Sacrifice In Bram Stoker's Dracula

Bram Stoker's Dracula is a staple of the Gothic Horror genre. It is a novel that has been scrutinized by countless readers over the years. It has spawned an absolutely massive following that still persists to this day, more than a hundred years after it was initially published in 1897. While Stoker's novel is certainly not the first example of a piece of gothic horror, or even the first example of a gothic horror story focusing specifically on vampires, it still managed to fully capture the attention of the public. But not only did Dracula enthrall the readers of its time, but it continued to be a mainstay of the gothic horror genre, and was continually discussed over the following years. The myriad of ways this novel has been interpreted over

Mina, as one of the heroine’s in this novel, is much like her predecessors in regards that she is a persecuted maiden who, as a vulnerable female, needs to be protected. Mina is to be menaced and threatened by the Count, and she nearly dies, but ultimately is saved by the hero, who she happens to be a perfect match for. Stoker also happens to use a pair of heroines in his novel, which is reminiscent of Walpole’s “Castle of Otranto”, which pairs Matilda and Isabella as the two heroines. Ultimately though Stoker’s heroines fall into two categories: victim and survivor, as Mina and Lucy are juxtaposed against one another in a variety of ways. Lucy Westenra as the victim portrays women as frail and beautiful creatures, but whose virtue is no protection against evil. Mina on the other hand, as Stoker’s “ideal woman” (Gates 48) is made of sterner stuff than her counterpart and is able to endure the threat of evil with a little help from the heroes. Mina, as the ideal woman, is beautiful, intelligent, and resourceful, and if need be courageous, however she remains vulnerable and in no way a threat to male superiority. These gothic heroines, like the male heroes, also remain fairly static characters, and do not develop despite the myriad of external pressures and environmental factors, which is a fairly typical feature of the Gothic

Dracula as the diabolical villain plays more of a role in the novel as a presence rather than as a person or character. Dracula is seemingly omnipresent, dominating the novel without actually appearing in the majority of it. Dracula’s character is shrouded in mystery and secrecy, though his role as a titled aristocrat is a “feature of the Gothic and Byronic heroes” (Carlson 30). Dracula displays several traits typical to that of the Gothic villain: “pride in his heritage and status, a brooding melancholy, and an hypnotic charm” (Gates 62). Stoker provides just enough qualities to motivate his villain, but leaves the rest mysterious and vague, though Van Helsing’s commentary will later turn Dracula into an almost legendary figure. Dracula is the embodiment of evil, just as the young heroes are the embodiment of good and virtue, and thus pitting the two against each other is the perfect way to illustrate the god versus evil