Religion And Morality In Bram Stoker's Dracula

Every great literary source has the ability to provide a majestic getaway for your mind. With each significant piece of literature, readers are transported into a different dimension through the pages of alluring romances, perplexing mysteries, and sublime fantasies. While reading Dracula, by Bram Stoker, readers are transported into the Victorian Era, where controversial topics, such as religion and sexuality, are masked behind the riveting fictional work. Not only does Stoker place emphasis on the gender role issues circulating the 1800’s, but focuses on sexual morality as well. Written in 1897, the book takes place between a series of letters and journal entries recorded by the characters. It shifts between the perspectives of Jonathan Harker

(Englishman), Mina Murray (Jonathans fiance), Lucy Westenra (Minas best friend), Dr. John Seward (One of Lucy's love interest) and a few other minor characters.

Dracula, the antagonist, is depicted as a blood-thirsty vampire who transforms wholesome men and women into the like. Throughout the book, Stoker covers many feminist theories, while primarily focusing on female sexuality, showing the perception of women during the 1800’s.

Events in Stoker’s life, as well as the impact of the Victorian era, lead Stoker to develop characters portraying the different ideals of women. Because Stoker shared such an affiliation with his mother, one could assume that the supernatural tales, told to him as a child, could have been a plausible inspiration for Stoker's, Dracula: “Stoker was a sickly child, mostly bedridden during his early years. During this time, his mother entertained him with stories and legends from Sligo, which included supernatural tales and accounts of death and disease”

(Chilton). Born in 1847, Stoker witnessed his mother being subjected to the gender bias and sexual prudence of the time. A woman was expected to be “shy, weak and emotional compared to men. She was supposed to be pure and quiet. Feelings such as anger or impatience were never expected out of them. She was never aggressive. The concept of ideal women was extremely important. She was pure and clean” (Roles of Women in the Victorian Era). Mina and Lucy, the two main women in the story, represent the ideal women of the time. Both virgins, the two women confess their longing for companionship as they ride the fine line of what is sexually moral and what is not. On several accounts Lucy questions these double standards, complaining in her diary about monogamy: “Why can’t they let a girl marry three men, or as many as want her, and save all this trouble?” (Stoker 65). Lucy is extremely verbal when it comes to her desire for men, unlike many other women during this time. Her rambunctious attitude towards relationships leads Mina to envy her. Not only does Lucy receive a plethora of male attention, but desires the attention as well, something that contradicts the typical Victorian age women.
Religion is a monumental theme throughout Dracula, and as a result of the characters repressed Christian backgrounds, the sexual openness of the vampires seems shocking to most characters. The repeated symbol of a crucifix, a cross containing Christ, appears several times throughout the story, as it is expected to ward off demonic creatures and or vampires. It is one of the main weapons that the characters use to cease Dracula over the course the book. Not only do they resort to superstitious tactics, but also make several statements either about God, or directly to God. After many failed attempts to save Lucy from transitioning into a vampire, Van Helsing, an esteemed vampire hunter, and newfound friend to the characters, hopelessly cries out to God. “God! God! God!” he said. “What have we done, what has this poor thing done, that we are so sore beset? Is there fate amongst us still, sent down from the pagan world of old, that such things must be, and in such way? Oh, how we are beset! How are all the powers of the devils against us!” (Stoker 170) God was not only a rock for these people, but the man in whom they believed to have control of all events. As a result, the Christian religion was immensely important to them: “If there was any single belief that characterized the Victorian era it was Christian belief. Religion pervaded social and political life to an extent almost unimaginable today” (Gender Roles of Victorian Era for Men and Women). People living in this era had no say as to what they wanted to believe. If one did not submit to the ways of the hierarchy, Queen Victoria at the time, the consequences could be severe. As a result of these forced Christian beliefs, women were required to play a very submissive role, adhering to the duties of a housewife: “a woman's place was in the home” (Abrams).
A woman’s individuality was taboo, their roles were to support the men in their life, and speaking of their own desires was greatly looked down upon.

While in a meeting, held by Van Helsing, in which Mina took much interest in, Van Helsing and the other men tell Mina she cannot take part in bringing down Dracula. “We men are determined—nay, are we not pledged?—to destroy this monster; but it is no part for a woman,” Van Helsing says. Later, when speaking of the generality of women to Dr. Seward, Helsing says “the good God fashioned her for a purpose, believe me, when he made that so good combination. Friend John, up to now fortune has made that woman of help to us” (Stoker 267). Van Helsing, loved by all the characters, was chosen to take note of these gender roles in order to prove that this sexist belief was a common conviction of the time. By no means does Van Helsing say this to offend Mina, but instead, to protect her, by pointing out her misconception of these roles. These ideals, though horrid and discriminatory, were how many people of this time viewed societal roles. Women soon began to lose their individuality, and instead were “treated as a necessity for men” (Gender Roles of Victorian Era for Men and Women). Although women were expected to remain pure until marriage, “This requirement of chastity and absolute purity was not expected of men, as the potential husband had the freedom to participate in premarital and extramarital sexual relationships” (Women as “the

Sex” During the Victorian Era). This double standard proved tough for many, but the lack of opportunities made it hard for women to rebel.
Stoker covers many feminist theories throughout the pages of Dracula, while using his own life experiences to stress the gender role issues of the time. He suppresses these ideas under an exciting mythological tale involving superstition, fantasy creatures and obscure concepts. Dracula is not only a great historical piece of literature, pointing out the flaws in the Victorian Era, but was one of the first vampire books ever written, towering the standards for vampire books to come.