Dracula was written in 1897, and it is still a popular novel in many places. This is one aspect of a well written novel, referred to in a previous note as the ability to "stand the test of time." Generally, when a novel is well written and has been widely read for longer than a generation, it can be considered a classic novel. Bram Stoker's style of writing in Dracula also attracts more readers because it is a different approach to writing.The various perspectives presented in Dracula allow the reader to experience the stories in different ways depending on which journal entry is being read. As many authors do not write novels using mainly journal entries, it is a more exciting way to read for younger as well as older generations. Due to the fact that Dracula appeals to many different age groups, it has become a popular novel and has been given the classic novel title. Soon after the writing of Dracula "[it] became known as a work of pure genious"("Castle Dracula Horror Novel Reviews").
It is likely that at this time Dracula may be particularly popular because of the vampire fad created by Twilight. Another reason Dracula can be considered a classic novel is that at the time it was written the Gothic horror genre was not a fad. Due to this, Dracula is still remembered and enjoyed today. Had Dracula been written during a vampire fad, it can be assumed that it would have disappeared eventually, and no one would know about it several years later. Dracula is enjoyed by multiple people simply because it is a genuinely well written novel. "Today, [Dracula] is regarded as the all-time classic horror story"("Castle Dracula Horror Novel Reviews").
A contributing factor to Dracula's popularity is the theme, which is good versus evil, a war that is supposedly won by good each time. As this is an old belief, more people have the hope that in the end, good will triumph over evil, reagardless of the circumstances. Dracula is an example of a novel that nurtures this hope, which is why many people delight in reading it. Some fans of Gothic horror novels consider Dracula to "underpin most horror stories that follow it, as well as the whole literary horror genre"(Edwards). The first few chapters of Dracula are "gripping"(Edwards). This is an important aspect of a classic novel because if the beginning of the novel is boring, it is unlikely that the reader will want to continue. Stoker creates a more interesting Gothic novel by "[combining] traditional Gothic elements with adventure, horror, and the supernatural," which is why Dracula is still widely read today(Edwards).
Dracula includes many real places, and the character of Dracula is thought to be based on Vlad Tepes, who was known as "Vlad the Impaler"("Balkan History"). By having various actual places featured in the novel, the reader is better able to relate to the story. This also allows the book to become more like reality, which can attract a large number of readers. The ability to visualize a place, thing, or person makes the place, thing or person seem more real. In horror novels, like Dracula, this effect creates a scarier atmosphere, which in turn pulls readers into the story. For the reader to be relating to and visualizing the story means that the novel has to be extremely descriptive, yet another characterization of a classic novel.
Often, when a movie is made that is based on a book, there are several people that would want to read the book as well, especially if they enjoyed the movie. The movie adaptations of Dracula contribute to its classic novel status. Due to the fact that there are three film versions of Dracula, all made in different years, the popularity of the novel would have increased greatly at the time of the movie releases. It is likely that many horror novel fans and those who enjoy vampire stories would want to read a novel that added to the view of vampires in modern society and had such a big impact on the Gothic horror genre. Dracula may not have been the first vampire novel, but it is definitely the most well known one.
