During our road trip, we visited many spots that happened to have a literary connection. Of course, it’s difficult not to stumble upon some English location without a literary connection.
From York, we added to our gothic depression, by continuing east to the coastal town of Whitby. There we visited the ruins of Whitby Abbey. The photo here can tell you how a depressing ruin can be so beautiful.
Whitby Abbey stood high on the coast of the North Sea. As I stood at the wall overlooking the cold blue water, I imagined the viking ships making their way to English shores attacking this massive edifice. And wondered how far it would take to get back to Denmark or see Norway. Someday I’ll see more of Scandinavia. Someday.
Within the ruins around us, actors retold the story of Dracula in dramatic theatrical tones. I was reminded of Bram Stoker’s inspiration for Dracula. It was in a library in Whitby, that Stoker first discovered the vampire lore, thus ignited to write the dark romantic tale; which was partially set in this coastal town.
In the novel, Dracula’s ship first arrives onto the English shores in Whitby, where he seduced the lovely Lucy.
“He can transform himself to wolf, as we gather from the ship arrival in Whitby, when he tear open the dog, he can be as bat, as Madam Mina saw him on the window at Whitby, and as friend John saw him fly from this so near house, and as my friend Quincey saw him at the window of Miss Lucy.” (Bram Stoker, Dracula)
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