Plot Summary

Bram Stoker's Dracula follows a terrifying journey from the remote mountains of Transylvania to the English countryside, chronicling the battle between good and evil through supernatural horror and human determination.

Part I: Harker's imprisonment in Transylvania

The story begins when Jonathan Harker, an English solicitor, travels to the mysterious Castle Dracula in the Eastern European region of Transylvania. His mission appears straightforward - to complete a real estate transaction with the nobleman Count Dracula. However, the journey quickly takes an ominous turn when local peasants warn Harker about his destination, pressing crucifixes and other protective charms into his hands while muttering strange words he later realizes translate to "vampire."

Upon reaching the crumbling, ancient castle, Harker initially finds Count Dracula to be a cultured and hospitable gentleman. The count appears well-educated and refined, making polite conversation about the estate business. However, after just a few days, Harker makes the disturbing realization that he is trapped and unable to leave the castle grounds.

As Harker investigates his confinement, his unease grows dramatically. He discovers that the count possesses otherworldly abilities and harbors evil intentions. The situation becomes even more terrifying when Harker is nearly attacked by three seductive female vampires. Dracula intervenes, saving Harker but declaring that the young lawyer "belongs to him," making it clear that Harker's life hangs in the balance. Desperate to escape this nightmare, Harker attempts to flee by climbing down the castle walls.

Part II: Lucy's transformation in England

Meanwhile, back in England, Harker's fiancée Mina Murray exchanges letters with her dear friend Lucy Westenra. Lucy finds herself in the enviable position of having received marriage proposals from three different suitors: Dr. John Seward (a psychiatrist), Arthur Holmwood (a wealthy aristocrat), and Quincey Morris (an American adventurer). Though saddened that she must disappoint two of these worthy men, Lucy accepts Holmwood's proposal.

The supernatural threat reaches English shores when Mina visits Lucy at the seaside town of Whitby. A Russian ship is mysteriously wrecked near the shore with its entire crew missing and the captain found dead. The only sign of life aboard is a large dog that bounds ashore and vanishes into the countryside. The ship's cargo consists of fifty boxes of earth, shipped directly from Castle Dracula.

Soon after this ominous arrival, Lucy begins displaying strange behavior - she starts sleepwalking during the night. One evening, Mina discovers Lucy in the town cemetery, seemingly unconscious, with a dark figure with glowing red eyes hovering over her. Following this encounter, Lucy becomes increasingly pale and ill, developing mysterious bite marks on her throat. Despite Dr. Seward's medical attention, her condition continues to deteriorate.

Part III: Van Helsing's desperate intervention

Concerned by Lucy's mysterious illness, Dr. Seward seeks help from his old mentor, Professor Van Helsing. After examining Lucy, Van Helsing immediately recognizes the supernatural nature of her condition and orders that her bedroom be filled with garlic - a traditional defense against vampires. Initially, this protective measure seems to slow Lucy's decline and she begins to recover.

However, Lucy's mother, unaware of the garlic's protective power, unwittingly removes the pungent plants from the room, leaving Lucy vulnerable to further vampire attacks. Van Helsing and his colleagues attempt to save Lucy's life by performing multiple blood transfusions, but their medical efforts ultimately prove futile. The damage has been done, and Lucy succumbs to her mysterious ailment.

The horror doesn't end with Lucy's death. Van Helsing reveals to Holmwood, Seward, and Quincey Morris the shocking truth - Lucy has been transformed into one of the "Un-Dead," becoming a vampire like Dracula. To restore her soul to eternal rest and prevent her from harming others, the men must perform the grim ritual of vampire destruction. They drive a wooden stake through her heart and decapitate her, filling her mouth with garlic to ensure she cannot return from the grave.

Part IV: The hunt for Dracula

Following Lucy's death, the now-married Mina and Jonathan return to England and join forces with the other men in their quest to track down Count Dracula. Mina plays a crucial role by helping Van Helsing gather and organize the various diary entries and journal records that Harker, Seward, and others have maintained. These documents help them piece together a comprehensive understanding of Dracula's movements and plans.

Through their investigation, Van Helsing and his team discover that Dracula has been using the fifty boxes of Transylvanian earth as sanctuaries where he can rest safely during daylight hours throughout England. The group systematically tracks down these earthen refuges, sterilizing each box with sacred objects to deny Dracula his hiding places.

As Mina begins showing signs of vampiric transformation herself, the men realize they must act quickly. They pursue Dracula as he flees back to his native Transylvania, dividing their forces to track him across both land and sea routes. Van Helsing takes Mina with him to Castle Dracula, where they cleanse the ancient fortress by destroying the three female vampires and sealing the entrances with sacred objects.

The final confrontation occurs when the other men catch up with Dracula just as he approaches his castle. In a desperate battle, Jonathan Harker and Quincey Morris use knives to destroy the count, finally ending his reign of terror. With Dracula's destruction, Mina is freed from the vampire's influence and returns to her normal human state.