Annotated Bibliographies

Lily Coston-

Topic- The effect of Dracula on the slovak peoples culture & identity

Karl Doleys-

Topic- The perception and treatment of madness/insanity in the late 1800s and how it has

changed.

Olivia Kirkman-

Topic-Dracula's necessary craving for human blood and how it affects him physically and

psychologically

Lidia Longo-

Topic- classic horror & its influence of Dracula on classic horror & time period

Brinton Prestridge-

Topic- Gothic Architecture and its Influence on Society

Olivia Kirkman, Lily Coston, Karl Doleys, Lidia Longo, Brinton Prestridge

AP Literature & Composition

Andrea Walter

12/1/22

Annotated Bibliographies

Bartlett, Peter. "Madness and Asylums." Encyclopedia of European Social History, edited

by Peter N. Stearns, vol. 3: Social Structure/Social Protest/Deviance & Crime/Social

Problems, Charles Scribner's Sons, 2001, pp. 429-443. Gale In Context: World History,

link.gale.com/apps/doc/CX3460500156/WHIC?u=kenn44856&sid=bookmark-

WHIC&xid=155dac04

This article by Bartlett provides a summary of madness as a condition and how it has

evolved throughout history. Bartlett informally addresses the earliest uses of the term and

explains how the definition and treatment of mad people developed overtime. Throughout the

rest of the article Bartlett assumes a more professional tone and describes the nature of asylums

and how the care and perception of people with mental issues has greatly evolved.

The article contains a plethora of information so at times it can be difficult to follow the

changes on a single timeline. The passage lacks some organization but in terms of raw content it

is exceptional. The article provides facts and information and then answers questions that might

pertain to the developments brought on by these changes. Bartlett does do a good job tying

together bits of information for an enhanced understanding. But this is not done in a way where

not understanding the tidbits of information will prevent the reader from comprehending what

Bartlett is trying to explain.

 Overall this passage provided me with plenty of information. Something that was

particularly interesting about this article was it’s detailed explanations on asylums and treatments

of patients suffering from ‘madness’ in Europe during the late 19th century. I was able to draw

numerous parallels between Dracula and the passage. Most notably how Dr. Sewards’ asylum

and how the Doctor approached Renfield as a patient was quite accurate for it’s time. The private

asylum was the go to place for new psychiatrists at the time and typically were rather small and

well maintained. Lacking modern medicines to treat patients, doctors had to take a more hands

on approach by developing personal relationships with their patients. This description of an

asylum during the time of Bram Stokers Dracula is well represented by Dr. Seward's asylum and

his relationship and attempt to understand Renfield.

Beal, Eleanor and Greenaway, Jon. Horror and Religion : New Literary Approaches to

Theology,

Race and Sexuality.University of Wales Press,2019.EBSCOhost,https://search.ebscohost.

com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=e000xna&AN=2282629&site=eds-live&scope=site.

The book ties together the themes of horror, sexuality, and religion, showing how they

are all connected and fluid throughout one another, displaying similarities and foundations in one

another, such as religious roots in horror figures like vampires.

The text is split among different sections comparing two of the three genres, speaking on

how they interact with one another. It utilizes Bram Stoker’s Dracula as well as other vampire

and horror novels to provide the evidence for the religious backings. It also constitutes the idea

of the death of God in horror later on in the 1960’s. The book analyzes the similarities in the
three themes and how they work together to create the stories and works of fiction in literature

and film.

There is a solid connection with religion within Bram Stoker’s Dracula, defining the

protagonists and the antagonists as well as the one dimensionality of the characters and their

superstitions surrounding their faith, especially considering the root of Judaism and Christianity

behind the ideas of vampires. The religious connections within Dracula throughout the

characters emanates the faithful backing in the characters minds as they turn to God to help them

through their problems and name Dracula the devil. This provided a common theme in the horror

genre, producing movies that looked into religion as a way to create horror stories and monsters

like The Exorcist movies, including the ever popular Shark Exorcist, and many others (like the

new NUN movie too). The combination of horror and religion gave way to a new style of horror

stories, ones that either fought the devil with the grace of God or, in newer horror movies and

stories, found the flaws in religion by villainizing the older forms of religion, particularly the

drastic actions taken in the early colonial periods. The horror genre paved a new road in story

making with the revolutionary connections with horror and religion, using those similar roots

between them to create stories unlike any other and characterize the duality between good and

evil and heaven and hell.

Braslow, Joel T., and Sarah Linsley Starks. "Psychology and Psychiatry." New Dictionary of the

History of Ideas, edited by Maryanne Cline Horowitz, vol. 5, Charles Scribner's Sons,

2005, pp. 1958-1964. Gale In Context: World History,

link.gale.com/apps/doc/CX3424300645/WHIC?u=kenn44856&sid=bookmark-

WHIC&xid=3f8a53f8.
 This article addresses the development of psychology and psychiatry particularly in the

20th century in western culture. The article abstains from colorful and flowery language. Instead,

the author uses professional diction, facts, examples, and definitions to educate the reader.

The passage educates the reader about how the practice of psychology and psychiatry

have evolved overtime due to advances in medicine, drugs, and clinical studies. The article is

separated into three main topics and then further divided into subsections. By doing this the

author is able to focus on specific points and emphasize the importance of certain ideas and

changes. While reading the passage it can be confusing to track what changes are occurring at

certain times. Despite each section being chronological by themselves it can be difficult

organizing events/changes between the three timelines. The nature of the article while very

educational can be very difficult to take all the information and pair it together.

Though there are some issues with following all the changes in the article, there is still a

lot to learn and gain from it. Something of value I gained from this article pertained to the

psychological debate of whether madness was brought on by an obvious cause or whether it is

simply an issue with the mind. This was a major debate for a time and in some cases is still

debated. This debate in particular pertains to Renfield’s situation. It is pretty clear to readers that

Renfield’s apparent madness is brought on by his experiences with Dracula. But because of the

time period, Dr. Seward and Van Helsing were not sure whether his madness had been brought

on by an experience or was simply an issue of the mind. This question is also related to Jonathan

Harker's weakened mental state after returning from Dracula’s castle. Jonathan’s conditions is

most clearly brought on by his experiences at the castle but to the nurses treating him they

thought he was simply damaged in the mind.

Britannica. "Gothic Architecture." Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 Nov. 2022,

www.britannica.com/art/Gothic-architecture. Accessed 27 Nov. 2022.

This article, published by the Encyclopedia Britannica, provides the reader with a brief

introduction and overview of Gothic Architecture, its origins, development through the 12th,

13th, 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries, and its culmination at the beginning of the Renaissance.

The article explains the new innovations in construction that Gothic Architecture so

magnificently exemplifies. Flying buttresses (an inclined bar that extends from the upper part of

a wall to a pier some distance away) and ribbed arches (a skeleton of arches upon which a roof is

built) became the primary tools employed by Gothic architects. These new building methods

allowed for an increase in the physical load that a building was able to withstand, meaning that,

by employing these techniques, buildings could be built taller, wider, and more opulent than ever

before. The article then goes on the explain how France was responsible for the genesis and

proliferation of Gothic Architecture. The French are responsible for some of the most notable

examples of Gothic Architecture, including Notre Dame, perhaps the most famous cathedral in

the world. The nature of Gothic Architecture seems to contradict its name, which was original

coined to be insulting. The cascading theme of light and its ecclesiastic nature also seem to

contrast directly the very nature of Dracula. Stoker’s choice to include such a diverse

contradiction in his choice of setting and his characters further exemplify his prowess as an

author, for he is able to make the contradiction seamlessly and effectively. That contradictory

nature seems to paint his primary antagonist in a more sinister light than would otherwise be

possible. It serves to heighten Dracula’s potency, that he should be powerful, dark, and evil

enough to corrupt a place designed to showcase the beauty of the day, to a degree that is

achievable only by an author of the highest caliber, a true pioneer.

CĂLINOAIA, ANDREI. “Civilization Confronted with the Wilderness of Europe: Dracula and

the Balkans.” East-West Cultural Passage, vol. 18, no. 1/2, Dec. 2018, pp. 113–32.

EBSCOhost,https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ets&AN=

136834325&site=edslive&scope=site.

Calinoaia’s article focuses on the effects Stoker's novel, Dracula, had in creating a

hetero-image of the Balkan region and its different ethnic groups. He stresses how the novel and

outside influences shaped Western views on the region and the belief in needing to teach the Slav

peoples basic civilities of life.

