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Bram Stoker’s now legendary novel, Dracula, is not just any piece of cult-spawning fiction, but rather a time capsule containing the popular thoughts, ideas, and beliefs of the Victorian era that paints an elaborate picture of what society was like for Bram Stoker’s generation.
The dated ideas reflected in Dracula focus primarily on the concepts of lust, sex, and evil as they were viewed during the late 19th and 20th century in what can be viewed as a strongly conservative society. At the time, sex and homosexuality were controversial topics, with emphasis constantly put upon the importance of using caution and awareness when involving such matters and encouraging an overall chaste and modest lifestyle. Such beliefs are boldly represented throughout the book, and often center on the glorifying resistance of temptation while advising against the inevitable temptation to “taste the forbidden fruit”.
However, it is important to explore the views and atmosphere of the time period of Dracula's writing to better understand how the legendary “evil” that is Dracula came to be. A result of common Victorian-era fears and Stoker’s own personal views on sex and homosexuality, Dracula is a marvel stemming from many sources.
Dracula was written and published before the suffragette movement had “taken off” (Levin 14) during the early-mid 20th century, leaving the expectations and standards for women extremely limiting. 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 theory justifying the abnormality of a female sex drive is that “male sexual pleasure (is) necessary for reproduction and female pleasure (is) not, (therefore) sexual pleasure (is) the sole providence of men,” (Weiman and Dionisapoulas 34; Lyndon 202; Bohn 25). The mentality ultimately supported the conclusion that the female sex drive has no purpose and, therefore, should not exist. If it was, in fact apparent, one can assume the women would be chastised for being ”unnatural”, and most “unnatural” occurrences of the Victorian era could only be explained by the workings of “evil” forces (chiefly Satanic powers). The three mistress vampires encountered in Dracula’s castle “represent all the qualities of how a woman should not be; voluptuous and sexually aggressive” (Pektas 1).
A main advocate of Stoker’s novel summarizes and epitome of the mixed feelings and emotions which would potentially have surfaced in a situation where the man is confronted by the woman:
“The fair girl went on her knees and bent over me, fairly gloating. There was a deliberate voluptuousness which was both thrilling and repulsive, and as she arched her neck, she actually licked her lips like an animal, till I could see in the moonlight the moisture shining on the scarlet lips and on the red tongue as it lapped the white, sharp, teeth” (Stoker 50).
This particular passage describes the mixed feelings men had towards forward women; temptation made the “unnatural” occurrence of female sexual advances desirable (as it was the “forbidden fruit”), yet from a God-believing gentleman’s standpoint, it was purely evil and almost animalistic. Alluding to the fact that, again, a man’s sexual attraction was not entirely his own fault or “responsibility” (per say), this passage also insinuates that women can only be seductively appealing when deliberately tempting a man to “take the forbidden fruit” himself; another reference to evil’s association with a woman’s sexuality. Even if a woman tempted a man and he took the bate, it would still be considered the woman’s fault for defying the set social expectations for proper ladies, as the men could not easily control what was natural to them.
Expectations and standards concerning ladylike behavior were very confining and limited the expression of many natural emotions and freedoms:
“A woman could not show her legs or even say ‘leg’. Even pianos had ‘limbs’, and those (wore) fluffy coverings so as not to be seen. (Neither) ‘leg’ nor ‘breast’ could be (spoken) in polite company” (Levin 103).
Rules such as the above stated show just how ridiculous and rigid Victorian’s standards for ladies could become. The importance of these “rules” can most likely be accredited to the fact that to their male counterparts, women were a reputation of purity, vulnerability, weakness, and naïve innocence. If a woman were ever to reverse the roles and become “sexually aggressive”(Pektas 1) and assertive about her desires, her image of chaste fragility and submissive dependence upon men would be shattered, diluting the superior, dominant image of men, as well. One can assume that women who were, in fact, more sexually open and assertive were labeled as having “tainted” their innocence with the deadly sin of “lust”, and were surely on an unholy path to damnation. When Lucy Westerna becomes “tainted” with the evils of Dracula (thus becoming a “lusty” representation of the female figure), her overall mannerisms are described as having a “cold-bloodedness”(Stoker 240) to them, greatly contrasting with the previous descriptions of her loving and virtuous demeanor when she was chaste and conservative.
