NovelGuide: Dracula: Novel Summary: Chapter 23

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Chapter 23

Summary
The narrative returns to Seward's diary. At the Count's Piccadilly home, Van Helsing tells Seward that the Count was in life "a most wonderful man," a "soldier, statesman, and alchemist - which latter was the highest development of the science-knowledge of his time." These qualities of intelligence make him a formidable enemy who must be stamped out. Van Helsing points out that the Count used Renfield to gain entry to Seward's home, since he can only go where first invited.
Mina sends a telegram saying that the Count has just left Carfax. The men believe that he will soon arrive at the Piccadilly house. Holmwood and Morris return and report that they have found and sterilized twelve boxes in two other houses belonging to the Count. They take up their weapons and lie in wait for the Count to return.
After some time, the Count bursts into the room. Harker stabs at him with his knife but succeeds only in cutting his coat, making a large sum of money fall out. Seward advances with a crucifix and Communion wafer. The Count recoils, grabs some money from the floor and escapes through the window into the yard. He shouts up to them that he has already claimed for his own the women they love (Lucy and Mina), and as these women become vampires and feed off the men, the men too will indirectly become his, as he will feed off their lifeblood.
Van Helsing believes that despite his bravado, the Count is frightened. He has only one unsterilized box left as a refuge.
The men tell Mina everything that has happened. She asks them to feel pity for the Count, since one day, if she grows into her vampire status, she will also wish for their pity. The men weep. Harker and Mina retire to bed, and Seward, Morris and Holmwood arrange to keep watch outside their bedroom.
During the night, Mina wakes her husband and asks him to summon Van Helsing. She wants Van Helsing to take advantage of her spiritual connection with the Count and hypnotize her before dawn in order to find out what the Count is doing. Van Helsing does so, and Mina hears waves lapping against a ship, showing that the Count has fled England on a ship. Van Helsing believes that he has taken his last earth box with him and is traveling in it. Mina, when brought back out of her trance, asks Van Helsing why they cannot simply forget the Count now that he has left the country. Van Helsing points out that he can live for centuries, and she is mortal. If she dies before the Count is destroyed, she will become Un-dead. Mina faints.
Analysis
The Count reminds the men that not only does he own their women (Lucy and Mina) now that he has sucked their blood, but through the women, he also owns the men. This is because the women, having become vampires, will feed off the men and drain their blood. Thus the Count will indirectly be draining the men's blood. Symbolically, this refers to the Count's indomitable sexual prowess. He effortlessly vanquishes the women and emasculates the men, who, being mere mortals, cannot compete. This is the true measure of the Count's threat. Not only does he drain the lifeblood of respectable women and corrupt them irretrievably, but he also indirectly sucks the life out of their men.
Mina's status as one of the Count's victims gives her a spiritual connection to him, enabling Van Helsing to hypnotize her and find out the Count's doings. Hypnotic states, like dream states and madness, are a way of accessing the unconscious, the level of reality in which the Count thrives.
The 'sterilization' of the boxes of earth marks a turning point in the battle between the Count and the band of friends. Robbed of his refuges in England, he flees the country. Until now, he has controlled the fight, but at this point, he is on the defensive. This is made plain by the likeness that is drawn between the hunting parties that the men used to enjoy together and the plan of attack against the Count. Just as Morris had planned the action of the hunting parties, so he plans the ambush of the Count. The Count is no longer predator, but prey.