Free Paper on Feminism in Bram Stoker's 'Dracula': Exploring Gender Roles and Societal Norms

Bram Stoker, an Irish author, has written several literary books that have impressed his readers up to date, and one of them is Dracula, a gothic horror book. Bram's novel Dracula mainly talks about several diverse groups such as science fiction to romance literature of the 1800s written in English; hence it can be viewed from different angles. The book is based on several issues, but the main thing that Bram mainly addresses in his horrific novel is feminism. When studying the text, feminism can understand it. Though numerous females have been used in the text to point out the feminism in the book, Bram has placed much effort into talking about the personalities of Lucy Westenra, Harker Mina as well and the Dracula brides to elaborate clearly on the feminism issue.

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In the novel, it is clear that Westenra in the manuscript is described as feminine to withstand a patriarchal civilization. Bram confirms this point by the numerous reflections in the text and several descriptions of her by other people in the manuscript. Explaining this point further, Lucy is seen writing several letters backward and forward with her loving friend Mina also recognized as Mina Murray. Lucy begins symbolizing her position as a member of "The Cult of True Woman Land." She meant that she, together with Mina, would get engaged soon and live together for life till death set them apart, and they would be able to deride vanity (Stoker, 78). With respect to the sexiest viewpoint, which is a component of the patriarchal culture, it is known that a woman should be naturally devoted to her husband. This is evident in the text, as Lucy is seen as being devoted. Therefore, concerning this point, feminists would criticize the text due to Lucy's sexist as well as patriarchal point of view.

After the death of Lucy, she transforms into a vampire, and she is depicted as "impure" or lacking cleanliness, not as before. This is evident when Dr. Seward cuts "the entire carnal as well as unspiritual appearance which looked like an evil ridicule of her sweet purity" (Stoker, 224). The cleanliness is an instance of personality and is associated with the true womanhood cult. In a civilized world, women are expected to be bodily and sexually clean. Later on in the novel, Lucy, a vampire is finally killed, and Dr. Seward describes this instance as unequaled, sweetness, plus purity. With her death, Bram illustrates that her cleanliness or the true womanhood in her had been restored since the existence of the vampire was not there. Therefore, in this instance, feminists may condemn this script for unfolding Lucy in such a patriarchal manner.

Another personality that is admired in the narrative is being obedient to the customary sex roles, which is a personality Mina shows and previously by Lucy. This is evident in the text where Mina tells Westenra that she wants to continue embracing Jonathan's studies, and she has been practicing shorthand very assiduously. She also continues elaborating that when she is married, she will make sure that she is useful to her man Jonathan. Therefore, Bran, by elaborating on all this is trying to bring to our attention that Lucy and Mina have the patriarchal duty of being servants to their husbands, and they do all this with a positive mindset (Stoker, 75). She continues to elaborate on her female duty to Mina after she writes that she has nothing to offer but herself, her trust, life, and her love for Jonathan plus the duties she has as her wife. Mina's understanding of the obligations that she has to her husband falls and is not as to the expected standards. The customary rules expect her to offer herself fully to her husband. Therefore, on the other hand, feminists could go against this issue, disagreeing that it's not the responsibility of Mina to carry out every demand of her husband but to engage in anything she wants. Still, she has to ensure that there is a strong affiliation between her and her husband. Hence indeed, Dracula is a feminist since she elaborates on all that this woman desires in life.

Numerous points in the script illustrate how Mina's physical look is commented on, showing the principles of a masculine structure of attitude. In the novel, it is evident that when Mina stays in the sanctuary just as Lucy did, Dracula assaults her, and she starts transforming into one (Stoker, 283). Upon trying to sanctify Mina, Van Helsing glows a spot on Mina's forehead, interfering with her emotions. Replying to this issue Van responds by saying And oh, Madam Mina, my dear, my dear, may we who care for you be present to have a glance at the red scar which is God's sign of knowledge of that have been there and all that shall pass leaving her forehead pure (Stoker, 296). As previously seen in Lucy, Mina is purported to be clean and transforming into a vampire. Therefore, feminists could oppose this issue, stating that cleanliness came from the belief of patriarchal civilization and the true womanhood cult.

Later on in the text, Van, and Mina decide to approach Dracula's strongholds, where Mina starts changing gradually into a vampire. Helsing's presumptions are that she is altering, but in the real sense, she is transmitting a fault point engraving that she is amazed but not eased. She continues to say that she is bright and tender plus thoughtful, forgetting all fears (Stoker, 356). Van's thinking was that Mina is "bright as well as tender plus thoughtful" and that nothing or anyone is against her, but the thoughts make him look broadly at the risk he is in since Mina is a vampire. Morris and Harker struggle to kill Dracula, and Morris is seen weeping thoroughly thanking the Almighty since all they have done has not gone in vain since the curse that was there has now ended (Stoker, 365). Therefore all this description illustrates how the female gender is supposed to carry out their lives in this world. Bram describing all these instances, it is evident that he was a feminist at several points.

Conclusion

In conclusion, after reading the entire novel and my understanding of the term feminism, it is evident that the text was written in periods of deep patriarchal in civilization. As evident in the text, it is seen that a few women in the texts had idealism as well as material images that portrayed what was present during the civilization era. They followed their culture and beliefs one by one, not ignoring any, and no one was against them. Meaning they knew their rights as women in society, and when embracing whatever their culture required them to do, no one opposed them since they were doing what was required of them. Therefore, Dracula is known to be an extremely contentious piece, which is not limited to feminism only.

Work Cited

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Faxneld, Per, and Per Faxneld. Satanic Feminism. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2017.

Kollman, Kathleen. "Contemporary Paranormal Romance: Theories and Development of the Genre’s Feminism (Or Lack Thereof)." (2018).

Senf, Carol. "Blue Books, Baedekers, Cookbooks, and the Monsters in the Mirror: Bram Stoker’s Dracula." Man-Eating Monsters. Emerald Publishing Limited, 2019.

Stoker, Bram. Dracula. Kuala Lumpur: Penerbit Fajar Bakti, 1992. Print