The concept of “evil” incorporated with aggressive sexual behaviours and sexual temptations very much plays into the evil and appalling behaviors of Dracula. The beliefs of Stoker’s generation magnified the already obscene tendencies of the character himself, adversely creating a shock-factor amongst the Victorian audience, making an epic contribution to the controversial views of sex and sexuality within the society.
Women’s rights in a heterosexual relationship were not nearly as prominent an issue as the ongoing conflicts over the concept of homosexuality, which Stoker was witness to on a first hand account. It was a very serious matter, especially in an age when anything out of the ordinary was considered to be “unnatural” and, again, to be “unnatural” meant to be against God’s will (what was “normal”), therefore making it evil and wrong. 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. Some whom were “(found) guilty” of “committing acts of gross indecency” (ibid 83; Pektas 7) could be “convicted to the maximum of two years in jail with hard labour (ibid 83; Pekats 7).
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. Almost as though playing directly off of society’s fears of the “unnatural”, the count seems to be an exaggerated representation of the concept concerning the “evils” of abnormality and how it can stem from one source and infect the surrounding society with discord and misfortune. Mirroring the social fears and distaste towards homosexuality, the count embodies the concept of the “abnormal” mingling among a “normal” society, chiefly by posing as a “sexual threat who threatens to destroy the moral order and turn (his surroundings) into a depraved society through his violation of people” (Pektas 2). Most prominent among his offences, the count violates men “by penetrating and sucking the blood” which is viewed as “a coding of homosexual acts” (Pektas 2). This reinforces the play upon the apprehensive feelings towards the acceptance of what is “different”, as it is an example of how one evil thrown into a “pure” society can cause a large-scale onslaught of chaos and corruption.
A major underlying sexual connotation Stoker uses as an implication of homosexuality is the excessive use of blood throughout the novel itself. Blood and sexuality within Dracula were very closely related, “reflecting the Victorians belief that blood is sperm” therefore, when feeding upon blood and exchanging bodily fluids “(it) can be associated with intercourse” (Pektas 2). 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. Discerning that blood could pass disease/ (identified as “bad blood” at the time) from one being to the next and then discovering that spermatic fluids held the same ability (regarding STDs), a connection between the two was inevitably made, such as “(linking) sexuality to syphilis, and (also) to blood” (Anttonen 9). It was “a time when sexually transmitted diseases (had become) a part of everyday life (Anttonen 9) as a result of being one of the newest and most disturbing scientific discoveries made at that point in time. 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).
