Jonathan Harker

Initial research for Jonathan

Jonathan Harker is the first person you meet in the novel, following his story as he goes and meets Count Dracula at his castle. It his diary entries and letters that we read and learn the first things about our cast of many characters in the book. And that is about it. I personally didn't find Jonathan the most interesting character in the book, rather a dry gentleman, who tends get upstaged by any other character in the scene. He is describes "quiet" and a "businessman-like gentleman" by Seward, which simply does not give me much to work with, especially since the character of Jonathan in the play I found to be very sociable and charming. But I feel it is for a meaning in the book that Jonathan is this way. He is there to contrast brave and extraordinary Van Helsing.
   Jonathan is supposed to be the image of the perfect Victorian man, but I haven't found this to be very difficult for me to internalize with Jonathan in my acting. So I've started to look at it in a different way. What if  the'image of the perfect Victorian man' is what Jonathan wants to be and everyone to see, but inside he is something different, a man full of temptation, perversions and selfishness. He is quick to defend himself and his believes, notice especially in Act 1 scene 5, where he almost insist on coming into Mina's bed, even though he probably knows that it would not do good for her reputation. He then defend his career, leaving his future wife behind and not supporting her wishes. He is also quite a perverted man. I do not think it was uncommon for men of this era to think women sexually and have chats wit their friends about 'delicious secretaries', but to want ones future wife's little sister? I think that is a bit twisted. Jonathan obviously cares for Lucy, but the way he talks to her and about her " Lucy, my pet..." " Sweet kid...", "the first few days in this country I saw my sister-in-law in every other serving girl that brought me supper - it was very disconcerting..." shows that Jonathan has thought Lucy in a  different way than just 'a little girl'. Also, the fact that he so easily falls into vampire Lucy's arms is evidence for this perversion.
   So, with Jonathan's character I almost made him overly charming and proper, to hide his inner-self, what follows very much the Artaudian approach. He might be even a bit too eager to socialize, since most of his life he has probably spent studying and reading books to become a solicitor. Jonathan holds himself in a straight posture, moving with sort of a slight confident bounce as he walks. To show the fact that he has something to hide, something he doesn't want people to see, I made him a bit fidgety, straightening his jacket or fixing his vest if something bother him or someone says something that comes a bit too close. Also, to make him  a bit more man-like I have lowered my voice, but hopefully it won't sound too humorous. His tempo is not the middle but a bit higher, his focus being direct, but quite quick to change.