In explaining the development of the hetero-image of the Balkans, Calinoaia provides a

brief overview of the history of the region along with influences of the Ottomans and, rather lack

of, Western European ideals. The barbaric image created by the literary imagination of authors,

like Bram Stoker and Karl May, also instigated this stereotypical development for the Balkans,

where they created a one-sided characterization for the different ethnic groups. Furthermore, this

article delves into the religious and geological context of the different groups through literary

expansion. Calinoaia describes the meshing of different religions for all ethnic groups and the

different effects of Bram Stoker’s novel on the people of the Balkan region, systematically

pointing out the negative impact the author and fiction has had on Eastern Europe.

Overall, Calinoaia emphasizes throughout the article the typecast image and grouping of

the Balkan region and its peoples. With the popularization of Bram Stoker’s Dracula and other

similar authors, the hetero-image increased and created a one-sided belief in the superiority of

the Western world. By generalizing Balkanians as barbaric, wandering people, Stoker used the

different ethnic groups as a factor in his novel to move the characters and highlight their inane
moral compass for goodness. The traveling ethnic groups were a systematic representation of the

Dracula’s influence over the uncivilized people and their innocence and belief in good and evil.

Enright, Laura. Vampires’ Most Wanted: The Top 10 Book of Bloodthirsty Biters, Stake-

Wielding

Slayers, and Other Undead Oddities. Potomac Books, 2011. EBSCOhost,https://search-

ebscohost-com.proxygsu-scob.galileo.usg.edu/login.aspx? direct=true

&db=e000xna&AN=389136&site=ehost-live&scope=site.

Enright touches on the traditional ideas and character habits necessary to the making of a

vampire. She notes that the word “vampire” was not introduced until near the 18th-century era,

however, this blood-crazy creature existed long before that time as almost every civilization

seemed to house a demon or evil-spirited god. The book compares different famous vampires

known in modern pop culture such as Bill Compton, Edward Cullen, and our very own Dracula.

It also sheds light on the common vampires’ powers, plotlines, and pitfalls and truly what makes

a vampire, a vampire.

Beginning the book, the author notes the change in the image this hemo-craving creature

bestows. She discusses how one of the most notable traits a vampiric character possesses is the

typical blood-craving urge. Acknowledging that each book, culture, and script entails a different

backstory behind what the act of sucking one's blood means on a deeper level. There are also

notes of the “powers” and “kryptonite” a vampire might face in a story. Powers of hypnosis,

immortality, and transforming into a bat are a few examples of ones mentioned not only in this

informative book but in Bram Stoker’s Dracula as well. After reading pieces of this book, it is

easy to understand why Dracula is such a powerful character in the realm of horror fiction for
such a long period. The listed traits also help to recognize why the Count has such a success rate

in his attacks, making him such a powerful villain of the novel. She notes how minuscule details

such as an appetite for blood, enraged addiction issues, and immortality benefit Dracula and

many other vampires in their successes not just in the book, but in favorability as readers may be

more understanding of why their actions were deemed more acceptable.

In Dracula, Bram Stoker utilizes these traditional horror characteristics for his characters

throughout the book. With Dracula requiring blood to live, he molds his life's decisions around

this notion. For example, throughout the book, he would experience droughts of blood, but still

faced the requirement for his physical health, therefore, this is how Jonathan and other human

characters are lured into the castle. Without his intense desire and need for blood, the points of

the story where Lucy and Mina are bitten, Rienfield’s story, and the climactic chase throughout

the novel would be unnecessary and ultimately, not have much reasoning behind them. Touching

briefly on the fact that vampires were often considered spirits of evil, there became ways to make

the immortal creature, mortal. Many cultures in the past utilized this religious point to

acknowledge that religion was the “only cure”. Holy objects such as crucifixes, communion

wafers, bread, water, and garlic (helped in the final act of purification of Eastern Europeans)

were one's only hope in taking on such a sinful, malicious creature of the underworld. These

could be seen also in the book when fighting Dracula, as these objects reoccur and help in each

battle. His extreme cravings heighten his malicious actions towards others which drives the

majority of the plot. Especially when Stoker mentions the red in his eyes and “crazed look” when

in the act of taking blood from others shows the addiction Dracula experiences from a mental

and physical standpoint. As mentioned by Enright, a vampire's stereotypical hunger for blood
plays a much bigger role in a story than many may realize and has a much bigger impact on the

character's decision-making throughout.