The emphasis upon the evils of carnal sexuality and lust-driven behaviors in Dracula was derived from various influential sources in the author’s life itself. Fashioning the character Dracula after a real-life historical figure, Bram Stoker’s novel increased the fame of Romanian tyrant, Vladislav Dracula. Stoker’s fascination with the brutality of Dracula began when he “discovered (Vlad Dracula) while researching his novel at the North Yorkshire Library” (Bohn 14) and decidedly was inspired enough to title the main character, and even the very book itself, after the prince. One can assume that Stoker, showing great interest and curiosity in all things sexual, was fascinated not by Dracula’s economic of political achievements during his rule, but by the appalling methods of torture he used to turn sexuality into a concept fixedly associated with pain and evil within the minds of his subjects. “Vlad Dracula (presented) a sadistic sexuality in delivering punishment for moral crimes such as infidelity” (Bohn 14), and often the punishment involved the mangling of the sexual organs or impalement. Using enigmatic approaches to sustain power and control over the minds of his people, Vlad Dracula (also known as “Vlad the Impaler”) would punish such minor sins as an unfaithful wife by “(cutting out) her sexual organs” and “(skinning) her alive” (Bohn 14). A punishment to maidens who did not remain virgins until marriage was to have the “nipples cut from (the) woman’s breasts or a red hot iron shoved through the vagina until the instrument emerged from the mouth” (Bohn 14), the latter containing several sexual connotations involving the penetration and cleansing of sexual evil via the mouth (oral sex) or vagina (vaginal sex). In general, Vlad the Impaler emphasized the importance of remaining pure and chaste, though taking a much more extremist approach than the Victorians did. Again, these heinous acts of “retribution” further enforced the evils of unruly lust by demonstrating how such qualities bring pain and misfortune upon those who engage in such sins. It is incredibly ironic that Stoker would use such an extremist as an inspiration for his sadistic character, though it furthers the effect which he intended to create by adding an even more sinister twist to the contrast between what was “good and pure” (by Victorian standards), and what was considered to be “vile and unholy”.
A much more recent event which was a strong influence on Stoker’s mixed portrayal on the good and evils of sensual behavior was the prosecution of dear friend and fellow writer, Oscar Wilde, for being accused of participating in homosexual endeavors. It is safe to say that because of his past “intimate history” (Pektas 6) with Wilde, this occurrence greatly contributed to Stoker’s negative portrayal of sex as evil and counterproductive. Stoker himself had “established himself as an open member (of the) homosexual culture” (Pektas 6), and therefore “(Oscar’s) trial made Stoker feel guilty” (7) and loathe his very own sexuality itself, as he could do absolutely nothing to help his dear friend of 20 years but “(to) watch” (Pektas 7). In order to “relieve” his conscience, he suppressed his very own sexuality, and bean writing Dracula about a month after Wilde was convicted of sodomy in 1895. Living “between writing and silence” as a result of being helplessly despairing and unable to help Wilde “(the) result was a text which described Wilde in a diffused and hidden way” (Pektas 7). It seems as though it is almost a sort of underlying “tribute” to Wilde and the homosexual community itself, secretly condemning the “strictly heterosexual” society for their harsh standards and limiting expectations. Though, as a result of constantly being forced to suppress his feelings towards men, the strain and stress of watching a dear and very “close” friend being prosecuted must have caused many of the internally conflicting emotions which led Stoker to personally view (and portray) any sexuality as a vile and painful source of evil and despair. Nilifer Pektas of Soderton University College concludes the following:
“The publicity and hostility surrounding the event itself must have affected Stoker, (Dracula) shows Stoker’s suspicions and anxiety towards all forms of sexuality, especially towards those considered to be ‘perverse’…(the) sinful attractions of the Count suggest Stoker’s fears about his own sexuality.” Pektas 7)
Thus, the underlying homoerotic connections (such as blood being representative of semen) are most likely a direct result of Stoker’s own fear and loathing of the brutal society which forced him to internalize his own sexuality, justifying the evils of homosexuality mostly with references to the Christian belief. “Dracula is Stoker’s striving for expressing a culturally repressed homosexual identity” (Auerbach 7; Antonnen 4) as a result of the bias and hatred expressed towards homosexual males in the later 19th-early 20th centuries.
Though Dracula seems to be inadvertently portrayed as a reflection of Stoker’s suppressed homosexual identity, at some points the character is also represented as a dominant, forceful, male heterosexual; magnified to an extreme and exaggerating various characteristics of expectations set for a typical Victorian male role. Seemingly a jab at the imperfections of a society whom deemed themselves to be “perfect”, Stoker makes quite a few valid points concerning the unrealistic ideals of Victorian society, making a mockery of them by portraying heterosexuality as equally “vile” and “evil”; as people viewed homosexuality in real life.
