FEMALE SEXUAL REPRESSION IN DRACULA Women in Bram Stoker’s Dracula are primarily presented in two ways: There is the sexual being created solely with the aid Dracula’s vampire influence, and the device manipulated and virtually exploited by the men throughout the novel to contribute to the fight between Dracula and Van Helsing and his companions. This battle is not only the literal battle between Dracula and the men, but it is primarily a battle for the empowerment of women, both sexually and intellectually a fight against the constricting social boundaries which forced men and women into their respective roles. Dracula’s bite enables women to become sexual penetrators. Using their sharp teeth to penetrate men, the reverse the traditional gender roles and placemen in the passive position customarily reserved for women. The instance when Mina drinks from Dracula’s breast is the strongest example of this; where the reader to this point is accustomed to Dracula doing the “biting”, and suddenly Mina has the power to penetrate a male.
Stoker’s choose of women as the temptresses may be a warning to the women of the Victorian era to beware about pushing the boundaries of their sexuality. Stoker’s use of structuring emphasizes a women’s role in society at the time, this is the first women that Harker meets in the novel and they are devilish vampires, this implies that the novel appeals to an only male audience and their fantasy of women giving in to their temptations. Harker is simultaneously confronting a vampire and another creature equally terrifying to Victorian England, an unabashedly sexual woman, the evidence for this comes from the implied act of oral sex, ‘The fair girl went on her knees, bent over me, fairly gloating.’ Contextually the fact that Harker becomes the ‘submissive’ and is easily overpowered by their seduction and his own temptation shows the role reversal as women take on the dominating role that a traditional Victorian man is supposed to possess. The fact that Harker is both aroused and disgusted by the Vampires shows the Freudian
“A bit about taking a bite out of Dracula” In the classic novel about Dracula, there are distinct differences between men and women and their roles in society. In this late Victorian-era, these distinctions are a commonplace idea. In this society it is dominated by males, who are seen as the providers and the women are the caretakers of home and hearth. The marked differences between men and women in this era are significant to this story. The melodramatic events that happen between Dracula, Lucy and Mina can attest to the fact, that the opposite sexes are unequal.
The Victorians referred to homosexuality as "sexual inversion" (Kindron). In fact, many Victorians held the belief that a sexually inverted man was actually a woman trapped in a man's body (Kindron). Homosexuality emerged in the Victorian period much to the dismay of society. In reading Dracula, it is impossible for one to miss the homosexual tendencies that are present. Before diving too far into the homosexual side of Dracula, it is pertinent for one to understand the heterosexual side of the novel as well.
Throughout the development of horror cinema – the figure of the ‘vampire’ has changed and progressed dramatically. When thinking of the ‘classic’ figure of the ‘vampire’ – one of the first that comes to the minds of most is none other than Hammers Dracula (Horror of Dracula; 1958). The stereotypical judgments or thoughts towards the ‘classic’ vampire figure – in this case, Dracula – is most notably known to be from Transylvania. He seduces and lures his victims in order to suck blood for survival and also finding pleasure in the process of his kill. Ultimately, Dracula is portrayed as evil, a threat to society and a menace.
The film contains strong sexual content, but according to Pirie (2008) does more than parade nudity, rather the film, with its strong rain soaked vegetation, employs a vivid natureous scene, along with, the violent sexual nature of the vampires. The film, was later re-released as Daughters of Dracula, and many similarities can be drawn with the film, Dracula, in terms of its theme and in terms of its props, such as, according to Pirie (2008) the castle like house and the elegant goblets of wine. Within this film, one of the female vampires becomes so obsessed with her partner that she cannot keep her hands off him, aware that with every bite she takes; he becomes weaker and weaker, thus demonstrating the violent sexual nature of the vampire. Indeed, in one scene, another vampire girl is seen literally prising the lifeless figure of her partner from the arms of another vampire, who has drained his body of all
When movies made their debute, it was only a matter of time before horror stories were filmed. But since it was the slient era, these movies had to rely on visual appearance, such as shawdows and light. It requrie people to bring these monsters into pysiche form. Some of this was hard to do since the film was black and white. One popular movie was Nosferatu, a film about a vampire.
As vampires are extremely adaptable characters they have been used in gothic texts for centuries. In looking at Dracula by Bram Stoker and Twilight by Stephanie Meyer the responder can see how the manipulation of ‘the vampire’ character has played a crucial role in expressing the different fears and insecurities of the era in which the texts were composed. The main way that the fears and insecurities of a modern society have been shown is twilight is through the modernization of gothic themes and elements so that they suit the context of the era that they were produced and create a modern gothic text. Dracula however stays true to the traditional gothic elements, as they are relevant to the era in which the novel was produced. Whilst both Dracula and Twilight explore similar themes they are expressed in different ways to represent different insecurities in society.
2 Feb. 2009 <http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/2008/11/21/2008-11-21_on_the_eve_of_twilight_why_women_find_va.html>. There are four top reasons why women find vampires sexy. Joanne Detore-Nakamura, a professor of a literary film and monster class at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, says, “The vampire represents the quintessential bad boy.” She also says that people are drawn to things they fear, like roller coasters and scary movies. There is a type of thrill
Unfortunately due to the extreme age of Báthory's legend, and her entanglement in super natural lore, it is difficult to distinguish fact from fiction in many accounts of her escapades. She has often been claimed to be a vampire, to have bathed in the blood of her victims, and has even been fictionalized as a mate of Count Dracula despite the fact that Vlad the Impaler died about 100 years before her birth. However; this report will attempt to focus on the most reliable information available about the "Blood Countess". Erzsébet was a difficult child, and life was not easy for her despite being a member of the privileged class. She suffered from fits, uncontrolled rages, and the possibility of epilepsy which may have indicated deeper brain disorders.