Comparing Men And Women In Bram Stoker's Dracula

In 1837 – 1901, the Victorian Era took place under Queen Victoria’s rule. It is a time that is known to consist of “…peace, prosperity, and national self-confidence for the United Kingdom” (Google). Under the Queen’s rule, society took a turn into the Reformation Era. They transition from rationalism to more of romanticism with as it also ties into religion. These elements lead to the writers to write in the way society treats them. In Bram Stoker’s Dracula, the elements of society encompassing writers and or authors influences the writing that they produce in ways such as the role of men and women along with the advancements in technology.
In every town of city, there will always be issues such as crime and punishment in society. Kristen

Guest, an author in her book review of Ellen L. O Brien’s Crime In Verse: The Poetics Of Murder In The Victorian Era states, “Over the last twenty-five years studies of crime, punishment, and social discipline have occupied a central position in scholarship of the Victorian era” (Guest 1). Common but dramatically immoral, dilemmas such as crime, immigration and anxiety roam the streets of Victorian Society. Like a disease, it spreads like one but almost never goes away. It only spreads to new areas and returns. With that being said, it can also spread in literature. Kristen states: “Ellen L. O’Brien takes up this approach to Victorian murder, offering an original focus on the ways that poetry participates in, and unsettles, social concerns about classed responses to crime, legal and medical theories of criminality and … anxiety” (Guest 1). A person’s surroundings definitely curve the view on how the world is interpreted. In Dracula, the setting depicts everything about the plot. Every detail symbolizes something. In addition to that, negativity is much stronger than positivity, and literature is one of many ways to have it recorded down subconsciously. The spread of corruption, crime, and immigration influence Stoker to mimic those same events with Dracula.
During the Victorian Era, religion is a significant factor. Society lives by ways of their chosen religion and is heavily committed to practice. An unknown student author of the Dracula The Anti Christ Religion Essay, states: “…Victorian Era of the nineteenth century, faith in Christ was pretty much a necessity in Europe” (UK 1). In these times citizens were almost required to go to church and follow the same belief. Also, whatever is said in the Bible is considered a fact. In addition, it is without question that religion will be associated with the story. Stoker incorporates the Holy Bread, Holy Water, and the crucifix when dealing with evil. In Chapter 22 of Dracula, Van Helsing was blessing Mina for protection and “As he placed the Wafer on Mina's forehead, it had seared it had burned into the flesh as though it had been a piece of white hot metal” (Stoker 140). This goes to show that they believed God was the source to good and to end all evil. With every encounter with the Dracula, the clique is already equipped with holy wafers, a gun, and a crucifix. Each use of it, against the count of course, harms him and could possibly kill him. Furthermore, the fact that religion is heavily influenced in society, it comes to no question that it is discussed and practiced in Dracula.
The story is written in such an odd way. It is composed of journal entries, letters, telegrams, and memos mainly written in first person by each character. During this time, people are just finding themselves and they are figuring out who they are. With writers, they want to experiment with how they want the reader to read but also keeping the properness of their way of life. Moreover, when writing the, “…multiplicity of voices gives the book a wonderful liveliness” (Acocella 14). The alternation of voices gives the story a texture and new feel compared to traditional stories or plays. As a reader, a story can seem boring and easily deemed false due to the lack to imagination from the reader or the author is not convincing enough. But, the way Stoker wrote it changes everything. Since the story, “…is reported by so many different witnesses, we are more likely to believe it” (Acocella 14). The Victorian Society pushes many concepts, one being creativity. This concept helps Stoker convince the reader that it is really occurring. The voices show creativity and how society pushes men to superior. Even in literature.
Men and women are thought out to have different roles during this era in time.

There is a slight gap that continues to increase as time progresses and creates this gap that is present in this book between genders. Women: “…are weak but good, and men are strong but less good”. (Acocella 20) Men are seen to be superior and women are seen to have their morals in check. In fact, critics believe that Stoker is afraid of the New Woman. In Dracula, Mina is the new woman. Van Helsing states, “She has man's brain--a brain that a man should have were he much gifted--and woman's heart. The good God fashioned her for a purpose, believe me when He made that so good combination” (Stoker 373). Mina, is much more intelligent than any average woman and could be a match for a man. She has enough capability to have the same if not better strength and knowledge as a man. Unfortunately, this could not be a view of Stoker’s, it is merely a reflection of society and the gender differentiation. Differences between the sexes have been going for centuries. Throughout the book Mina is growing into a greater woman. As the author of the book, Stoker would not have written that portion if he did not agree with the equality in the gender

role.
With the Victorian society transitioning, inventions and innovations occur.

Technology is advancing at this time and this fascinates Stoker. Inventions and or advancements consist of blood transfusions, the phonograph, the typewriter, and trains. All of these wonderful inventions that aid the life of the Victorians aid the crew. Stoker shows us how up to date his writing is when having to defeat Dracula. Mina in this situation, she learns shorthand along with the phonograph and the typewriter. As Van Helsing states, “Which should have been difficult for a female to do” (Acocella 20). Doing so, it impresses Van Helsing and the rest of the group. Thus, plays into the New Woman title. However, with the blood transfusions, that are talked about quite frequently throughout the story, they are not quite accurate. One cannot just transfer any type of blood to another. It can kill someone and adds a check as a flaw in Stoker’s writing. Technology was advancing quickly at this time and age. It would make sense if Stoker incorporated it in his writing. Even though it is not entirely

correct.
The constant concepts of sex, lust, and evil are viewed as strong conservative topics in the late 19th century. Thanks to Sigmund Freud, an Austrian neurologist, pioneered the dirty thoughts that humans possess today, Dracula contains many sexual references and situations that no one can run away from. For example, Van Helsing walks in the room only to see the count with, "With his left hand he held both Mrs. Harker's hands, keeping them away with her arms at full tension; his right hand gripped her by the back of the neck, forcing her face down on his bosom. Her white nightdress was smeared with blood, and a thin stream trickled down the man's bare breast, which was shown by his torn open dress" (Stoker 262). The text can be pornographic at times, with its vivid descriptions and superfluous vocabulary. It is too much. But it goes to show how deep sex has been portrayed in Stoker’s life. In society, men have more freedoms when it deals with sexual pleasures. Which explains why the Dracula is a man and completely violates both Mina and Lucy. He is given more opportunity to express himself and allows him to behave in such a manner. Lucy states, “Men like women, certainly their wives, to be quite as fair as they are; and women, I am afraid are not always quite as fair as they should be” (53). Women again, are being out in their place. Even in the most vulgar of situations, women are expected to be this impossible figure. Therefore, the concept of sex being widely talked of brings Stoker to apply it to Dracula.
The outside world shapes people into what they believe and discuss. Stoker is guilty of it. Whether it is subconsciously or purposely, the Victorian Society and the events and topics that are conveyed highly influenced what Stoker conveys in Dracula. Stoker expresses topics such as the role of men and women and how they act, along with the advancements in technology that reflect the influence of Victorian Society upon him.