Repression In Dracula

Madelyn Frisenda

Mrs. Lewis

English 4H, Pd. 6

31 January, 2014

Female sexual repression of women in Dracula

When thinking of gothic literature, the horror story Dracula is probably one of the most

well-known and prolific stories to date. Written by Bram Stoker in 1897, the story is set in the

late 19th century during the Victorian era, which was a time of exponential growth for both

genders. Unusual for a book of this time it contains such graphic sexual innuendo, the book is

heavily laced with many sexual references that pertain to the suppression of women and their

sexuality. The Victorian culture had very rigid roles for women, and their reputation was almost

solely based on male perception. Men of the time have an evident fear of woman holding any

sort of power or control in a relationship, or at all for that matter. Stoker hints at this

fear throughout the entire story through many elements, and characters. Dracula touches base on

a very prominent issue, fear of gynophobia (abnormal fear of woman). Gynophobia is so

prevalent in the horror story that Count Dracula comes across as the main tyrant of fear, but only

a naive reader would think this. The true terroristic element comes from the fear of sexual

expression of women.

There is substantial evidence supporting female repression, “In the coffin lay no longer the foul

thing, her destruction was yielded as a privilege to the one best entitled go it, her face of

unequalled sweetness and purity.” (Stoker 134) Starting with Lucy’s transformation

of becoming a vampire, it awakens her sexuality thus exposing the men’s vulnerability.

Attempting to demonstrate woman can’t handle power. She becomes a sex crazed feign the men

must destroy, to k...

... middle of paper ...

... her life is spared in the end. The two

contradicting roles the women play are used as ambiguous symbol for how women should act,

where their proper place is and what happens if deviated.

In conclusion, one can’t help by pick up on the undeniable sexual referencing in Dracula.

Many of these references were unnecessary and consistently surrounding the women. Leaving

the reader no choice to suspect a possible ulterior motive. Stoker mans no attempt to disguise the

directing correlation to the repression of women having any kind of sexuality, or power.

Dracula has staked a claim in history as one of the best-known Gothic Horror novels, and within

it bindings are many notable allegory’s. The most prevalent idea being that women should

not have superiority over men, and should be domestic or virginal both in her thinking and

actions.