"Madness." International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences, edited by William A. Darity, Jr.,

2nd ed., vol. 4, Macmillan Reference USA, 2008, pp. 548-550. Gale In Context: World

History,link.gale.com/apps/doc/CX3045301417/WHIC?u=kenn44856&sid=bookmark-

WHIC&xid=7d9150b6.

This text approaches the concept of madness in a scholarly manner, providing facts and

details relative to the topic. The piece is more informational than argumentative and provides

differing opinions on debates relative to the material in the article. The passage takes a wholistic

view of madness and discusses changes in social response and treatment of madness through

much of the mid 19th century to the late 20th century.

Maintaining a scholarly voice, the author provides readers with an educational experience

concerning the concept of madness. Reader’s might bore over the dreary and disengaging voice

but if committed the article provides valuable information on the topic. The information is neatly

organized and each section stays in chronological order. Something particularly nice about this

article is how the author connects the information across paragraphs. Information presented in

earlier passages is reinstated in later paragraph to provide readers with a better understanding of

how all the information being given to them ties together.

The article, despite providing a background on the treatment of ‘mad’ people over time,

did not answer or provide any information as it directly pertains to Renfield’s situation in the

Stoker’s Dracula. Rather, the article provided me a window to understanding how madness

gradually became mental illness in the eyes of the public. The article provided me a more in-
depth understanding as to how madness slowly became a conglomerate of mental illness’s as

society searched for cures and labels to specific conditions. Having gathered this knowledge it is

perplexing to think of how Renfield would be diagnosed in the late 20th century as opposed to

the late 19th century. It is also important to understand that because of the time period and the

nature of the book, being deemed as ‘mad’ or ‘insane’ fits the style of the book rather than

suffering PTSD or some other mental disorder.

Kuznetsova, Anna. Psychology of Cravings. Nova Science Publishers, Inc, 2013.

EBSCOhost, https://search-ebscohost-com.proxygsu-scob.galileo .usg.edu/login.aspx?

direct= true&db=e000xna&AN=630512&site=ehost-live&scope=site.

This book articulates theories regarding cravings and how we can understand what causes

them and what we can do to manage them. It discusses the emotional and physical effects of

cravings and how they can connect to altered decision-making, compulsive behaviors, and

addiction issues. Kuznetsova provides many studies with patient experiences and personal

accounts regarding their resolutions to previous hardship with cravings making it applicable to

everyday life and potential disorders.

The author notes how there has been a multitude of studies regarding the connection

between cravings and addiction disorders from unhealthy sweets to dangerous drugs of all kinds.

Each craving is theorized, to begin with, a specific trigger, subjective to each individual that may

be influenced by several different factors such as cognition, environmental variables, and

consumption history. Kuznetsova also discusses management tactics to withhold intrusive

thoughts from taking control. She notes that although suppression is a commonly used strategy to

combat cravings, it could be doing more harm than good. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
(or ACT), suggests that it is important to control our behavior, rather than our cravings. What

this means is that instead of suppressing our needs, therapists train clients to experience cravings,

with the understanding that they have the power to control their behaviors regardless of the

cravings’ strength.

One of the first studies to look into cravings was Isbell in 1955 which observed its

relation to alcohol. Connecting to Dracula and his animalistic craving for blood, the study notes

two types of cravings: physical and symbolic. Physical cravings referred to those individuals

who had drunk such excessive amounts of the toxicant over a period of time that there were

physiological changes resulting in withdrawal. If Dracula has been drinking blood from others

for as long as the book notes, he likely experiences a physical need for the substance rather than

just a simple desire because of his long-time consumption. Therefore, if he were to suddenly stop

his bloodthirsty habits, he would go through extreme physical withdrawal symptoms, decreasing

his change of full abstinence. Looking at symbolic cravings, this theory digs deeper into the

psychological origins of substance abuse and its ability to be known as a predisposing factor for

relapse during attempted abstinence. This could be seen with our main character as blood has

become a daily source of sustenance to fuel his body. Making him not only physically

dependent, but emotionally dependent as his brain sees blood not as a want, but as a need. The

World Health Organization (WHO) also speculated that dependence on substances can be linked

to the loss of control and loss in the ability to withstand a craving once indulged. Explaining

Dracula's “insanity” and “crazed” look when indulging in the blood of others.

Light, Duncan. "The People of Bram Stoker's Transylvania." Journal of Dracula Studies, vol. 7,

no. 5, 2005, p. 10, Research Commons at Kutztown University.core.ac.uk/download/pdf/

 288282975.pdf. Accessed 2005.

