Dracula Close Reading Draft 1

I changed my thesis completely, so I have some ideas written down, supporting evidence, an intro, and  my plan for the rest of the paper.

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Annika Tice

MAJ Garriot

ERH 205WX-02

February 18, 2016

 

Victorian-age women had their own sense of style and charm. A climax at the time, the women were becoming more dominant in some ways and revealing feminist personality traits such as devotion, sexuality, reputation, and subordination. These charcateristics influenced the reflection of women as a whole andcan contribute to the breaking out of societal restrains. In Bram Stoker’s Dracula, one can see how the author uses women from the text to express Victorian Era feminism, a topic most prevalent in 1890 Britain when he wrote the novel. By analyzing the female characters and their choices, attitudes, and actions, the reader can conclude that it establishes the background of the author’s life, which influences the writing of the novel.

 

1. The females-Mina, Lucy, 3 daughters (roles and reputation of Victorian women)

“Mothers were valued socially only if they were ‘good’ mothers, good according to rigid moral standards of propriety not only in behavior but also in opinion” –pace.edu

Lucy’s desire and way around men, even after she was bitten ( tomb scene)

 

2. Theme: Attitude and characterstics (pure vs. evil)

“Secondly, to be even considered as a potential wife, women had to be not only virgins, but were expected to remain innocent and “free from any thought of love or sexuality” until after they had received a proposal (Kane 97).”-pace.edu

Three daughters and their attack on Harker; their opposition to the standards of women

 

3. Theme: Devotion to husband/marriage

“marriage was possibly one of the most significant points in a woman’s life. The majority of women did not have the option not to marry: it was simply a necessity for survival.” –pace.edu

Mina and her need to marry Harker right away

Mina’s worrying about Jon at the beginning of her journals

 

4. Theme: Sexuality

“Sexuality and anything in relation to it contradicted the accepted notions of purity and was strictly looked down upon” –pace.edu

Lucy’s free-spirit

 

5. Theme: Breaking free and suffrage

“If women were going to fight against the oppression forced on them by men, they had to get to the root of the problem, and the idea of the separate spheres was the basis. ” –pace.edu

vampire sphere (immortality) versus human sphere (mortal)

Lucy as a vampire and while being subordinate under a Master, also standing up ex. revolt by the side of the tomb

 

Sources:

http://webpage.pace.edu/nreagin/tempmotherhood/fall2003/3/HisPage.html