Dracula Chapters 11 and 13 Summary
Lucy is confused about the garlic flowers, which now surround her. Mina comes in and, finding the room "stuffy," removes the flowers and opens the window. The men are distressed and decide another transfusion is needed immediately. This time Van Helsing is to be the donor. Lucy begins to feel better; not even the flapping of the bats bothers her now.
Jumping now to a newspaper article about an escaped wolf, we learn that there has been a strange incident at the zoo. Under a moonlit sky, all the wolves begin howling when a large dog comes near the cages. The zookeeper, when checking on the animals, finds that one is missing. Later, the animal [Bersicker] returns home calmly with glass in its fur.
Next we learn of Renfield's attack on Seward by the doctor's journal dated September 17th. Renfield cut the doctor's wrist quite badly, and as a pool of blood collected on the floor, he began to lick it up like a dog while repeating, "The blood is the life."
On this night Lucy records her frightening experiences in her journal. She woke up because of a bat flapping at her window, and being alone and too frightened to sleep, she tries to stay awake. She hears howling of a vicious nature. Her mother, bothered by the noise, gets into bed with Lucy. Shortly after this, a deep howl was heard just before glass sprayed into the room. In the window the women saw "the head of a great, gaunt, grey wolf," and being afraid, Lucy's mother accidently tore the garlic from her daughter's neck. The wolf was described as having a "myriad of little specks...wheeling and circling around like a pillar of dust." Upon finding her mother's lifeless body, Lucy lost consciousness. When she opened her eyes she saw four maids standing over her in shock. Lucy tells them to retrieve a glass of wine from the dining room. Later, they were all found unconscious and Lucy discovers that the decanter smelled of laudanum. She is alone in the house because Seward did not receive Van Helsing's instructions to stay until it was too late.
When Seward finally arrives at Lucy's home he and Van Helsing break in to find the four maids bodies. They rush to Lucy's room to see her dead mother and Lucy, unconscious, cold and lifeless. The wounds in her throat are white and ragged. It seems they get larger and more grotesque as Dracula feeds on her. Before the men can perform a transfusion, they must warm her body. Van Helsing wakes the maids and tells them to heat water, sheets, and towels. Luckily Quincy Morris shows up reminding them that he was also in love with Lucy. We now have a fourth man giving Lucy blood. While performing the transfusion, Van Helsing hands Seward a piece of paper that fell from Lucy's nightdress.
Quincy questions Seward about Lucy's condition. As he thinks about where the blood could have gone, Quincy is reminded of a time he was on the Pampas when a big bat called the vampire attacked a mare and the animal had to be shot.
Later, when Lucy wakes up, she immediately feels her gown for the note. Van Helsing had already returned it, so Lucy found it and tore it to pieces. Although Lucy sleeps well, her mouth "shows pale gums drawn back from the teeth." It is noted that her teeth look longer and sharper as well.
Lucy's fiancé, Arthur, arrives feeling quite disheartened by the deaths of his father and Mrs. Westerna as well as Lucy's worsening condition. The men take turns watching over her and Van Helsing places garlic around her room and neck. He also places a silk scarf over the wounds on her throat. Later, after Seward sees a great bat at her window, he notices that she has removed the garlic from around her neck. Seward comments that she seems to clutch it to her neck when she is conscious and pushes it away when she is unconscious. On the morning of September 20th, Van Helsing is shocked to find the wounds on Lucy's neck have disappeared.
Van Helsing tells Arthur that Lucy will soon die, and he goes to spend the last of his time with her. She awakens when Arthur stoops to kiss her, and Van Helsing notes that her long, sharp teeth look as though they may clamp down on Arthur's neck. Van Helsing suggests he only hold her hand (afraid she may attack him). Seward then notices, once again, the sharp, long canine teeth Lucy now has. All of a sudden Lucy opens her eyes and, "in a soft, voluptuous voice," that Seward has not heard before says to Arthur, "Oh my love, I am so glad you have come! Kiss me." He bends down to do so but Van Helsing quickly throws him away from Lucy saying, "Not for your living soul, and hers!" Lucy dies with a kiss on the forehead from Arthur. Seward comments, "It is the end!" and Van Helsing replies, " Not so. It is only the beginning. We can do nothing as yet. Wait and see."
Seward's diary starts chapter 13 and we are told that Lucy and her mother will be buried together. As night approaches, Seward is baffled by Van Helsing's actions. He places garlic around the room and around Lucy's coffin; he also places a cross on her lips, which is stolen during the night. Quite out of the blue, he then asks Seward to help him cut her head off the following night. Van Helsing asks Seward to be patient in receiving an explanation and reminds Seward of the night Lucy died and the changes in her. She gained consciousness long enough to thank the doctor for all he has done.
On September 22nd, Mina writes that she and Jonathan are on the train to Exeter. Later, while walking in Hyde Park, Mina is startled because Jonathan has a "nervous fit." He is looking at a "tall, thin man, with a beaky nose and black mustache and pointed beard." Suddenly Jonathan yells, "It is the man himself!" He is convinced that he is looking at Dracula. That evening a telegram from Van Helsing arrives informing them of Lucy's death.
Chapter 13 ends with a newspaper article dated September 25th, three days after the funeral. The excerpt states that the area around Hampstead Hill (the same area Lucy was buried) has been terrorized by a woman the locals refer to as "the Bloofer Lady." Stoker perverts the Christian resurrection by allowing evil to raise from the dead after three days' time.
