The Role of Women in Dracula (1897): Examining the Gender Dynamics and the Portrayal of Female Characters in the Novel and Its Films

The Role of Women in Dracula (1897): Examining the Gender Dynamics and the Portrayal of Female Characters in the Novel and Its Films

The portrayal of women in Dracula (1897) is complex, as it reflects both the repressive gender norms of Victorian society and the subversion of these norms through the character of Lucy Westenra and Mina Harker. Women in Stoker’s novel play crucial roles, but their depiction is influenced by the anxieties surrounding female sexuality and power in the late 19th century.

Lucy Westenra, who is first portrayed as a demure and innocent woman, becomes a key figure in the novel’s examination of sexuality. After being bitten by Dracula, she undergoes a dramatic transformation into a sexually liberated vampire, an act that reflects the fears of Victorian society regarding the loss of control over female sexuality. Her transformation from a sweet, innocent girl to a seductive, predatory creature symbolizes the era’s fears of women’s sexuality becoming uncontrollable.

Mina Harker, on the other hand, represents the ideal Victorian woman: loyal, pure, and submissive. However, her involvement with Dracula complicates this ideal. While she maintains her virtue in the end, her near-victimization and her bond with Dracula suggest that women’s sexuality, even when repressed, is powerful and cannot be easily controlled.

The film adaptations of Dracula often emphasize these themes, but also tend to depict the female characters in more overtly sexualized roles, especially in versions like Dracula (1992), where Mina’s relationship with Dracula is portrayed with more emotional and physical depth. These adaptations reflect the evolving cultural attitudes toward gender and sexuality, but still echo the original novel’s exploration of the complexities of female identity in a patriarchal society.