Victorian Women's Roles In Dracula By Bram Stoker

Victorian Women Roles in Dracula The purpose is to examine the women social norms and differentiate them in Bram Stoker’s Dracula. During the Victorian era, the gender roles between men and women were defined by culture and society; it also was reflected by the literature throughout that period of time. In Dracula, the author reinforces and challenges those social norms through his characters and storyline. Throughout the novel, the characters distinguish many references related to masculinity and femininity. The characters demonstrate stereotypical interpretations of those gender norms, and the men are portrayed to play the more dominant roles versus the women upheld the more domesticated roles. In the story, Dracula defies those norms by

Women were depicted to be pure and innocent while preserving their virginity until marriage. They were also expected to evolve into the ideal wives and homemakers. In Dracula, Mina Murray and Lucy Westenra are the main female characters in the story, and both characters are affected directly and indirectly by Dracula’s negative endeavors. In the beginning of the story, Mina and Lucy exchange letters to each other. These two characters represent two concepts, the Victorian Woman and the “New Woman.” Mina embodies the paramount illustration of a traditional Victorian woman. She is described as a schoolmistress, and she maintains her relationship with Jonathan Harker whom she eventually marries. Mina attempts to achieve the life pressured by Victorian principles, and she is unconditionally loyal to Jonathan especially throughout his mental breakdown after his visit with Count Dracula. In her letters, Mina expresses that she desires to become a good wife and mother in her marriage with Jonathan. After she marries Jonathan, she expresses with joy that she is “the happiest woman in all the wide world” (Stoker

These women pursued and aimed for the idea of a “New Woman,” which meant to be liberal and not fit into the norms of social roles. According to Senf, “New Woman” roles explored through the domains of education, and financial independence. Women wanted to be emancipated from the demands of culture and society, and freely express their thoughts. Some women were successful in conquering the idea of the “New Woman,” while others were still under the authority of the dominant male. The expanding influence of the women may have left men powerless, but it resulted to promote the ideas of the “New Woman.” In the story, Dracula causes the commotion of giving women the sexual power in which society at time suppressed and inhibited. According to Miller, Dracula is used to instill fear within the characters and society because of his ability to liberate female sexuality. In the story, when Lucy is bitten by Dracula it symbolizes the liberation from her traditional role in society, and at the same time she created into a sexual being. Upon this transformation, Lucy represents women who emancipate themselves from the Victorian woman. In the beginning of the story, prior to Lucy transforming into a vampire, she is described as pure, innocent and scenic. She exchanges letters with Mina, and in one letter she