#Bersicker

[count-skribula]

Poor Bersicker had a really terrible day. He better get extra tea and ear scratches

[uri59]

*Jonathan's mirror and Bersicker the Good Boy seeing Jonathan yeeting Dracula out of the cart and hit the floor*: Ha! How does it feel to be thrown at places?? Asshole!!

[cherryqueenoftarts]

Mina not telling Jonathan or anyone else her "dream" makes perfect sense to me. When they kicked her out of the clubhouse they broke trust with her. Even if she doesn't articulate it that's what happened. She's was the one most emphatically encouraging openness and trust. She was so confident. Their well-meaning rejection destroyed that confidence.

I'm not especially disturbed that Jonathan hasn't connected the dots wrt Mina's paleness. Of course he hasn't. He's convinced that order has been restored to the universe because the men have taken charge. Experts are experting. This, in all of their minds, makes Mina *safer*. They will all have to overcome their self-satisfaction and wishful thinking before they'll be able to recognize the clues.

I'm infuriated, but not surprised, on a general level, at the idiots for cutting her out and leaving her vulnerable. And I'm a little disappointed in Mina for not realizing right away that it wasn't a dream and Dracula is hunting her, honestly. She should at least be worried about it, and maybe trying to rationalize it ("Reading Lucy's diary put this nightmare in my head").

On a meta level, though, kudos to Stoker.

I'm so impressed with his messages, whether they were intentional or not.

Lucy's story: raising ladies to be submissive is bad, actually.

Mina's story: men are wrong to sideline women, and their machismo puts the women they're supposed to protect in more danger.

Bersicker's story: wolves are good bois and the long history of their villainization isn't their fault.

Stoker is *way* more enlightened than I expected.

[wowitsverycool]

maybe the thing is that dracula just really loves wolves. he thinks they’re the coolest thing on earth. he calls them “children of the night” and thinks they’re rad as hell. he comes across a problem and says “looks like this is a job for WOLVES!!!” because he has unrelenting faith in them. he looks at a wolf and thinks “wow he’s just like me fr”. he doesn’t understand the harmful effects of glass shards on wolves. he thinks they’re invincible

[theriseofthesea]

Bersicker seems like such a good boy and doesn’t seem like like he would hurt someone of his own free will.

My first thought was PUPPY!!

I do understand he’s definitely not a puppy but he seems pretty friend-shaped.

[runawaycarouselhorse]

[immediatebreakfast]

"Then outside in the shrubbery I heard a sort of howl like a dog's, but more fierce and deeper." - Lucy Westenra on september 17.

There are no wolves in england. Modernity subdued them, and killed them all. But sometimes the ancient howls come back to those forests of trees that are now forests of stone to inflict the same fear that never left, and will never leave.

There are wolves in england, linked to their forests, but tamed by the present. Brought from other lands as a way to fix the errors of modernity.

"Bersicker was one of three grey ones that came from Norway to Jamrach's... This one ain't been used to fightin' or even to providin' for hisself, and more like he's somewhere round the Park a-'idin' an' a-shiverin' of, and, if he thinks at all, wonderin' where he is to get his breakfast from." - Thomas Bilder.

Bersicker may be a wolf yes, but he is a wolf raised in a modern (for the victorians) zoo. He gets his breakfast from human hands, he has never fought for his survival, and his first instinct after Dracula gets rid of him is to go back to mister Bilder in broad daylight instead of hiding.

Even if Dracula used him, and wounded him in his attack to the Westenra household Bersicker still wanted to go back to his home.

Not the now vanished forests, nor the freedom of open landscapes, but the zoo. Moreover, unlike poor Lucy who suffered a string of errors that left her remaining life in chaos, Bersicker's caretaker was there waiting for him with open arms, not judging him for his escape, but instead glad that he came back.

It makes me think of Jonathan, and how he has the single objective of coming back to Mina. After suffering being used, then discharged by Dracula, Jonathan walked and walked through unfamiliar places, wounded and confused, with a single goal in mind: get back to Mina.

And Bersicker did the same. The poor tamed wolf was used then discharged by Dracula, left with wounds all of over his head, and walked until he went back to the zoo. And they are there, both of Mr. And Mrs. Bilder, glad to see him alive again.

There are no natives wolves in england, modernity killed them all.

[ninadove]

Nina reads Dracula 🦇

September 18th

Today’s entry looks pretty long! Let’s do this!

THE ESCAPED WOLF.

PERILOUS ADVENTURE OF OUR INTERVIEWER.

Oh oh.

but I waits till they've 'ad their sherry and kawffee, so to speak, afore I tries on with the ear-scratchin'.

