Feminism in Dracula
‘Dracula’ written by Bram Stoker is an extremely contentious literary work, which is so far examined by many scientists. The novel deals with many diverse groups of passage, beginning with Sci-fi terror to English story writing of the 1800’s. This is the reason why it is capable of being examined in many diverse ways by the means of collection of vital assumptions. The aim of this bit, though, is only spotlighted on the one sort of significant assumption, which is referred to as feminism. Feminism can be applied to study the texts’ numerous female personalities. Thus, Draculacould be studied through feminism by concentrating on personalities of Mina Harker and Lucy Westenra, as well as using three of Dracula’s brides.
Firstly, it is simple to observe the place of Lucy Westenra, a female personality in the manuscript, in order to sustain a patriarchal civilization. This position could be confirmed by not only several of Lucy’s reflections in the manuscript, but by several people’s depictions, regarding her in the manuscript too (Carol 87). While writing letters backwards and forward with her darling buddy Mina, better known as Mina Murray on this position in the narrative, Lucy starts to symbolize her position as an affiliate of “The sect of ‘accurate female land'”. That is how she responds to Mina by scripting to her, “You and me, Mina beloved, who are occupied and are, departing to take it easy soon severely into aged married ladies, can loathe pride” (Stoker 78). In accordance with the sexist viewpoints as a component of a culture that is patriarchal, a female is anticipated to be devotee, naturally of their husband’s willpower, which is exactly the way Lucy is represented in the manuscript.
Due to this, feminists would denounce the manuscript owing to Lucy’s chauvinistic and patriarchal viewpoints. After Lucy dies and turns into a vampire, she is portrayed as “adulterated” or one with a short of the “cleanliness”, she previously contained. This could be concluded in the moment Dr. Seward inscribes “the entire carnal and earthly facade, appearing similar to a devilish ridicule of the sweet cleanliness of Lucy (Carol, 195). By recognizing Lucy’s “cleanliness”, another instance of the personality’s task is an affliate of the “sect of ‘accurate Womanhood'”, since “accurate ladies” in a civilization that is patriarchal are anticipated to be bodily and sexually clean.
Afterwards in the tale, the moment Lucy is turned into the vampire is at last put to death. Dr. Seward inscribes to Lucy’s face once more, appearing of “unequalled cuteness and cleanliness” (Stoker 224), emphasizing the thought that the cleanliness of her “accurate femininity” had been reinstated, once the vampire’s existence disappeared. Concerning this, feminists may criticize this manuscript for relating to Lucy in similar patriarchal conditions.Another personality, commended in the narrative for the intensity of being in compliance to customary sex responsibilities is the personality of Mina Harker.
Greatly equivalent to Lucy, Mina could as well be examined through her individual belief and her depiction from the perspective of others all over the narrative. Early on in the manuscript, Mina inscribes to Lucy Westenra in a correspondence, “I desire to continue with Jonathan’s lessons, and I as well have been working on shorthand extremely industriously. The moment we are wedded, I shall be capable of being helpful to Jonathan”. From this text, it could be implicated that Mina, as well as Lucy Westenra, aims to reside positive to the patriarchal sex tasks like a maid to her partner, Jonathan (Stoker 75). The position of Mina like a patriarchal female is floated up once more, when once she is wedded, she turns into Mina Harker, then inscribes, “I did not have anything to offer him apart from me, my existence, and my faith, and thus with these left my feeling of affection and responsibility for the entire time of my existence” (Stoker 123). The sagacity of “obligation” of Mina to her companion falls beneath the collection of customary sex roles, since it is owing to the sexiest viewpoints of the culture that is patriarchal and that she inhabits, that she anticipates having to offer herself an entire existence and the capability of the obligations of her life to her husband.
Feminists, on the contrary, could disagree, as Mina is not accountable for being exploit to, and adhere to the commands of her companion, other than to as an alternative as she wills with her being while being capable to maintain a strong affiliation with her companion. In addition, there are various parts in the manuscript, whereby Mina’s corporeal look is commented on by the patriarchal structure of attitude principles. The manuscript, after a short time residing in the sanctuary of Dr. Seward Mina, similar to Lucy, is as well assaulted by Dracula, and consequently, begins to change into one (Stoker 283). Whilst Van Helsing is attempting to consecrate Mina, he blazes a spot into her forehead, thereby fairly causing a chaos of sentiment from the personality (Stoker 296).
Van Helsing utters in his reply to this occasion, “And oh, Mina, my beloved, my beloved, could we who adore you be present to observe while that red mark, the symbol of God’s awareness of whatever has been, someday shall surpass away and go away leaving your front part of your head as clean as the spirit we identify with” (Stoker 296). Yet again, Mina is alleged to be clean, prior to changing and becoming a vampire, which is much similar to Lucy’s case. Feminists would denounce this, since the thought of cleanliness to a female originates from the conviction of a civilization that is patriarchal and the “sect of ‘accurate Womanhood”.Afterwards in the narrative, as Mina and Van Helsing found their approach to Dracula’s stronghold, Mina started to transform progressively to become a leech. Van Helsing thought she was altering, but transmitted a position of fault when he inscribed, “I am astonished, and then not comfortable; however she is accordingly brilliant and loving and considerate of me which makes me disregard any panic” (Stoker 356).
From this text, Van Helsing’s thoughts of Mina being “brilliant and loving and considerate” are not anything extra to the patriarchal prejudice he feels to her, since she is a female and these thoughts make him “overlook” the risk he poses himself to. Lastly, when Quincey Morris and Jonathan Harker thrive in murdering Dracula, Quincey weeps with almost his last gasp “at this time God be shown gratitude that everything has not turned to be in futile! See! The snowfall is not additionally stainless than the brow! The blight has departed” (Stoker 368). The similarity of Quincey to the snowstorm to Mina Harker’s brow by this quotation is yet one more sign of the cleanliness anticipated from a female in a culture that is patriarchal.