Light’s article was written in response to Stoker’s Dracula and focuses on how the author

did not correctly represent the population geography of Romania. He argues that while Stoker

did his research on Transylvania and wrote about the different groups in his book, the author

failed to properly understand the full extent and complexity of the region’s ethnic groups and

their relationship to the environment.

Light begins his paper by describing the historical population geography of Transylvania

from the late nineteenth century, pointing out the region’s ethnic diversity and briefly comparing

them with each other. Light then explains Stoker’s incorporation of the four different ethnic

groups into his novel. For each group, he points out the author’s success and problems in

describing the group, mentioning in detail what was wrong or could have been wrong due to a

lack of proper research and correct information.

In Light’s research about Stoker’s representation of the different ethnic groups of

Transylvania, he points out the author’s mistakes and inaccuracies. The Slovaks for instance are

a prominent group in the region and actually make a small portion of the population compared to

other groups. Stoker also represents slovaks as interesting and exotic to the average reader which

he used in developing his character’s journey and helping Dracula. However, Stoker found his

information from an inaccurate source that presented a stereotypical image of barbaric and

uncivilized slovaks. In general, Light emphasizes Stoker’s attempts at researching Transylvania

and its ethnic populations generated an incorrect representation of the groups’ complex nature

and disproportionate count in the overall population geography of the region.

Nicolas Michaud, and Janelle Pötzsch. Dracula and Philosophy : Dying to Know. Open
 Court,2015.EBSCOhost,https://search-ebscohost-com.proxygsu-scob.galileo.usg.edu/

login.aspx?direct=true&db=e000xna&AN=1032151&site=eds-live&scope=site.

The article analyzes the classical figure of Dracula and the transformation of horror

through Dracula and other books like Frankentsein with the transformed terminology such as the

new usage of the word “undead” and the characteristics of Dracula as a more humanized creature

instead of a brainless monster.

Michaud and Potszch continually express how the character of Dracula and the idea of

the vampire is not like anything else, dictating the differences in chunked paragraphs with vivid

detail. The text emphasizes Dracula’s intellect and superiority because of his intelligence and

humane character. The article continues with chapters detailing the uniqueness of Dracula’s

immortality answering questions such as why it is useless to try and fight Dracula.

In order to research the effect of Dracula, it is important to understand why Dracula is so

different from other stories and how those differences helped create the horror genre. The

transformed use of the word “undead” from meaning simply to be alive into a term regarding the

“living dead” or a creature who is “alive but dead” creates this new category which includes

creatures who are very close to human likeness but are not quite humans, such as vampires in

Stoker’s view. However, it also opened the door for other undead creatures like zombies, ghouls,

or ghosts (Michaud and Potszch 3). The unease and new fear unlocked with the idea of a monster

imitating human nature boosted the popularity of Dracula and other horror figures and played a

huge role in the characterization of the horror genre in general. Dracula’s human likeness is

furthered in his intellect, charisma, and lavish lifestyle, creating an omnipotent seeming

opponent for the main characters. Understanding this persona of Dracula helps to see the
connection throughout the horror genre of the charming killer luring his victims in and

portraying the hospitable host who is not who he seems to be.

Nicolas Michaud, and Janelle Pötzsch. Dracula and Philosophy : Dying to Know. Open Court,

2015. EBSCOhost, https://search-ebscohost-com.proxygsu-scob.galileo.usg.edu/

login.aspx?direct=true&db=e000xna&AN=1032151&site=ehost-live&scope=site.

This book contains references to philosophers who look into Dracula’s multifaceted

plotline, characterization, and overall meaning regarding different aspects of life. They discuss

many different takes on his character debating whether he should be considered a villain due to

his vampiric nature or whether his addiction to human blood “dooms him to perpetual misery”

(1). This in-depth analysis helps to connect different areas of Dracula’s life to real-life studies

and researched evidence.

The contributors to this book all provide different insights into the realm of Dracula in

comparison to current life and habits. Many of them teach philosophy and have written literature

regarding fictional lore and its effect on the modern perspective. Their tone is opinionated but

informative, providing past study examples and connecting them to the world of Transylvanian

culture.

