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Victorian Society is an era of appearances, putting on the airs of past aristocracy through etiquette and charm, and idealistic views. Some believe It to be an era of rising Christian devotion despite many selecting discoveries that disproved the writings of the Holy Bible. In Abram Stoker’s Drachma, Drachma parallels the Devil in Christian belief and salvation is achieved through Christian icons and traditions, Drachma’s death, and the delivering Mina from evil. In the beginning of the novel Jonathan travels to Transylvania on business.
It soon becomes evident that there was season to be cautious as the people Jonathan encounters all warn him of what Is to come. When a letter arrives from the Count asking for Jonathan, the Inn keeper’s wife mentions “It Is the eve of SST George’s Day… Tonight, when the clock strikes midnight, all the evil things in the world will have a sway” (Stoker, Chi. L, May 4) and begs him to leave. When Jonathan refused to stay, she “rose and dried her eyes, and taking a crucifix from her neck offered it to [him]” to protect him. Stoker, Chi. L, May 4). In Christian belief, the crucifix is a symbol of Christ and is assumed to protect followers from the Devil and his evil. As Jonathan begins traveling to the County’s castle, many of the villagers cross themselves which gives the Impression that the people were all religious or aware of the evil residing in Drachma. The crucifix proves an effective defense against Drachma however, when while in Drachma’s castle Jonathan is shaving in the mirror and cuts himself.
When Drachma sees the blood “his eyes blazed with a sort of demoniac fury, and he suddenly made a grab at [Jonathans] throat. “(Stoker, Chi. 2, May 8). When Drachma touched the beads on the crucifix, “it made an instant change In him, for the fury passed so quickly that Jonathan] could hardly believe hat It was ever there. ” (Stoker. Chi. 2, May 8). Later on In the novel, the use of communion wafers is introduced by Van Helping who uses them in order to trap not only Drachma but the other vampires in their tombs.
Communion is a Christian sacrament in which consecrated bread and wine are consumed as memorials of Chrism’s death, and is symbol for the realization of a spiritual union between Christ and the receiver of the communion. In using communion wafers as a means to ward of the vampires, Stoker emphasizes salvation from evil through Christ. The lad provided by Christian Icons and traditions In defeating Drachma Is stokers way of expressing the idea that salvation from the world’s evil can be achieved through Christianity After the exchange of fluids between Mina and Drachma, Mina begins to transform into a vampire.
When Van Helping tries to bless her by pressing a communion wafer to her forehead it causes her pain and leaves a red burn mark. Stoker uses the mark as an Indicator of the evil corrupting Mina, to which she states “As for me, I am not worthy In HIS sight. Alas! I am unclean to HIS eyes, and shall be until He may deign to let me stand forth in His sight as one of those who have not incurred His wrath. “(Stoker, Chi. 27, Novo. 7) Despite being human and devote in her beliefs, Mina is touched by Drachma’s evil thus she is affected the same way as Drachma.
In the face of overwhelming hardships, Mina remains strong and tells her husband “that It is in trouble and trial that [their] faith is tested. That [they] must keep on trusting and that God will aid [them] up to the end. ” (Stoker, Chi. 22, Cot. 3) protect those who have faith in Him even in adversity. This is a direct message from Stoker as he continues supporting the Christian theme in the novel. Stoker remains steadfast with the theme of Christianity throughout the entire novel, leading up to Drachma’s death.
When Drachma is finally vanquished, Mina feels as if she “shall be glad as long as [she] live that even in that moment of final dissolution, there was in the face [of Drachma] a look of peace, such as [she] never could have imagined might have rested there. ” (Stoker, Chi. 27, November 6) According to Christian beliefs, converting to Christianity will bring peace and understanding to one’s struggles and ordeal. In dying, Drachma’s soul is freed from his vampire curse and is finally able to rest. In Drachma by Abram Stoker, the Devil in Christian religion is represented by
Drachma and salvation cannot be attained without the use of Christian traditions and icons, bringing about Drachma’s Death, and saving Mina from Drachma’s evil. In writing this novel, Stoker fills it with Christian views, ideals, and even lessons to his readers. By portraying Christianity and its holy relics as a weapon against the evil Drachma, Stoker tells his readers to remain strong in faith for all that is virtuous can be corrupted and only those of God are protected from it.