Insinuating a false love between men and women, Stoker uses the character of Lucy (when she has become a vampire) to portray this concept in a scene when Arthur (Lucy’s fiancé) meets her, for the first time since she had become a vampires.
“She still advanced, however, and with a languorous, voluptuous grace, said-‘Come to me, Arthur. Leave these others and come to me. My arms are hungry for you. Come and we can rest together. Come, my husband, come!’
There was something diabolically sweet in her tones- something of the tingling of glass when struck-which rang through the brains even of us who heard the words addressed to another. As for Arthur, he seemed under a spell…” (Stoker 240)
This particular passage definitely makes apparent the underlying evils and maliciousness concealed by false love and forced emotion. Though it is not truly Lucy, but a mere imitation of what was once a sweet and good woman, Arthur falls for the deceitful counterfeit, mistaking the evil beckoning for the call of his one true love. The theme of this event seems to be insinuating that, though heterosexual love and marriage was “outwardly” normal and “pure”, beneath the surface was a false love forged by pressure, limited self-expression, and the biased opinions of a strict and confining society.
When taking the blood from females (specifically those already claimed by other men), Dracula most notably takes on the exaggerated “male dominance” persona, as previously discerned. The use of such extreme intentional force upon the “weaker” features of susceptible women can constitute as a form of rape, an equally (if not more so) despicable act as homosexually, even though it is a heterosexual inclination. Dracula is portrayed as having an insatiable thirst for blood and power (lust and sex) and is constantly using his intense powers (male dominance and superiority over women) to fulfill his desires, regardless of the well-being of others. He is “a threat to Victorian women such as Mina and (she) becomes victim (only) by force” which can be: interpreted as rape” (Pektas 14). Mina’s emotional portrayal of violation after being “penetrated” by the Count are very similar to those that would be reflected by a rape victim. The scenario which caused such strong and helpless feelings is also representatively played out like a rape scene itself:
“With his left hand, he held both Mrs. Harker’s hands, keeping them away with her arms at full tension; his right hand gripped the back of her neck, forcing her facedown on his bosom. Her white night dress was smeared with blood, and a thin stream trickled down the man’s bare breast which was shone by hi torn-open dress.” (Stoker 319)
A repulsive depiction of a man holding a woman hostage, “forcing” her to do as he wants, this is most definitely one of the most suggestively insinuative scenes relating to the concept of rape and sexual violation. The Count “forcibly” exchanging blood (bodily fluids) with Mina combined with the sexual symbolism of the blood itself forms an exaggerated portrayal of how men in the Victorian era attempted to force emotional (and physical) bonds with women, often through sexual intercourse.
Alongside the heterosexual insinuations are also the homosexual representations, as well. Again, the sexual references are “not directly expressed but (are) expressed through blood, where blood (transfusion) indicates sexual intercourse” (Pektas 11), so when Dracula exchanges blood with man (or an exchange occurs between men themselves), it can be associated with some form of homosexual act in which blood is the substitute for spermatic fluids. Apart from the homosexually-insinuative activities, Dracula also seems to possess some homoerotic emotions when experiencing pleasure, which become apparent at intimate moments with other men. “Dracula’s (exhilaration) at the sight of a man’s blood” (Pektas 18) seems very indicative of homosexual arousal. The best representation of homoerotic symbolism is when Lucy requires a blood transfusion, resulting in the participation of four different men:
“‘I take it both you and Van Helsing had done already what I did today? Is not that so?’…’ (And) I guess Art was in on it too… (Then) I guess, Jack Seward, that that poor, pretty creature that we all love has had put into her veins the blood of four strong men.” (Stoker 174-175)
The description of the blood transfusions themselves seems to emphasize the “connection” and participation of all four men, focusing on the blood of each individual becoming unified in one body. Even when recalling the affair in conversation between participants, the action is merely referenced without speaking of any specifics, making it seem as though the affair was something indecent, forbidden, and therefore not to be openly discussed in public; very much how one would expect homosexuals to discreetly discuss their affairs between one another in Victorian society.