Philosopher Robert Arp observes Dracula's dilemma and perpetual doom of being a

vampire. Acknowledging that the Count can live for many lifetimes simply on the steady intake

of blood, though he never reaches a feeling of satisfaction or fullness. When drinking human

blood, Dracula experiences a short-term, relieving high which satisfies for the moment, but

eventually makes cravings worse as the desire for such a feeling continues to return. This leads

to addictive tendencies as seen in patients who struggle with alcoholism, eating disorders, and
drug abuse. Seeing that Dracula is immortal, he requires human blood to maintain his mental

state. He experiences a “lustful” relationship with this habit as his thirst never dies and seems to

be “a little refreshment to reward [his] exertions”(84). Having such an addiction makes not just

Dracula, but any typical vampire a host for hostile methods of retrieving such sustenance at any

costs necessary.

Popa, Ileana F. Cultural Stereotypes: From Dracula's Myth to Contemporary Diasporic

Productions. 2006. Virginia Commonwealth University , MA thesis. VCU Scholars

Compass.scholarscompass.vcu.edu/cgi/iewcontent.cgi?article=2344&context=etd.

Ileana Popa wrote this thesis paper about the cultural dilemma caused by Bram Stoker’s

Dracula and the stereotypes the author created in his book for the Slovak ethnic group. She also

discusses the effects of exchanging cultures and shaping identity based on the influence of

Dracula in the Balkan region.

Popa organizes her thesis paper by topic, starting with the creation of racial and ethnic

stereotypes and how they are spread through different mediums like word of mouth and

literature. She then goes into depth the effects of Dracula on the characterization of Eastern

Europe and the Balkans and the cultural environment created by the author. Stoker’s emphasis

on the Transylvanian area and the barbaric image he created contributed to the belief in the

Balkans as undeveloped and filled with wandering peoples. Popa uses this information with a

historical survey that asked people the image of the Americas compared with the Balkan region.

She points out the differing views each group has on the other and the subsequent stereotyped

image created through stories.

 Popa’s thesis ultimately displays the grand effects that stories and mixed views have on

the image of regions and the controversial stereotypes formed. Stoker uses stereotypes of the

ethnic groups in Romania to transition his characters in their journey between England and

Count Dracula’s castle. As a result though, the image of traveling slovaks and gypsies placed an

unconventional image on the groups and their more complex culture.

Simon Bacon. Dracula As Absolute Other : The Troubling and Distracting Specter of Stoker’s

Vampire on Screen. McFarland, 2019. EBSCOhost,https://search.ebscohost.com/login.

aspx?direct=true&db=e900xww&AN=2184070&site=eds-live&scope=site.

The book analyzes the choices made when putting the classical story of Dracula into film,

considering actors and accents and settings in order to properly convey the story properly. They

take into account the persona Dracula puts forward of himself in the novel, and emphasize the

process the directors took to either emulate that or break away from it in order to characterize

Dracula differently.

While the book does not hold its attention on Bram Stoker’s Dracula mainly, it takes

points from the classic text to dictate the choices made when filming the movie adaptations. The

detailed looks into specific characters and settings provides the inside look of what messages are

pushed through from the original story into the movie and what aspects are left behind.

Application: The transformation of the classical novel of Dracula into the multiple film

adaptations has helped create a horror identity that continues to push in modern film and

literature. The dilution of the idea of the vampire through film from the original has created

almost a washed up version of the unique creature of horror it once was. By looking at what

pieces of the classic tale were including or voided for the film adaptation, a path is created that
takes on throughout the entire horror genre, leaving the modern creations of horror seeming old

and cliche. In Stoker’s time, the ideas behind vampires and their human-like characteristics and

features were revolutionary in literature. Now, as the story of vampires has been told and retold

and used over and over again, the typical tropes of horror seem old and overused, which is not

necessarily a bad thing. Because of the influence of pieces such as Stoker’s Dracula, a new form

of horror has been realized, taking unique ideas from the revolutionary works and creating new

pathways out of them. Sure, today the themes and tropes presented in horror films are considered

generic and overused, but considering the roots of where they came and the time period they

originated from, there has been a dramatic shift in the way horror stories are being told now. And

one can even see a newer change in the horror genre from the more modern movies like Us and

Get Out, which dive into a more psychological form of horror that really has not been explored

much yet. The horror genre follows trends stemming from revolutionary classics. Because of

incredible works like Stoker’s Dracula and others during that time, horror stories up until now

have followed those tropes and figures because they were new and worked incredibly well. Soon,

with the rise of deep psychological horror recently, the old loop will close and more movies will

begin to follow the psychological trend in a new horror cycle.

