This post only includes spoilers through chapter 4 of Dracula.
But first I found some cool stuff:
- Examples of Kodak photography
- short write-up of early photography including “hidden mothers” and portemortm photography: YIKES?
- description of shorthand/stenography with examples: SO COOL
Jon is a newbie in terms of vampire lore, as we see again when the Szgany are unloading the “great, square boxes” (55) with no commentary from Jon. I CAN’T IMAGINE WHAT THOSE ARE FOR. 
Jon keeps exhibiting the traditional behavior of literary Victorian women, eg “I sat down and simply cried” (57). I don’t blame Jonathan AT ALL for freaking out 24/7 while he’s in a vampire’s house. But it’s really interesting to me how far this book goes with it, considering that in most Victorian literature the women are constantly having fits of hysterics and attacks of the vapors while the men run off to do the deadly deeds. COMMENTS?
Jon also seems to fear that his experiences in Castle Dracula may have tainted him spiritually or something, implied by when he is considering escape and hoping that “the dreaded Hereafter may be open to me” (58). He doesn’t want to die but also doesn’t want to be damned to hell and I don’t really understand what is going on here, to be honest.
So far I am picturing Dracula as a dragon/leech/basilisk hybrid. Y/N?
I think Jonathan crying and such is showing that even strong manly Victorian men, when faced with certain death, are allowed to break down a little. May have been odd for the time of the book but maybe Stoker was trying say something here about men expressing emotion. Not all of us could walk with our heads held high to the chopping block, so to speak.
The sucking blood comment felt really out of place for me as well, and though he seems oblivious to Vampires, I believe he does mention them in an earlier chapter, along with werewolves. And it totally sounds like the vamp ladies appeared out of dust – not sure what that is about.
I felt like maybe he was becoming more spiritual at the end because he knew he would die (I assume he is dead or a vampire toy for the vamp ladies). Maybe he felt damned because of the actions Dracula did while disguised as him? Stealing babies etc… Or maybe because of the impure thoughts about the lady vamps. He doesn’t say or imply that he thinks he will become like them though, and that’s the reason I would assume I would be damned.
Yay! Fun!
I just realized my comments might use content farther than chapter 4. Sorry! Delete it if you must!!
I don’t think there are any spoilers here.
Good observations! I think I just have really low expectations for Victorians and then they always surprise me.
I took Jonathan’s remark as “at least if I die falling down the cliff I can still have a chance of keeping my eternal salvation” vs. getting turned into a vampire, his soul becoming corrupt, and him essentially becoming a fallen angel/demon. I’m a little fuzzy on HOW they think that all works but getting their eternal life from the devil as opposed to from God and thereby automatically going to hell on the day of judgement (or something).
*shrug*
mmmm yes interesting.