Jumping now to a newspaper article about an escaped wolf, we learn that there has been a strange incident at the zoo. Under a moonlit sky, all the wolves begin howling when a large dog comes near the cages. The zookeeper, when checking on the animals, finds that one is missing. Later, the animal [Bersicker] returns home calmly with glass in its fur.
Next we learn of Renfield's attack on Seward by the doctor's journal dated September 17th. Renfield cut the doctor's wrist quite badly, and as a pool of blood collected on the floor, he began to lick it up like a dog while repeating, "The blood is the life."
On this night Lucy records her frightening experiences in her journal. She woke up because of a bat flapping at her window, and being alone and too frightened to sleep, she tries to stay awake. She hears howling of a vicious nature. Her mother, bothered by the noise, gets into bed with Lucy. Shortly after this, a deep howl was heard just before glass sprayed into the room. In the window the women saw "the head of a great, gaunt, grey wolf," and being afraid, Lucy's mother accidently tore the garlic from her daughter's neck. The wolf was described as having a "myriad of little specks...wheeling and circling around like a pillar of dust." Upon finding her mother's lifeless body, Lucy lost consciousness. When she opened her eyes she saw four maids standing over her in shock. Lucy tells them to retrieve a glass of wine from the dining room. Later, they were all found unconscious and Lucy discovers that the decanter smelled of laudanum. She is alone in the house because Seward did not receive Van Helsing's instructions to stay until it was too late.
When Seward finally arrives at Lucy's home he and Van Helsing break in to find the four maids bodies. They rush to Lucy's room to see her dead mother and Lucy, unconscious, cold and lifeless. The wounds in her throat are white and ragged. It seems they get larger and more grotesque as Dracula feeds on her. Before the men can perform a transfusion, they must warm her body. Van Helsing wakes the maids and tells them to heat water, sheets, and towels. Luckily Quincy Morris shows up reminding them that he was also in love with Lucy. We now have a fourth man giving Lucy blood. While performing the transfusion, Van Helsing hands Seward a piece of paper that fell from Lucy's nightdress.
Quincy questions Seward about Lucy's condition. As he thinks about where the blood could have gone, Quincy is reminded of a time he was on the Pampas when a big bat called the vampire attacked a mare and the animal had to be shot.
Later, when Lucy wakes up, she immediately feels her gown for the note. Van Helsing had already returned it, so Lucy found it and tore it to pieces. Although Lucy sleeps well, her mouth "shows pale gums drawn back from the teeth." It is noted that her teeth look longer and sharper as well.
Lucy's fiancé, Arthur, arrives feeling quite disheartened by the deaths of his father and Mrs. Westerna as well as Lucy's worsening condition. The men take turns watching over her and Van Helsing places garlic around her room and neck. He also places a silk scarf over the wounds on her throat. Later, after Seward sees a great bat at her window, he notices that she has removed the garlic from around her neck. Seward comments that she seems to clutch it to her neck when she is conscious and pushes it away when she is unconscious. On the morning of September 20th, Van Helsing is shocked to find the wounds on Lucy's neck have disappeared.
Van Helsing tells Arthur that Lucy will soon die, and he goes to spend the last of his time with her. She awakens when Arthur stoops to kiss her, and Van Helsing notes that her long, sharp teeth look as though they may clamp down on Arthur's neck. Van Helsing suggests he only hold her hand (afraid she may attack him). Seward then notices, once again, the sharp, long canine teeth Lucy now has. All of a sudden Lucy opens her eyes and, "in a soft, voluptuous voice," that Seward has not heard before says to Arthur, "Oh my love, I am so glad you have come! Kiss me." He bends down to do so but Van Helsing quickly throws him away from Lucy saying, "Not for your living soul, and hers!" Lucy dies with a kiss on the forehead from Arthur. Seward comments, "It is the end!" and Van Helsing replies, " Not so. It is only the beginning. We can do nothing as yet. Wait and see."
Seward's diary starts chapter 13 and we are told that Lucy and her mother will be buried together. As night approaches, Seward is baffled by Van Helsing's actions. He places garlic around the room and around Lucy's coffin; he also places a cross on her lips, which is stolen during the night. Quite out of the blue, he then asks Seward to help him cut her head off the following night. Van Helsing asks Seward to be patient in receiving an explanation and reminds Seward of the night Lucy died and the changes in her. She gained consciousness long enough to thank the doctor for all he has done.
On September 22nd, Mina writes that she and Jonathan are on the train to Exeter. Later, while walking in Hyde Park, Mina is startled because Jonathan has a "nervous fit." He is looking at a "tall, thin man, with a beaky nose and black mustache and pointed beard." Suddenly Jonathan yells, "It is the man himself!" He is convinced that he is looking at Dracula. That evening a telegram from Van Helsing arrives informing them of Lucy's death.
Chapter 13 ends with a newspaper article dated September 25th, three days after the funeral. The excerpt states that the area around Hampstead Hill (the same area Lucy was buried) has been terrorized by a woman the locals refer to as "the Bloofer Lady." Stoker perverts the Christian resurrection by allowing evil to raise from the dead after three days' time.
|
Related Links: Dracula by Bram Stoker Chapters 11 and 13 Quiz Dracula Chapters 14 and 16 Summary Dracula Chapters 17 and 19 Summary Dracula Summary Dracula Quiz Literature Literature Summaries |
To link to this Dracula Chapters 11 and 13 Summary page, copy the following code to your site: