Consequences of a Suppressed Society Anna Julia Cooper once said, "Peace produced by suppression is neither natural nor desirable". The Victorian era was a time when men's rights were high above those of women and when concealing sexuality was the social norm. Sexuality was often suppressed because of the restraints put on women. The characters in Dracula were comfortable in this situation, until a rather supernatural disturbance arises and changes the ideology of the Victorian era. The character Dracula is the component needed to counter these limitations, but the fear associated with change lead to people reacting with violence and going against their moral compasses, in order to restore a sense of normality. In Bram Stoker's Dracula, the …show more content…
In the Victorian era, women had set expectations and standards for their lives, so when Lucy has trouble conforming to these ideas she questions why things are the way they are. "Why can't you they let a girl marry three men, or as many as want her, and save all this trouble?" (Stoker 63). Lucy feels restrained because she knows that society has already set its limitations, and that the limitations are meant to keep the woman in her place below the control of a man. Lucy's desire to rebel make her vulnerable to Dracula, "...but her desire for three husbands suggest a degree of latent sensuality which connects her to the New Woman of the period. It also implies that Lucy is unhappy with her social role, that she is torn between the need to conform and the desire to rebel. It is this relentlessness which ultimately leads her to Dracula and to emancipation from her society's restraints" (Senf …show more content…
The three brides of Dracula especially bring about a a feeling of disgust in Jonathan Harker. After Jonathan's encounter with the three women he states, "... for nothing can be more dreadful than those awful women..." (Stoker 46). Jonathan is not only disgusted with their desire to suck his blood, but also for the sexuality that they brought about. The three women have the power to bring Jonathan into a state of complete submission and sexual desire, which is a sensation completely unknown and horrifying to Jonathan. "There was something about them that made me uneasy, some longing and at the same time some deadly fear" (Stoker 43). Though Jonathan is intrigued by the unusual sexual nature of the three women, he is scared to express his own sexuality and therefor chooses to suppress it. The fear associated with sexuality is a result of systematic suppression,"...the vampire women are outlaws of society through their utter rejection of the conventional feminine role. They are sexual sociopaths" (Demetrakopoulos 107). Jonathan's fear of the women suppresses his sexuality. The extreme sexuality associated with the vampire women is interpreted as a result of failing male superiority. There is also irony associated with the fact that he is extremely disgusted with the sexuality of the three brides, "... for nothing can be more dreadful than those awful
...sitive depiction of their sexual relationship. For Mina, however, renunciation of Dracula's evil must include the renunciation of her own physical needs and desires. The roles played by social mores and conceptions of gender and sexuality are, in the end, more than incidental. Indeed, the difference between Victorian England and 1990s America causes the subtle -- but significant -- valuation of the connections between good and evil and women and sexuality in two in many ways similar texts.
Much like Madeline, Lucy becomes a victim of involuntary sleepwalking where she too is stuck in a “dream-world,” yet looking at Freud’s theory of dreams, how can we completely agree on the idea that she was not also acting on her ID? (???) states that “The symptoms (of sleep walking) are not simply a matter of individual affliction-they point to a shadowy world of dreams, repressed desires and the supernatural outside the rational daylight world of an increasingly affluent, increasingly materialistic Victorian society.” The idea of “repressed desires,” exposed in our dreams described by Freud is evidently seen in Lucy. By walking out alone at night we see the emergence of the New Woman being revealed through her sleep walking. This contradicts the “Angel in the House” figure who is “Dearly devoted” to a man, because a typical Victorian woman
Lucy poses a threat to the Victorian ideology by exposing herself as a danger to sexual propriety. She remarks about wanting to have more than one husband, which displays promiscuity, “Why can’t they let a girl marry three men or as many as want her?” this statement works as a threat which comes to fruition after Lucy is bitten. Once infected by Dracula, Lucy becomes sexually overt and aggressive; and is portrayed as a monster and a social outcast. She transforms into a fiend and feeds on children making her the maternal antithesis as well as a child molester.
