The concept of the New Woman emerging in the late 19th century brought about new concepts in the feminist movement as well as questioned the previously accepted Victorian Era ideals of women and their social roles. During the Victorian Era, the specifics to what women should and should not be touched over their education, professional expectations, sexuality, and social expectations. Bram Stoker’s Dracula surfaced in the heat of this movement. Stoker’s Dracula is much more than science fiction fantasy about vampires, due to the content included about the female characters. While there is much speculation about whether or not Stoker intended to question the feminist movement or if he intentionally wrote to break down the idea of separate
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In fact, her contributions to the group are allowed because Mina is smart, plainly stated "she has a man's brain- a brain that a man should have were he much gifted” (Stoker 201). In a time when women were not expected to be praised for their intelligence, much less have the level Mina did, it is important that the males of the group recognize and appreciate her brainpower. Not only was Mina considered smart enough by the males of the group, she was essentially what held the group together and kept them going on their fight against Dracula. Mina does not submit to the role of victim waiting to be saved by a male hero, much like howVictorian Era writers depicted women, she was her own …show more content…
While Lucy and Mina could in some form or another be considered examples of the ideal Victorian women, Dracula’s wives are in fact the complete opposite. It is through these women, that Stoker makes his strongest case for the breakdown of stereotyped gender roles and expectations of women. Dracula's wives are everything that a Victorian era woman should not be: sexualized, not submissive, or lacking motherly qualities. One of the early encounters Jonathan Hawker has with the wives includes his desire that he felt in his “heart a wicked, burning desire that they would kiss [him] with those lips” (Stoker 32) in the Victorian era, it would have been unheard of for a women to have such a flirtatious power over men, seeing as they were not to be sexualized. Shortly following this incident, Dracula attempts to reprimand the women, but they make it clear that Dracula's words had no effect on them. Throughout the novel, the wives question the idea that a wife should be submissive to and follow orders of husband, through their clearly self-motivated actions. But Stoker uses the wives feeding habits as the most influential step away from the idea of separate spheres. The wives of Dracula feed on babies and small children, countering the idea that women are meant to be and desire to be nothing more than mothers and be nurturing, caring, child bearers. It is clear that Stoker uses the women
In fact, her contributions to the group are allowed because Mina is smart, plainly stated "she has a man's brain- a brain that a man should have were he much gifted” (Stoker 201). In a time when women were not expected to be praised for their intelligence, much less have the level Mina did, it is important that the males of the group recognize and appreciate her brainpower. Not only was Mina considered smart enough by the males of the group, she was essentially what held the group together and kept them going on their fight against Dracula. Mina does not submit to the role of victim waiting to be saved by a male hero, much like howVictorian Era writers depicted women, she was her own …show more content…
While Lucy and Mina could in some form or another be considered examples of the ideal Victorian women, Dracula’s wives are in fact the complete opposite. It is through these women, that Stoker makes his strongest case for the breakdown of stereotyped gender roles and expectations of women. Dracula's wives are everything that a Victorian era woman should not be: sexualized, not submissive, or lacking motherly qualities. One of the early encounters Jonathan Hawker has with the wives includes his desire that he felt in his “heart a wicked, burning desire that they would kiss [him] with those lips” (Stoker 32) in the Victorian era, it would have been unheard of for a women to have such a flirtatious power over men, seeing as they were not to be sexualized. Shortly following this incident, Dracula attempts to reprimand the women, but they make it clear that Dracula's words had no effect on them. Throughout the novel, the wives question the idea that a wife should be submissive to and follow orders of husband, through their clearly self-motivated actions. But Stoker uses the wives feeding habits as the most influential step away from the idea of separate spheres. The wives of Dracula feed on babies and small children, countering the idea that women are meant to be and desire to be nothing more than mothers and be nurturing, caring, child bearers. It is clear that Stoker uses the women