The castle is a veritable prison, and I am a prisoner!

From where I last took halt, it has been disclosed that the unexplained rush of the carriage driver was in acknowledgement of Harker's reception by a strange and mysterious personality, the Count himself in disguise. As a caleche rider he comes in with forceful speed just in time to stop Jonathan Harker from being taken away, supposedly to safer grounds , and immediately is set on track to take him to the castle, the destination originally sought out for by the protagonist. The count is well concealed as he is enveloped by darkness and his face veiled by the hat, but no sooner does he smile than the lamplight fall on his hard-looking mouth revealing lips red and teeth sharp"as white as ivory" . The focus of the journey made during the dark hours of nighttime, directed towards a castle atop a winding hill is all in effect for a very gothic feel towards the buildup of the much awaited meeting with Count Dracula. Several incidents that take place during the ride in the caleche such as the howling of dogs in succession and then the wolves causing fearful anguish amongst the horses, going around the same circle deliberately and the prominent blue flame maintain the gothic nature that is very vital to this book.

The caleche driver, the alias, exits in haste before Jonathan is met by Count Dracula at the castle door. Jonathan notes of his handshake being very cold, almost like shaking hands with a dead body, and long holding with the same sort of strength as was found before in the driver. For a slight moment Jonathan thinks of the resemblance between the two, considering if both were not the same. It could be asserted that there is a link here with Dr.Jekyll and Mr.Hyde who are split personalities from another gothic novel. The peculiar way in which Dracula first speaks sounds rehearsed and ambiguous of intentions as it is said politely but sounds very malicious and menacing at the same time, almost deceptive. 'Welcome to my house! Enter freely and of your own will!'. 'Welcome to my house. Come freely. Go safely. And leave something of the happiness that you bring.' Is he really true to his words?? Reference points can be drawn here between this weird speech and the letter written earlier to Jonathan by the Count which sounds very unrealistic as well, stressing on the fact that they are friends when they have not ever met before.'My Friend.......-your friend, Dracula'. Upto now whatever image of Dracula that we have been given stimulation to is not much on the positive side. The fact that Dracula's appearance is described as being clad in black with sharp canine teeth on either side like the fangs of a bat and a pale face with unevenly distributed hair and some growing out of his hands as well does not lighten up the Count at all. If anything it only brings upon the Count a more sinister and fearful outlook.

The castle is inevitably a gothic architectural masterpiece being abode to a noblety of the country. Clearly, Jonathan is awestruck by the beauty of the place finding himself within a hospitable confinement and the words of the Count friendly. But within this grandeur we find the beginning of much horror and obscurity. At first it does not concern him much that his host is unable to eat with him during meals but in due course he notices that the Count never actually eats or drinks with him, having made one excuse or another. It is also very peculiar that the Count is only available during hours of the night where he finds comfort in chatting with the young solicitor until the approach of dawn. It may strike ones fancy in learning of Dracula's strong desire to learn English properly like it is spoken in normal and his apt knowledge of England and the property which he is looking forward to buying. The degree of interest is certainly a ponderous matter.

The second chapter gets most exciting when Jonathan's discomfort within the castle is revealed for it is not without reason that such a change is invoked. His annoying naivety is finally disposed of. The absence of mirrors all over the castle has been mentioned with much surprise by him and hence, the confrontation between him and Count Dracula when he takes out his shaving glass is quite intense. Jonathan finds out in much shock that Dracula does not have any reflection on the mirror and startled by his finding cuts himself with the razor. Instantly Dracula is swept upon by an animalistic instinct and grabs hold of his neck, moving in closer as if to savour the blood trickling from the helpless guest, or in this case victim. He only gains self-control after an accidental contact with Harker's crucifix and fiercely throws the shaving glass from one of the windows, smashing the glass into a thousand pieces, his reason being- mirrors are instruments of vanity. No reflection in the mirror? Fear of the crucifix? All these facts definitely propose the idea that Dracula is actually a being of evil and supernatural forces, a vampire! It cannot be forgotten that our prime gothic character is also invested with amazing strength and an ability to communicate with animals (soothing the horses and the wolves). The chapter comes to an end with Jonathan discovering that his decision to come and stay in the castle has been a grave mistake for he feels more like living within a prison with doors locked everywhere and the windows the only means to escape. The castle and the Count have both seem to put on a facade for an easy deception and the underlying motive and what actually lies beneath the fake exterior is beyond our protagonist's comprehension.