In the Shadow of Sound: The Role of Auditory Imagery in Bram Stoker’s Novel Dracula

Abstract

This paper investigates how auditory imagery impacts the building of atmosphere in Bram Stoker’s novel, Dracula. It also explores other possible functions of this literary device that can be identified in the novel, and whether this specific type of imagery is a key element in the overall construction of the story, within the framework drawn by several types of imagery encountered in the text. By examining the way in which the writer employed acoustic elements such as music, voice, and sounds of various origins in his novel, this paper studies the contribution of these elements in the creation of the Gothic and supernatural atmosphere and mood in the novel. Moreover, it investigates whether auditory imagery influences the psychological experiences of the characters, the perception of the readers and their interpretation of the text.