Sarah Kunz (Author)

On Stoker when you look at the 1897, the 2 people emails Lucy Westenra and you may Mina Harker each other seem to show brand new Victorian best from ladies advantage. But not, due to the fact story proceeds, vampirism, brought abreast of community by the Count Dracula, challenges people rules. Immediately following being became good vampire, Lucy turns towards the a freely sexual predator, while Mina converts to your a great „The newest Girl“. If you find yourself Mina can be saved fundamentally, Lucy needs to pass away on the woman lover’s hand in purchase in order to go back to you to simple county off purity. The differences between them members of the family rating evoked in the novel and have two different types of women; individual that may be worth preserving and something who is not while the they threatens Victorian ideals. Lucy has already been foredoomed at first, till the Count actually already been preying on her once the she rebelled contrary to the exhibitions away from Victorian area and since she didn’t build relationships the brand new beliefs in the time. Mina, although not, shall be spared while the she cannot defy the limits away from society and remains faithful towards ideals of that time period.

Inside Victorian people, women was indeed seen as painful and sensitive objects, which needed to be saved by the their people. They certainly were meant to strengthen the ego of the male saviors and you can were should be dedicated to him or her. The fresh new stereotypical lady is actually either a moms and dad or a beneficial virgin, and if she is actually neither out of both, she was thought to be a whore. Richard Krafft-Ebing manufactured in the book called Psychopathia Sexualis you to „people, but not, in the event the myself and you will mentally regular, and you will properly knowledgeable, provides however, nothing sensual interest. When it have been otherwise, ily would be empty terms and conditions“ (Krafft-Ebing fourteen). And that, the female sex drive must not can be found, as his or her libido isn’t essential reproduction, except that a man sexual pleasure. Both men and women ultimately became scared of females sex since the it actually was unfamiliar and you can abnormal. William Acton triggered this worry by the recognizing the idea one to certain women had been lustful and consisted of a desire for food to possess sex, however, the guy noticed these because unusual sexual wants you to “surpass that from guys, and you will surprise public feeling because of the its expo” (Acton 179). Further to that particular, a female will be submissive so you’re able to this lady kid and complete the character out of a housewife. And that, if the a lady possessed even more sexual drive than the woman boy, the guy create don’t be prominent and effective, and this, the lady could not fulfil the latest character she should have devoted herself to help you. These types of opinions away from Victorian people is actually illustrated inside the Lucy Westenra and you will Mina Harker. Yet not, it is only into the basic sight one Lucy it really is means good natural woman.

ten Pages, Grade: step 1.0

The person can observe around three other level out of Lucy’s depiction for the the fresh novel. The original stage is Lucy in advance of she is turned into good vampire, then your audience gains access to what is tinder? the woman for the conversion process and you can in the long run Lucy are depicted just like the an excellent vampire vixen. Firstly, Lucy seems to depict a smooth and you can absolute people from Victorian community. She is besides breathtaking, and also pure and you will simple, that produces the girl an enthusiastic angel of domestic. Yet not, are an object from interest, she gets three relationships proposals and you can wants to bring into them of the saying: “As to why are unable to they assist a female get married around three males, or as many as require their, and you will save all that it issues?” (Stoker sixty). No matter if she instantaneously relates to their wishes while the “heresy”, she implies that she secretly really wants to feel lives beyond the constraints and you will restrictions away from Victorian people. Regarding essay “New Get back of your Stifled/Opressed in the Bram Stoker’s Dracula”, Burton Hatlen acknowledges, “obviously there is, before Dracula entered the girl lifestyle, a food cravings in her you to this lady haut bourgeois community couldn’t satisfy“ (Hatlen 123). Hence, Lucy can perform wishing multiple man though she knows that she actually is perhaps not meant to getting those individuals wishes. Her attitude is restricted of the Victorian viewpoints and you can she do perhaps not challenge to challenge those. However, the woman need for wishes that differ considerably away from their virginal state will then be offered owing to Dracula.