“Slav.” Britannica Online. EBSCOhost,https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db

The article gives a brief overview and history of the Slav ethnic group which consists of

regional sub groups and peoples, located mainly in Europe with reaches in Asia as well. It

describes the groups’ historical development into a mass outreach of culture and their migration

throughout the continent. The article also compares and contrasts the differences in their culture
by region and language developed as small groups migrated in their respective states along

rivers.

In Bram Stoker’s novel, Dracula, he uses the Slovaks, a group of Western Slavs, to

expedite the characters’ journey between England and Dracula’s castle. By generalizing the

Slovaks as a group of wandering barbarians with strict religious values, he stereotypes the

Balkan region into one ethnic group. This ultimately creates a false image of the region being

filled with Slovak merchants and gypsies when, in reality, there are more complex sub groups of

the Slav people.

Smith, Hillary. "Gothic Cathedrals: Architecture & Divine Light." World History Encyclopedia,

8 Dec. 2020, www.worldhistory.org/article/1649/gothic-cathedrals-architecture– divine-

light/. Accessed 27 Nov. 2022.

The article aforementioned details the workings and machinations of the man directly

responsible for Gothic Architecture as it came to be internationally known. Abbot Suger was the

man responsible for some of the most famous examples of historical architecture in the world.

His purpose behind creating these masterpieces of stone and glass are as magnificent as his

creations.

This article, second on this list for alphabetical reasons, was the final article I read. It was

also perhaps the most enlightening. The article goes into great detail describing the genesis of

Gothic Architecture and the man directly responsible for it all. The Abbot Suger was one of the

most powerful men in the world in his day. He became the de facto ruler of France while the

King was off fighting the crusades, and he served as the Abbot for over 30 years until his death.

Suger was a man of extraordinary purpose, and he envisioned a place where humble man might
gaze in wonder at a building which might serve as a humble reminder of the awesome power of

the Lord God. Suger therefore set out to create cathedrals of a scale worthy of the Almighty, full

of natural light that reflects the splendor of the Lord. It was these characteristics, the high vaulted

ceilings, the massive rose windows, and the sheer size of these constructions that became their

most distinguishing features. Suger sought to remind man of his context with the Lord, and his

studies on how best to use those cathedrals to bend the light to his will so that he may best serve

in the name of faith are a stunning example of commitment to faith. Suger was able to

successfully carry out his good work, as his creations are some of the most recognizable and

beautiful the world over.

Spanswick, Valerie. "Gothic Architecture, an Introduction." Smarthistory – Art History, 8 Aug.

2015, smarthistory.org/gothic-architecture-an-introduction/. Accessed 27 Nov. 2022.

This article details the distinction between the modern interpretation of the word Gothic

and the traditional, historical definition of the term as it was originally coined.

The article covers a brief history of Gothic Architecture, employing much the same

information as the article from the Encyclopedia Britannica. However, the above listed article

also describes, albeit briefly, the highly important distinction between the modern interpretation

of the word “gothic,” and that which it was originally coined to describe. The modern

interpretation, of course, is that of fishnet stockings, black clothing, tattoos, and fingernail polish,

but it is important to remember what all that was originally supposed to stand for: rebellion

against authority. It was a subversion of will, typically against one’s parents, but often enough to

society as a whole. A way to fight back against the squares, if you will. One must also remember

the distinction between Gothic and Romanesque Architecture: Gothic structures soaring high
toward the heavens, attempting to convey the majesty of the firmament to the humble and pious

churchgoer, whereas the traditional Romanesque Architecture was darker, tighter, and dingier.

Gothic architecture came about as rebellion against that style that had become too stuffy for the

modern era. It was brought about to change the way of the world, quite literally in fact. And

while it would be foolish to claim that Gothic Architecture and the modern gothic understanding

are synonymous, it can be said that they may have directly influenced one another as a result of

Stoker’s novel. Dracula takes the idea of Gothic Architecture, symbolic of religion, light, and

ordained purpose, and turns it on its head, causing it to represent subsequently darkness, evil,

lust, and gore. That subversion would seem to fit the modern understanding of goth quite well,

and the development of that new association over time may have very well lead to our more

modern understanding of the word.