[...] What is even more interesting is that vampirism is present even in the every day life of some communities. The Gothic Rock movement for example seems to insist on the so-called vampire fashion in clothing, as well as on white painted faces and blood-red rouged lips. In some internet book and film forums one even comes across people who claim to belong to the growing community of the so called ‘human living vampires’.
Despite all these fictional and non-fictional modern vampires, the cliché of a dark gentleman in evening attire, preferably chasing young ladies in negligees, is still the first association in people’s mind when it comes to mentioning vampires. This cliché apparently originated from the numberless films about the most famous of vampires – Count Dracula. Most of these film versions have kept only some superficial characteristics of Stoker’s novel, as in today’s popular culture Dracula has become something of a simple horror story.
The novel is yet certainly more than an entertaining read. It offers, among other things, an interesting study of the late Victorian society. As it is the aim of this paper to analyse Dracula as a product of its time, it focuses on some of the issues through which societies are generally defined. The topics chosen for the analysis of the novel in the context of late Victorianism are first of all sexuality and gender roles. The choice of searching for potential signs of sexuality in a Victorian novel is quite obvious, since Victorianism is generally identified with extreme prudishness and double standards. The issue of gender roles will concentrate mainly on women roles, since the second half of the 19th century is one of the most important periods in history of female emancipation. Furthermore, religion in Dracula certainly deserves closer attention, especially in the context of Victorian crisis of faith. The role of Catholicism in the book should also be analysed in context of its rising influence in Victorian England. Science will be first treated in its traditional role as the antipode to religion, and subsequently its application and role in the novel will be analysed, especially in the context of Darwin’s theory of evolution.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 Dracula and Victorianism
2.1 Sexuality
2.2 Gender roles
2.3 Religion
2.4 Science and Evolution
3 Summary and Conclusion
4 Literature
Objectives and Topics
This academic paper examines Bram Stoker's "Dracula" as a reflection of late Victorian society, specifically analyzing how the novel navigates the cultural, moral, and scientific tensions of its time. The research questions focus on whether the work functions as a conservative validation of Victorian norms or a subversive critique of them, exploring the interplay between repressed desires and societal structures.
- The role of sexuality as a source of moral anxiety and repression in Victorian England.
- Evolving gender roles and the perceived threat of the "New Woman."
- The clash between traditional religious faith and the rise of scientific rationalism.
- Darwinian evolution and the fears surrounding biological degeneration and human progress.
Excerpt from the Book
2.1 Sexuality
Many popular vampire films, like Coppola’s and Craven’s Dracula versions or Queen of the Damned, based on a novel by Anne Rice, focus immensely on the sexuality of vampires. This may seem astonishing at first sight, for neither Stoker’s Count Dracula nor most of the modern fictional vampires in popular literature seem to need or do actually have sexual intercourse, since the aspects of lust and reproduction are covered by the drinking of blood. One can of course argue that such an open display of vampire sexuality is used due to the motto of ‘sex sells’. On the other hand one cannot deny that there is a lot of eroticism hidden between and behind the lines of Stoker’s novel as well.
Today’s non-scholar readers usually see very little, if anything, erotic in the novel, yet one has to bear in mind that it was written in the Victorian Age which is generally regarded as a period of extreme prudishness. Not only homosexuality, masturbation, premarital sexual intercourse or adultery were regarded as offensive or even criminal, but also physical passion expressed between husband and wife. Women were especially affected by these moral standards concerning sexuality, as they were supposed not to have any sexual desire at all, but to ‘suffer and be still’ during the intercourse. The probably best example of this attitude is the frequently quoted advice which was allegedly given by Queen Victoria to one of her daughters before her wedding night: ‘Close your eyes and think of England’.
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: Provides an overview of the vampire myth's enduring popularity and establishes the paper's intent to analyze "Dracula" as a cultural product of the late Victorian era.
2 Dracula and Victorianism: Investigates the core themes of the novel by contrasting Stoker's narrative with the sexual morality, gender expectations, religious dilemmas, and scientific advancements of the period.
3 Summary and Conclusion: Synthesizes the findings, arguing that while Stoker ostensibly supports conservative Victorian values, the text inherently contains subversive elements that escape the author's primary intent.
4 Literature: Lists the primary and secondary sources used for the analysis, including works on Victorian history, critical essays on "Dracula," and Darwinian theory.
Keywords
Dracula, Bram Stoker, Victorianism, Sexuality, Gender roles, New Woman, Religion, Catholicism, Science, Evolution, Darwinism, Pseudoscience, Subversion, Conservatism, Vampire myth.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this paper?
The paper explores Bram Stoker's "Dracula" as a reflection of late Victorian anxieties, specifically analyzing how the novel engages with themes of sexuality, gender roles, religion, and science.
What are the central thematic fields?
The work centers on Victorian moral standards, the shifting status of women, the crisis of faith in the face of industrialization, and the impact of Darwinian theory on late 19th-century thought.
What is the central research question?
The primary research goal is to determine whether "Dracula" should be classified as a conservative novel that upholds Victorian virtues or a subversive work that challenges societal norms.
Which scientific methods are analyzed?
The author analyzes the role of medicine and psychology in the novel, as well as the contemporary reliance on pseudosciences like phrenology and physiognomy, in addition to the implications of evolution theory.
What does the main body of the paper cover?
The main body breaks down the novel into four specific areas: sexuality, gender roles, religion, and the intersection of science and evolution.
Which keywords best characterize the work?
Key terms include Dracula, Victorianism, Sexuality, Gender roles, New Woman, Religion, Darwinism, and Subversion.
How does the author interpret the role of the "New Woman" in the novel?
The author argues that the female vampires serve as caricatures of the "New Woman," representing dangerous, active femininity that contradicts the Victorian ideal of the submissive domestic wife.
What does the analysis conclude about Catholicism in the novel?
The paper suggests that the use of Catholic symbols acts as a strategic narrative device to fight evil, while simultaneously noting that Van Helsing's religious practices are depicted in an ambiguous, somewhat superstitious manner.
Does the author consider "Dracula" to be a purely conservative book?
No, the author concludes that while the work seems conservative on the surface, its subversive elements—such as the potential survival of the vampire—exist independently of Stoker's conscious intent.
- Quote paper
- Jelena Vukadinovic (Author), 2005, Dracula and Victorianism: A conservative or subversive novel?, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/126103