Wolf Care 101

"Without offence did I tell yer to go to 'ell?"

"You did."

I LOVE THIS MAN

There wasn't much people about that day, and close at hand was only one man, a tall, thin chap, with a 'ook nose and a pointed beard, with a few white hairs runnin' through it. He had a 'ard, cold look and red eyes, and I took a sort of mislike to him, for it seemed as if it was 'im as they was hirritated at. He 'ad white kid gloves on 'is 'ands, and he pointed out the animiles to me and says: 'Keeper, these wolves seem upset at something.'

"'Maybe it's you,' says I, for I did not like the airs as he give 'isself. He didn't git angry, as I 'oped he would, but he smiled a kind of insolent smile, with a mouth full of white, sharp teeth. 'Oh no, they wouldn't like me,' 'e says.

"'Ow yes, they would,' says I, a-imitatin' of him. 'They always likes a bone or two to clean their teeth on about tea-time, which you 'as a bagful.'

ICONIC

"God bless me!" he said. "If there ain't old Bersicker come back by 'isself!"

GOOD BOY

He went to the door and opened it; a most unnecessary proceeding it seemed to me. I have always thought that a wild animal never looks so well as when some obstacle of pronounced durability is between us; a personal experience has intensified rather than diminished that idea.

Reasonable.

Anyways back to the murder scene —

Without a word the Professor bent over the bed, his head almost touching poor Lucy's breast; then he gave a quick turn of his head, as of one who listens, and leaping to his feet, he cried out to me:—

"It is not yet too late! Quick! quick! Bring the brandy!"

WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT’S NOT TOO LATE I ALREADY MOURNED MUST WE REALLY DO THIS ALL OVER AGAIN

"What are we to do now? Where are we to turn for help? We must have another transfusion of blood, and that soon, or that poor girl's life won't be worth an hour's purchase. You are exhausted already; I am exhausted too. I fear to trust those women, even if they would have courage to submit. What are we to do for some one who will open his veins for her?"

"What's the matter with me, anyhow?"

The voice came from the sofa across the room, and its tones brought relief and joy to my heart, for they were those of Quincey Morris.

YEEEEEEEEEESSSSS 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

It’s always darkest before the dawn

"A brave man's blood is the best thing on this earth when a woman is in trouble. You're a man and no mistake. Well, the devil may work against us for all he's worth, but God sends us men when we want them."

VERY COOL SPEECH

"It dropped from Lucy's breast when we carried her to the bath."

When I had read it, I stood looking at the Professor, and after a pause asked him: "In God's name, what does it all mean? Was she, or is she, mad; or what sort of horrible danger is it?" I was so bewildered that I did not know what to say more. Van Helsing put out his hand and took the paper, saying:—

"Do not trouble about it now. Forget it for the present. You shall know and understand it all in good time; but it will be later."

I think now’s a pretty good time

"Jack Seward, I don't want to shove myself in anywhere where I've no right to be; but this is no ordinary case. You know I loved that girl and wanted to marry her; but, although that's all past and gone, I can't help feeling anxious about her all the same. What is it that's wrong with her? The Dutchman—and a fine old fellow he is; I can see that—said, that time you two came into the room, that you must have another transfusion of blood, and that both you and he were exhausted. Now I know well that you medical men speak in camera, and that a man must not expect to know what they consult about in private. But this is no common matter, and, whatever it is, I have done my part. Is not that so?"

"That's so," I said, and he went on:—

"I take it that both you and Van Helsing had done already what I did to-day. Is not that so?"

"That's so."

"And I guess Art was in it too. When I saw him four days ago down at his own place he looked queer.

HE IS SO SMART TOO look at my handsome cowboy. So so so so smart.

I have not seen anything pulled down so quick since I was on the Pampas and had a mare that I was fond of go to grass all in a night. One of those big bats that they call vampires —

Oh.

One of those big bats that they call vampires had got at her in the night, and what with his gorge and the vein left open, there wasn't enough blood in her to let her stand up, and I had to put a bullet through her as she lay.

Oh.

"And how long has this been going on?"

"About ten days."

That felt like a lot longer with all the dread…

"There has been a series of little circumstances which have thrown out all our calculations as to Lucy being properly watched. But these shall not occur again. Here we stay until all be well—or ill." Quincey held out his hand. "Count me in," he said. "You and the Dutchman will tell me what to do, and I'll do it."

