The term Gothic comes from the northern tribes that invaded Europe in the 4th, 5th and 6th centuries. Once founded, Gothic scripts were created to express new feelings towards order, nature, and emotion. Resulting from connecting all the key elements together, Bram Stoker created one of the best-written Gothic novels of all time. Stoker includes Gothic elements in his characterization, setting, and plot to expand the consciousness of his characters and readers, while simultaneously expanding the boundaries of the Victorian world. A careful analysis of the characters in Dracula reveals that Stoker relied heavily on Gothic elements. Several characters in the novel experience unusual moods. For example, when Jonathon Harker first meets Dracula, he is often confused about reality. The young man describes how he “only slept a few hours” (Stoker 26). Since Jonathon barely sleeps during his stay, he feels disoriented, as if he is confused. The next morning, while shaving, Jonathon cuts himself when he notices that "there was no reflection of [Dracula] in the mirror" (Stoker 27). Linda Bayer-Berenbaum explains how insomnia makes an individual “less analytical or rational, less tightly controlled” (78). Stoker introduces familiar examples before exploring more radical mental states such as hypnosis. Dracula is considered a grotesque character, who can be “created through exaggeration rather than a complete departure from normality” (Bayer-Berenbaum 80). Examples that may follow this side of the definition are the "protruding teeth" or many other peculiar parts of its body. A second way to characterize someone as grotesque is to use unusual ways to mislead someone until they are satisfied. When Jonathon first arrives... halfway through the paper... full of anger and continues his attacks, mainly against Jonathon and his friends in this novel. The characters' intertwined journal entries create Dracula's story, and the decayed structures help Count Dracula gain the name he lives by. Stoker's departure from the Victorian world and entry into a new era gave him the ability to expand the consciousness of his characters within. a suitable setting and plot. Dracula is considered one of the best Gothic novels written due to Stoker's ability to combine all the Gothic elements together. This novel was one of the reasons why Romanticism was able to resurrect with the success it had. Works CitedBayer-Berenbaum, Linda. “Elements of the Gothic”. Horror. Ed. Michael Stuprich. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2001. 73-83Stoker, Bram, and George Stade. Dracula. New York: Bantam Dell, 2004. Print.