in the novel, particularly the railroad. Jonathan and Mina, Van Helsing, Seward, and the others all make good use of the railroad in getting to and from places and especially in their pursuit of Dracula. But at the same time, Dracula himself uses the train to get him and his dirt from Whitby to London, and (if I remember correctly) also for part of his journey back to Transylvania. The technology speeds the spread of both evil and good, in other words.

[paul]

Interesting. Note also how Dr VanHelsing (or whatever his name is) uses the concept of blood transfusion to attempt to save the victims' lives. The concept of transfusion (albeit quite barbaric as described) was an emerging science (although I admit it's not technically "technology").

[peggy]

And what about the technology of Dr. Seward's phonograph diary. That must have been on the cutting edge, do you think?

[Katrina]

I would definitely include blood transfusion and the phonograph diary under the label of "technology". For that matter, even shorthand and typewriting were emerging at this time; they'd been around for a while, but they were just at this time beginning to be very commonly used.