I love you

Quinceyyy 🎶

I ain’t never gonna stop loving you

QUINCEEEYYYYY 🎶🎶🎶

Towards dusk she fell into a doze. Here a very odd thing occurred. Whilst still asleep she took the paper from her breast and tore it in two. Van Helsing stepped over and took the pieces from her. All the same, however, she went on with the action of tearing, as though the material were still in her hands; finally she lifted her hands and opened them as though scattering the fragments. Van Helsing seemed surprised, and his brows gathered as if in thought, but he said nothing.

🥺😔

Now back to the happy couple —

Such a sad blow has befallen us. Mr. Hawkins has died very suddenly.

Oh come ooon

Forgive me, dear, if I worry you with my troubles in the midst of your own happiness; but, Lucy dear, I must tell some one, for the strain of keeping up a brave and cheerful appearance to Jonathan tries me, and I have no one here that I can confide in.

Oh come ON

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[somnesca]

Thinking about that trope where if the audience hears about the main characters' Big Plan in great detail, it's most certainly all going to get fucked up.

But if we're kept out of the loop then sometimes it means the characters have some cool tricks up their sleeves that they'll pull out when it seems everything's gone wrong.

Now imagining a confrontation on the Czarina Catherine where Dracula's thrown everyone around and either knocked them out or got everyone under sexy hypnosis, when Arthur weakly manages to lift his trusty whistle to his lips...

...and running down from the deck above, it's Bersicker, back for his own revenge, leaping at the Count before he can react!

And we get an Ocean's-11-style flashback to England, where we see Arthur paying Thomas Bilder to take a vacation to Varna, and oh bring that good boy wolf of yours, he could get some fresh sea air...

[count-skribula]

Technology be darned I want to draw my boy

[uri59]

Totally missed that the Coppola movie does dirt to good boy Bersicker too only to make Dracula look better 🙄

[tachvintlogic]

I've been thinking about an idea from last year where the dumb "Mina is the reincarnation of Drac's wife" plotline that some adaptations used is reimagined so that Mina is the reincarnation of Dracula's greatest enemy.

You can make the argument that based on their descriptions, one of Dracula's roommates is actually supposed to be his wife, and the other two are his adult daughters.

Say there was a third daughter.

Her father turned himself into a monster, and then turned her mother and her sisters. Horrified and not wishing to become a monster herself, she either escapes or commits suicide to avoid being turned.

Perhaps one of her sisters chose suicide without realizing that death would only complete the transformation. So, if she chooses suicide, she ensures that she dies in a way that destroys her body and prevents it from persisting as a vampire.

But her soul cannot rest until her father is destroyed and her mother and sisters are freed. She reincarnates over and over, each time taking another shot at him and her family.

He despises this cat and mouse game she forces him to play. She'll lead a peasant revolt against him and burn down his strongholds. She'll track him down when he moves, carrying a sword and holy objects to ward him away. Even when he kills her, she's got a trick up her sleeve preventing a complete transformation.

Sometimes he'll try to hunt her down himself to try to catch her before she's prepared enough to face him, but she always slips just out of his grasp.

So now, in England, he sees her once again planning to destroy him with some friends.

Oh, but what's this? She's being left out of the plotting and scheming by the men in her party? And she's letting them do this?

He's never seen a more perfect opportunity to finally complete his collection.

You're evaded me long enough, my daughter, thinks Dracula, it's time you joined the rest of your family.

[dathen]

Love that the instant Dracula was dead the wolves were like “why are we here again? anyway time to go” because they’re ALL GOOD WOLFIES LIKE OUR BERSICKER

[spider-xan]

Okay, but can you imagine being like, a completely normal British bat who is not a draculas, minding your own business, flapping around and eating your little moths and beetles, as you please, providing free pest control to the people, echolocating your way around with your cute squeaky bat sonar, and then this Texan cowboy in a funny hat is like, YEEHAW MOTHERFUCKER!! and shooting at you like Yosemite Sam bc he thinks you're that Dracula fuckface who has been giving all bats a bad name for centuries, and you're like, fuck that vampire guy!! as you dodge bullets and hope some Dutch professor doesn't start flinging communion wafers like Catholic shuriken at you too, and then you flap your way over to Bersicker the wolf at the zoo, so the two of you can bitch about Dracula being an annoying little shit, and then your vampire bat cousins in the Pampas are like, oh yeah, we know that cowboy, we drained his horse once for the lulz, guess he's still mad about that loooool 🦇

[kaiserin-erzsebet]

I enjoy that the book goes out of its way to say wolves are not inherently evil.

When Berserker (Bersicker if we stick to the accent) comes back, he is back to being a normal wolf. He isn't vicious on his own. It's only Dracula's influence that makes him vicious and frightening.

It contributes to the idea that the Count uses absolutely everything and everyone around him for his own ends.