Portraying another exaggeration of the Victorian heterosexual male, Stoker openly alludes to the Counts participation in bigotry, extenuating the “power of men over a woman’s body during the Victorian time” (Pektas 12) and the Victorian belief that “women (are helpless) creatures who are either seduced and penetrated or deluded” by a “masculine ideal” (Pektas 5). The three women whom Dracula seems to keep in his castle are presumably his “brides” and/or “mistresses”. As they are vampires themselves, they have obviously already been “penetrated” and exchanged blood (symbolic of having been deflowered) with the Count. He openly displays his dominance over the three seductresses (referencing the forcibly patriarchal traditions bias) via physical superiority, playing off the common belief that women were the inferior sex as they were physically weaker than their male counterparts,
“With a fierce sweep of his arm, he hurled the woman from him, and then motioned to the others as though he were beating them back; it was the very same imperious gesture that I had seen used to the wolves.” (Stoker 50-51)
Not only does the Count demonstrate physical dominance, but also intellectual superiority as well; he has the women ”trained” in such a manner that the narrator of the passage compares it to the domestication of animals (the wolves). The women seem to have a dependant relationship with Dracula, again, perfectly imitating the expectations of a forcefully male-dominated society, and recognizing the fact that women have a scarce quantity of rights available to them as opposed to the liberated Caucasian male.
“How dare you touch him? Any of you! How dare you cast eyes upon him when I had forbidden it? Back, I tell you all! Beware how you meddle with him, or you shall have to deal with me!” (Stoker 51)
When the women obeyed and were openly denied the “right” of access to the Count’s guest, Dracula carelessly tosses the women a “bag”, presumably containing their “meal” for the night, as a symbolic gesture of how desperately dependant women are upon “man”. They were then said to have “closed around” (Stoker 51) the mediocre gift in a very barbaric and animalistic fashion, as though it were of great value (though it clearly meant nothing to the Count himself). One can view this particular incident as Stoker’s attempt to mock just how “needy” society made women out to be, and how unjustly excessive the control was granted to the heterosexual white male.
Serving as Bram Stoker’s release of sexual frustration and despair in a time when it was suppressed, Dracula contains references to the behaviors known (in his day) as the three “chief” sexual perversions: the sexually active woman, the rapist (an exaggeration of an “excessively powerful” and “dominant” male figure), and, most prominently, the homosexual male. Whether in honor of his dear friend, Oscar Wilde, or an act of pure rebellion set to shock those who forced him to suppress his nature, the many underlying sexual references and connotations were undoubtedly placed to purposefully defy the common beliefs of the 19th century. “Hidden from the literary censors of the day” (Pektas 7), yet existing, nonetheless, was Stoker’s message silently protesting the smothering expectations of an overly confining and limiting society, right beneath their very noses.
Antonnen, Romona. “The Savage and the Gentleman; a Comparative Analysis of Two Vampire Characters in Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Anne Rice’s The Vampire Lestat”. Vaxjo University: School of Humanities. Autumn 2000. February 2008
Bohn, Michelle L. “Shadow of the Vampire: Understanding the Transformations of an Icon in Pop Culture”. Texas State University College; Mitte Honors Program. 2007. February 2008.
Craft, Christopher. “Kiss Me with Those Red Lips; Gender and Inversion in Bram Stoker’s Dracula”. Bram Stoker. Dracula. Ed. Glennis Byron. New York: MacMillian, 1999.
Levin, Judith. The Victorians. Missouri: Andrews and McMeel, 1996.
Pektas, Nilifer. “The Importance of Blood During the Victorian Era: Blood as a Sexual Signifier in Bram Stoker’s Dracula”. Soderton University Colleges English Department. Autumn 2005. February 2008.
Stoker, Bram. Dracula: New York: Archibald Constable and Company, 1897.
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