Dracula and Victorianism: A conservative or subversive novel?

It is remarkable that Jonathan does not offer any resistance whatsoever to the seductresses, but just lays back and waits for something to happen. Here again, the double standard of sexuality is applied. Both, Lucy and Jonathan are engaged and, if vampires are regarded as equal to sexuality, both of them commit the crimes of premarital intercourse and adultery.

But Lucy is staked to death because she did not and could not resist Dracula, while Jonathan is punished comparatively mildly as he suffers only from a brain fever [20] , which he eventually survives.

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She has not done anything, at least not voluntary, to be ashamed of. Although Spencer argues that the shame is a result of her secret desire for Dracula [21] , it has to be taken into account that a woman who was seduced, or even raped, was regarded as sinful. According to Victorian moral standards and Christian doctrines, it is always the woman who in some way provokes the man to abuse her. As many critics have remarked, the scene in which Dracula forces Mina to drink his blood has strong sexual overtones. Still, one hesitates to call it a rape. Although Mina allows Dracula to approach her only because he threatens to kill Jonathan otherwise, even she has to admit that she did not want to hinder him, once he has touched her Spencer explains that Victorians regarded sexual desire as much more dangerous than sexual activity itself.

A woman raped stays under they control, but a seduced woman might switch her loyalties and affinities [23]. Dracula himself mocks them about this. Yet it is not only the Count who threatens the masculinity of his pursuers, as will be shown in the next chapter. Gelfert, Hans — Dieter: Von Stonehenge bis zum Millennium Dome. In the following referred to as: Here referring to P. The Oxford Illustrated History of Britain. Revised edition with new appendices and preface. The Novel and the Legend.

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Desert Island Books Ltd. Westcliff on the Sea. In this context one could even argue that the three vampire seductresses represent another danger of extramarital sex — venereal diseases like tripper or syphilis, which were spreading in the brothels. The idea is especially interesting since Stoker himself probably, died of syphilis.

A Vampire in the Mirror: The Sexuality in Dracula. On page , Stevenson develops a similar argument. American Studies - Miscellaneous. American Studies - Literature.

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Register or log in. Our newsletter keeps you up to date with all new papers in your subjects. Request a new password via email. Inhaltsverzeichnis 1 Introduction 2 Dracula and Victorianism 2. The Vampire in Literature: The Path of Vampires. From Legends to Literature. An Evolution from Myth to Societal Hype. Gender in Bram Stoker's 'Dracula'. Dick's "Do Androids Dr Feminist Theory and Sexuality. Women's sexual liberation from victorian patriarchy in Sheridan Philosophical Potential in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer".

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Dracula and Victorianism: A conservative or subversive novel?

Vampirism as a Timeless Image: Though society maintained strict social standards and expectations for both sexes, men were permitted many more freedoms and pleasures than their female counterparts. The patriarchal tendencies and views of the Victorian society further enforced male superiority and dominance over women therefore automatically granting them the most freedoms , which in turn also provided countless excuses to justify male sexuality and carnal urges; especially those which women were expected to suppress and constantly refrain from expressing.

It was unheard of for a female to be sexually assertive in any way, and such an idea would likely have been a very disturbing and frightening concept to a conservative society, seeing as it was deemed unnatural for and decent lady to behave in such a manner. The mentality ultimately supported the conclusion that the female sex drive has no purpose and, therefore, should not exist. Expectations and standards concerning ladylike behavior were very confining and limited the expression of many natural emotions and freedoms:. Homosexuality was, in fact, so serious a matter within society that it was even considered to be a crime , punishable by imprisonment if tried and found guilty of participating in homoerotic behaviors.

Further adding to the shock-factor and controversy of the novel, an underlying homoerotic theme is carefully laid down by Stoker via many homosexual references, insinuations, and symbolism throughout the book. A major underlying sexual connotation Stoker uses as an implication of homosexuality is the excessive use of blood throughout the novel itself.

The Victorians most likely concluded that blood did indeed have such an intimate relation to spermatic fluids as a result of shared biological characteristics between the two substances themselves.

Sexually transmitted diseases, such as syphilis, had been just recently discovered, and were still relatively enigmatic to a dreading society. Thus it became a popular conversational and debatable topic among the intellectual, reinforcing the value of the belief via repetition and the occasional misinterpretation which distorted its severity and caused it to become more intensely feared. In general, Vlad the Impaler emphasized the importance of remaining pure and chaste, though taking a much more extremist approach than the Victorians did.

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