Bram Stoker’s “Dracula,” came to print in 1897, at the height of Nineteenth century Victorian life in Europe, a progressively modern era that saw much medical and technological advancement. This era brought with it the contentious idea of an empowered woman, the “New Woman,” a woman who aspires to be educated as well as sexually and economically independent. Stoker gives a contrasting view of this notion in “Dracula.” While the main characters, Lucy and Mina, are clearly opposite in personality, they are both portrayed as unequal, defenseless objects that are to be protected and desired. However, one woman’s fate is determined by her weakness, while the other is determined by her strength.
“‘We have learnt-much! Notwithstanding his brave words, he fears us; he hear time, he fear want! For if not, why he hurry so? His very tone betray him, or my ears deceive” (333). Dracula could have attacked the men quite easily, but instead he chose to run away from them. Dracula’s actions show that he is not out to hurt the men. Dracula is susceptible to death and does not want to attack men when he does not have to.Dracula may have attacked the girls because he thought he was helping them escape victorian society rules. In Transylvania women did not have such strict rules so maybe Dracula’s intentions of killing the women were actually for the best. The ladies in England must abide by the men and keep to themselves or else they were whorish and impure. Living a life like that is no life at all. So it is understandable that Dracula would go after the women and not the men. The men can live great lives and prosper in society, while the women would have a tough time doing that without a man by her side. He is saving the women, not hurting
In Dracula, Bram Stoker explores the fantastic image of a sexually dominant woman within a patriarchal society. The battle between good and evil within the novel very much hinges upon feminine sexuality: Lucy and Nina are embodiments of the Victorian virtues, which Dracula threatens to corrupt,
The late nineteenth century Irish novelist, Bram Stoker is most famous for creating Dracula, one of the most popular and well-known vampire stories ever written. Dracula is a gothic, “horror novel about a vampire named Count Dracula who is looking to move from his native country of Transylvania to England” (Shmoop Editorial Team). Unbeknownst of Dracula’s plans, Jonathan Harker, a young English lawyer, traveled to Castle Dracula to help the count with his plans and talk to him about all his options. At first Jonathan was surprised by the Count’s knowledge, politeness, and overall hospitality. However, the longer Jonathan remained in the castle the more uneasy and suspicious he became as he began to realize just how strange and different Dracula was. As the story unfolded, Jonathan realized he is not just a guest, but a prisoner as well. The horror in the novel not only focuses on the “vampiric nature” (Soyokaze), but also on the fear and threat of female sexual expression and aggression in such a conservative Victorian society.
Victorian Women were highly held back in their full potential. Their main role in the household was to “be happy - a sunbeam in the house, making others happy” (Hardy, E.J. 1887). On top of this, Women in the Victorian era were not allowed to display their sexuality or “tempt” men in public; they were meant to be submissive and meek (Causey S., 2008). The Victorian era lasted from 1837 til 1901, with women being punished everyday for crimes that are nowadays just part of living for a woman. Bram Stoker was born during this era and wrote his most famous novel, Dracula (Miller, E. unknown). One of the main discourses in this novel is that of Women and their Morality of the time.
In Bram Stoker’s novel Dracula, Stoker’s use of inverted gender roles allows readers to grasp the sense of obscureness throughout, eventually leading to the reader’s realization that these characters are rather similar to the “monster” which they call Dracula. Despite being in the Victorian era, Stoker’s use of sexuality in the novel contributes to the reasoning of obscureness going against the Victorian morals and values. Throughout the novel the stereotypical roles of the Victorian man and woman are inverted to draw attention to the similarities between Dracula and the characters. Vague to a majority of readers, Bram Stoker uses Dracula as a negative connotation on society being that the values of the Victorian culture are inverted amongst the sexes of characters, thus pointing out the similarities of the characters and the so called “monster” which they call Dracula.
