In Victorian England, a marked fear of Russia prevailed in the government and the public. As a result of the Crimean War and other Russian threats to the British empire, the English mind was haunted by a shadowy enemy of barbarous Eastern invaders. The influence of this Russophobia is evident in the works of Bram Stoker, who responded to the Russian challenge to British Imperial hegemony through the character of Dracula, a primitive and menacing Eastern figure destroyed by warriors pledged to the Crown. The text investigates the role of Russophobia in Stoker’s fiction, particularly his novels Dracula and The Lady of the Shroud. It offers historical information about Russophobia and the Crimean War, considers Slavic and Balkan connections, and analyzes Stoker’s vampire themes. The resulting work shows how two nations’ histories intertwine in an unexpected literary avenue. Illustrations include numerous political cartoons of the era.

Bram Stoker and Russophobia: Evidence of the British Fear of Russia in Dracula and The Lady of the Shroud

Literature & Fiction

Jimmie E. Cain Jr.

British & Irish

McFarland & Company, Inc.

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Books by Jimmie E. Cain Jr.

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Jimmie E. Cain Jr.. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Bram Stoker and Russophobia: Evidence of the British Fear of Russia in Dracula and The Lady of the Shroud