Immortality in Dracula

            Humanity has always been interested in the prospect of extending life. Immortality, or the exemption from death is the ultimate logical extension of this concept. In Bram Stoker's Dracula the question of immortality is one of the main themes as the vampire, being the undead, is not of the living world and is therefore not subject to the prospect of death. This is not to say that the vampire is not capable of being killed or not subject to the ravages of time, just that without any outside influence and a sufficient supply of victims the vampire will endure forever. Contrary to the commonly held view that immortality would be a blessing, the reality of the situation is that it would be a terrible curse inflicted upon the receiver. The body continues to age forever, the mind becomes stagnant and freedoms become limited. .
             The concept of an immortal life, as presented by Stoker, does not include for continued existence in the original form. Dracula has become frail with age in his Transylvanian homeland and needs a new supply of fresh blood to reclaim his youth. London provides a supply of fresh blood but in a sufficient amount of time, London and eventually every other possible location of fresh blood will be exhausted. Once the blood supply is exhausted Dracula will age infinitely into a pale reflection of his former self. Living forever while at the same time aging forever, is not the blessing that eternal life is usually considered to be. In order to enjoy immortality a constant, unchanging form is required. Dracula has already encountered problems maintaining this form and standard of living in Transylvania, prompting the move to London. He has been reduced to household chores, cleaning and waiting on his guest, as evidenced by Jonathan Harker's journal entries that he found the count "making his bed laying the table in the dining room" . This is an exceptionally large fall from grace for one who previously controlled the fate of his nation and would have had many servants waiting on him, a fact to which Dracula himself alludes "me who commanded nations, and intrigued for them, and fought for them" .