To give an insight into society and humanity whilst still being aesthetically interesting and thought provoking is a feat that only the best of classic literature can accomplish. Dracula, by Bram Stoker (1897) and The Picture of Dorian Gray, by Oscar Wilde (1893) are such novels and they both reveal different aspects of life in the Victorian era. Whilst Stoker’s writing affirms the ideas of British supremacy in technology as well as the fear of foreigners, Wilde’s writing sheds light on the superficial nature and decaying morals of people in the era. With the aid of language techniques such as imagery, descriptive language and gothic style both texts are an aesthetic read and provoke thought as they both subvert ideas readers may already have