A Feminist Interpretation of Bram Stokers Dracula Essay

In his Literary Theory: The Basics, H. Bertens classifies stereotypes of women in literature into a number of categories; dangerous seductress, self-sacrificing angel, dissatisfied shrew, and defenseless lamb, completely incapable of self-sufficiency, or self-control, and dependent on male intervention. Bertens concludes that the primary objective of these women – or â€Å"constructions† – is to serve a â€Å"not-so-hidden purpose: the continued cultural and social domination of males†. One such novel that came under feminist scrutiny for these particular reasons was Bram Stoker’s Dracula, although this perlustration didn’t occur until 70 years after Stoker originally penned his masterpiece. However, during the mid-1960s, the rise of the feminist†¦show more content†¦Therefore, it becomes quite obvious that Dracula’s wives are never really considered as â€Å"beings† but rather objects; the objectification of women was one of the main criticisms that arose from a feminist analysis of many popular texts like Dracula. Arguably, Dracula’s wives are guilty of another of Bertens’ proposed stereotypes, that of utter dependence on man. They rely on Count Dracula to bring them their food, and therefore without him they would presumably die. This seems to reflect the well-established idea of public and private â€Å"spheres† that pervaded so much of Victorian domestic life. In this system, the woman was effectively condemned to the role of homemaker, while the man became the breadwinner. The inability of Dracula’s wives to resist feeding on Jonathan when he falls asleep in the study could also reflect on the – once again, Victorian idea – that women were too hysterical and so inept at keeping control of themselves that they were unfit for a vast range of careers. However, while Stoker does indubitably include these stereotypes in his work, it does not necessarily mean that he agrees with them. For example, after Lucy’s conversion, she proves herself to be just as able as Dracula to steal and feed on infants in the dead of night, in a reasonably discrete fashion. Through this, Stoker could be implying that he is satisfactorily aware of perceived stereotypes regarding women, but is choosing to contend with popular opinion byShow MoreRelatedLiterary Review of Bram Stokers Dracula Essay1230 Words   |  5 PagesReview of Bram Stoker’s Dracula Prior to the creation of the literary classic â€Å"Dracula†, Bram Stoker spent his time managing the Lyceum Theatre and legendary actor Henry Irving. According to Jennifer Dorn, when the novel was first published in 1897, critics regarded it as a â€Å"pulp fiction potboiler† (Dorn). The novels declaration as a literary masterpiece came many years later. A graduate of Trinity college, Stoker came from a middle class Irish family, the son of a civil servant. The publicationRead MoreVampires : Myth And Metaphors Of Enduring Evil, By Bram Stoker1307 Words   |  6 Pages Feminism was frowned upon because of the social and sexual standards of the era. Therefore, Bram Stoker withholds his opinions of feminism in Dracula, because it is something that should not be discussed. Society did not approve of female sexuality in particular because it encouraged the new women. The new woman was a term used to characterize what women would become with a feminist mindset. In Dracula , Mina mentions the new women and says, â€Å"I believe we should have shocked the New Woman withRead MoreVictorian Women And Feminism In Bram Stokers Dracula1979 Words   |  8 Pagesâ€Å"Monstrous women do not adhere to standards† (Swartz-Levine). The late Victorian era demonstrates the unfamiliar social shift in society. Depictions of traditional Victorian woman’s standards can be seen as sexist, as the new crowd of feminist emerges. Feminism explores the double standard of projecting sexual desires to society, however, the women who accompanied these uncommon ideas, were often seen as some sort of monster. From this, anxiety was displaced around women who seeked sexuality as itRead More Sex and Sexuality in Dracula Essay2477 Words   |  10 PagesBram Stokers novel Dracula, published in 1897, explores various sexual erotic possibilities in the vampires embrace, as discussed by Leonard Wolf. The novel confronts Victorian fears of homosexuality; that were current at the time due to the trial of playwright Oscar Wilde. The vampires embrace could also be interpreted as an illustration of Victorian fears of the changing role of women. Therefore it is important to consider: the historical context of the novel; the Victorian notion of the `NewRead MoreDracula And The New Woman1992 Words   |  8 PagesDracula and the New Woman In the Victorian era, women were viewed as subordinate to men. They often had one job: reproduction. They would become housewives and cater to their husband and children’s needs. As the era progressed, so did the role of women. The once shy women were now changing into courageous and outspoken members of society. These women were open about their sexuality and embraced their intelligence. This new found independence was a turning moment in history and was given the nameRead MoreEssay on The Bloody Chamber3593 Words   |  15 Pages‘The role of women in the gothic genre is as victims always subjected to male authority’, compare and contrast to which this interpretation is relevant to your three chosen texts. By Kristina Addis Within My Last Duchess, The Bloody Chamber and Dracula, there is evidence to suggest that women within the gothic genre as portrayed as victims of male authority, as well as evidence to disprove this argument, instead suggesting that it is the women within the Gothic genre which makes themselvesRead MoreThe Vampire Is Not A New Manifestation Of The Fears Of A Society1815 Words   |  8 Pagesrepresentations of the creature in literature date back to the English poetry of the early 1700s, and were then followed in the fiction genre by such works as John William Polidori’s The Vampyre, Sheridan Le Fanu’s Carmilla, and of course, Bram Stoker’s Dracula. For the audiences of the 18th century, vampires embodied many of the following common fears shared between the people: of illness, both mental and epidemic, of an embraced sexuality, particularly that of women’s and homosexuals’, and of foreigners