Free Paper Example: The Authority of Professor Van Helsing in Combating Count Dracula

Professor Van Helsing is a foreign gentleman who is a key character in the narrative Dracula. He is arguably the most significant, especially in the fight against the vampire. Van Helsing is Dutch. His foreign origin is depicted by the challenges he faces with speaking the English language. Besides, he is foreign because of his staunch Roman faith. In Dracula, Van Helsing is a figure of authority to consider how he serves as a counter to Count Dracula and his relations with other men in the text.

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Van Helsing is a fictional character in Dracula. He is a doctor with massive accomplishments and interests. The character is well described in the text's adaptation as the archenemy of Count Dracula and as a vampire hunter.

Old Van Helsing is presented as a competent and experienced man. However, as a result of the unfortunately unskilled manner in which the author depicts speech from Van Helsing, he, in most cases, appears as somehow bumbling. Nevertheless, he ultimately becomes a well-matched adversary to the Count. “But we are face to face with duty; and in such case must we shrink? For me, I say, no” (p. 4). Besides, Van Helsing is, at first, the only character with a mind open enough to attempt and address the particular brand evil of Dracula.

Van Helsing is a philosopher, doctor and metaphysician. He arrives on the scene of the text with rich knowledge of the contemporary techniques of Western medicine. He also demonstrates an unparalleled understanding of folk remedies and superstitions. He is presented as straddling two varied worlds, including both new and old. His tremendous and fearful respect shows the ancient world for traditional practices. In contrast, his second world is depicted by the ever progressive modernity in the world. He is different from his former pupil, known as Dr. Seward, who was blinded by the obsession with modern methods to the true nature of the sickness Lucy suffered. “Professor Van Helsing, of Amsterdam who knows as much about obscure diseases as anyone in the world” (p. 105). Van Helsing manages to diagnose the affliction of the young gurl correctly. He also provides the only chance for achieving a cure.

Like the majority of the characters in the text, Van Helsing is presented as static. This is because he does not undergo great transformation or development across the course of the text. He helps the Earth get rid of Count's evil acts, but he leaves as he arrived. He is religiously and morally committed. He perceives the pursuit of Dracula with grandiosity. Van Helsing notes, “for it [referring to Dracula] have to yield to the powers that come from, and are, symbolic of good” (p. 298). He presents his band as ministers of God's wish and assures them that they would go out as the old Knights of the Cross to make more redemptions. He is presented as an embodiment of unswerving good and a hero who is recruited to set the entire globe free.

The text is entirely focused on the religious spirit. The character used to drive the ideological bent in the text is Van Helsing. He is portrayed as one involved in the guiding of the hand of Arthur to implement the destruction of vampire Lucy. Moreover, he is presented to rant on numerous instances regarding the desire to achieve the destruction of Count Dracula. The focus of the text is to present moral behaviour. The moral structure in Dracula is presented via the mouth and eyes of Van Helsing. He perceives a vampire as a medical scientist with advanced abilities. However, the vampire is found to display more of lay priest attributes. The text's primary religious authority is shown by the symbol of an arrow in the one who gave His life for the sake of man (276). The worldview of Van Helsing is incessantly reaffirmed and vocalized by speeches that induce guilt to the other characters of the text. He is a representation of negative versus the positive. Therefore, Van Helsing manages to set himself as good. At the same time, he affirms Dracula’s evil.

Van Helsing holds that Dracula represented scions that their coevals hold to deal with an evil spirit (174). He holds a Judeo- Christian point of view that anything dark and different is immediately associated with Satan. The push against the Count is witnessed to be reduced to a conflict between religious internal against external forces. Van Helsing perceived everything that was linked to Dracula emanated from the magical powers. The perception was directly and completely in opposition to purity and cleanliness perceptions with his system of Christian belief. He advocates for Christianity and preaches against evil and paganism. According to the worldview held by Van Helsing, paganism was evil, and the expansion of paganism was abhorrent.

Van Helsing is the enforcer of the moral code. One cannot associate the death of a vampire to the other individuals since he leads in the murder of the vampires. He engages in the killing of the three female vampires while at the same time holds Mina captive and protected. Besides, he demonstrates that he would potentially kill vampire Mina if she decided to cross completely to the vampirism world. He depicts religious fervour across the novel where his worldview and the notions regularly chape the argument regarding evil versus good across the text.

Dracula is found to embrace the text of the existing religious doctrine. It utilizes Van Helsing to appear as godly, which in the perspective of Christianity is a figure who drives the narrative. The impact of his words and actions influenced the characters of the text immensely. He is presented as the significant overseer of the other characters’ anti-vampiric enterprises. He also depicted himself as the consolidator of the two primary character groups, including Lucy’s three suitors and the hackers. Van Helsing is elevated to play the role of a demigod, where he draws up all the factors required to attain the other characters’ goals and patronizes the characters’ affairs in an authoritative approach. The notions he maintains between the good and evil are used to propel the book’s plot and the characters’ actions. Besides, he emphasizes his forces’ worldview past logical description of the other characters in the text. Count Dracula is presented as the representative of dark and evil, whereas Van Helsing functions as a representative of the Christianity principle that fears strange lifestyles and paganism. Across the text the alienation of Van Helsing can be seen to demonstrate the viewed character of higher moral nature he depicts when representing the modern British and the principles of Christianity.

Count Dracula is described as the significantly strong vampire in the text. The vampire had gained immortality and powers by striking a great deal with Satan. However, the living self of Count Dracula was killed by Van Helsing. Further, the undead self of Count Dracula was also murdered by Van Helsing. Dracula is presented as a manipulative and very cunning man. He was entirely interested in his individual goals. Dracula lacked emotion, including fear, love, joy and sorrow since he lacked heart. Dracula had vampire powers such as healing factor, immortality, and vampiric weakness immunity. It is due to the immortality character and the deal with the devil that Van Helsing decided to stamp his authority over the evil acts. He fights the vampire Count Dracula and manages to kill him. The ability to bring to an end of the evil supporters and powers shows the authority Van Helsing had.

Conclusion

Dracula presents vital characters, including Van Helsing, who help shape the text. The characters of Van Helsing present him as having authority over the evil activities and having powers to heal. He manages to drive the Christianity religion among the people and discourage paganism. His powers and authority are depicted when he murdered Count Dracula and heals Lucy.

Work Cited

Stoker, Bram. Dracula. Broadview Press, 1997.