The Victorian England setting and culture of “Dracula” by: Bram Stoker attributes to many stylistic components and character behaviours in the novel. One of which is the behaviour and actions characters express that are a result of sexual repression. In Dracula, sexual repression is best expressed by the character’s desire to create. This desire is exemplified by the way Dracula creates other vampires, Lucy’s sexual desires, and the men’s expression of aggression. The creation of other Vampires is evident through events including Dracula’s aggressive encounters with Lucy and Mina, and the fact the Dracula is building up a Vampire army. Lucy’s sexual desires are exemplified through her longing to have sex with multiple men and how she compares
As the saying goes, “Women can do everything Men can do.” In the Gothic Novel Dracula by Bram Stoker, there is a constant theme of sexuality, from both male and females in society. In the Victorian era, the roles of male and females have caused a lot of tension. After reading Dracula, some would argue the roles men and women hold in society. As mentioned in Dr. Seward’s Dairy from Val Halsing., “Ah, that wonderful Madam Mina! She has man’s brain—a brain that a man should have were he much gifted—and a woman’s heart. The good God fashioned her for a purpose, believe me, when He made that so good combination” (Stoker and Hindle, 2003 250). A women’s mind is not the always the first thing on a males mind. Some would overlook what a woman really has to offer.
Bram Stoker’s novel Dracula, written in 1897 during the Victorian era depicts and delves through the historical context of what society was like in the past. His extraordinary piece places a strong emphasis on sexuality by contrasting it with the conventional and stereotypical views towards sexuality that was once embellished during his life time. By painting an elaborate picture of the conservative society Stoker once grew up in, I contend that through his main female characters, he pursues to epitomize and challenge the Victorian notion of sexuality by incorporating female characters with strong sexual desires. This essay is primarily set forth to bring into light key ideas that may alter the way one perceives this novel by highlighting that Dracula is a seditious novel that embraces female sexuality in a time where “society sought to suppress woman sexuality” (Catherine J. Rose, 2).
"Unpleasant experiences with the opposite sex seem to be unavoidable" (Horney 342). This quote from Karen Horney's essay The Distrust Between the Sexes seems to be discussing Dracula. Though her essay, (a lecture originally given to the German's Women Medical Association in November 1930), does not mention Dracula directly, the points that she argued can be transposed onto Bram Stoker's Dracula. In her essay, Horney asserts that men are very concerned with self-preservation, and also that men have an innate fear of women in power positions and therefore do what they can to prevent women from obtaining "power positions,"; these two points are applicable to Dracula.
Similar to almost every piece of literature ever created, Dracula by Bram Stoker has been interpreted many different ways, being torn at from every angle possible. Just as one might find interest in interpreting novels differently, he or she might also find interest in the plot, prose, or theme, all of which ultimately lead to the novels overall tone. Throughout the novel, it becomes blatant that the novel contains an underlying theme of female incompetence and inferiority. Through a true feminist’s eyes, this analysis can clearly be understood by highlighting the actions of Mina and Lucy, the obvious inferior females in the book. Through Stoker’s complete and utter manipulation of Mina and Lucy, he practically forces the reader to analyze the co-existence of dominant males and inferior females in society and to simultaneously accept the fact that the actual text of Dracula is reinforcing the typical female stereotypes that have developed throughout the ages.
Mina Murray was engaged to Jonathan Harker and when Dracula kept him prisoner, the Count wrote letters to Harker’s boss and pretended to be Jonathan and to inform his boss and his fiancé that things were going good with his business trip. The Count was giving Mina and Jonathan’s boss false hope and keeping Harker prisoner at his castle. Dracula would even dress up in Harker’s clothes and mail the letters so it would not arise any suspicion. The Count seemed to only focus on turning women into vampires and he used the men to lure the women into his trap. Therefore, that is why he was keeping Jonathan alive. Everything Dracula did was made with lots of forethought. Such as when Lucy a young woman who also was a friend of Mina was mysteriously getting ill and sleep-walking during the night no one knew what was happening to Lucy because she would get sicker after they discovered she was sleepwalking. Lucy was sleep walking because she had gotten bite by Dracula and every night he called to her so he could feed off her again. He also made sure she was alone and waited a few days before attempting to suck her blood again. Although, Dracula was a smart man in his cunning actions he could not hide the fact that something evil was