[...] 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
- Introduction
- Dracula and Victorianism
- Sexuality
- Gender roles
- Religion
- Science and Evolution
- Summary and Conclusion
Objectives and Key Themes
This paper analyzes Bram Stoker's Dracula as a product of its time, focusing on how the novel reflects late Victorian society. The analysis explores the interplay between the novel's narrative and the social, cultural, and intellectual currents of the era.
- Sexuality in Victorian society and its representation in Dracula
- Gender roles, particularly women's roles, in the late 19th century and their portrayal in the novel
- Religion and the Victorian crisis of faith as reflected in Dracula
- The role of science, particularly Darwinian evolution, in contrast to religious beliefs within the novel's context
- The novel's engagement with Victorian anxieties surrounding morality and social order.
Chapter Summaries
Introduction: This introductory chapter establishes the enduring fascination with the vampire myth, highlighting its presence in modern popular culture and online communities. It then positions Stoker's Dracula not merely as a horror story but as a significant reflection of late Victorian society. The chapter outlines the paper's objective to analyze Dracula through the lens of Victorianism, focusing on sexuality, gender roles, religion, and science as key thematic areas.
Dracula and Victorianism: This section delves into the complexities of sexuality within the Victorian era and its representation in Dracula. It contrasts the overt sexuality often depicted in modern vampire films with the more subtle eroticism present in Stoker's novel, acknowledging the Victorian context of extreme prudishness. The chapter explores the double standards and repression surrounding sexuality, particularly for women, who were expected to be asexual and subservient. It uses examples from the novel, such as Lucy's behavior and sleepwalking, to illustrate the contrasting portrayals of female sexuality in Mina and Lucy, highlighting the societal expectations placed upon Victorian women and their implications for their representation in the novel. The discussion also touches upon the hypocrisy inherent in Victorian morality, contrasting the public image of strict adherence to puritanical rules with the widespread existence of underground sexual practices, particularly within the aristocracy.
Sexuality: This chapter focuses intensely on the Victorian repression of sexuality and its manifestation in the novel. The author contrasts the overt sexuality often depicted in modern vampire adaptations with the more subtle eroticism present in Stoker's work, highlighting the Victorian context of extreme prudishness and double standards. The chapter analyzes how female characters, particularly Lucy and Mina, embody contrasting attitudes towards sexuality and the expectations placed upon Victorian women. It examines Lucy's behavior as an example of 'sexual looseness,' contrasting it with Mina's portrayal as an asexual Victorian ideal. The analysis includes discussion of sleepwalking as a symbol of repressed desires and the societal ramifications of these constraints on female sexuality within the Victorian framework. The connection between societal norms and female characters' actions in the novel is a central theme.
Keywords
Victorianism, Dracula, sexuality, gender roles, religion, science, evolution, Gothic novel, vampire myth, Victorian morality, social repression, female emancipation, crisis of faith.
Frequently Asked Questions: Analyzing Bram Stoker's Dracula Through a Victorian Lens
What is the overall objective of this academic paper?
This paper analyzes Bram Stoker's Dracula as a reflection of late Victorian society. It explores how the novel's narrative interacts with the social, cultural, and intellectual currents of the Victorian era, focusing on key themes such as sexuality, gender roles, religion, and science.
What are the key themes explored in the analysis of Dracula?
The analysis centers on the interplay between Victorian society and the novel's portrayal of sexuality, gender roles (particularly women's roles), religion (and the Victorian crisis of faith), science (especially Darwinian evolution in contrast to religious beliefs), and anxieties surrounding morality and social order.
How does the paper examine sexuality in Dracula within its Victorian context?
The paper contrasts the overt sexuality often seen in modern vampire adaptations with the more subtle eroticism in Stoker's novel. It explores Victorian repression, double standards, and the contrasting portrayals of female sexuality in characters like Lucy and Mina, highlighting societal expectations placed upon Victorian women.
What role does the discussion of gender roles play in the analysis?
The analysis examines the portrayal of women's roles in late 19th-century society and their representation in Dracula. It explores how female characters embody contrasting attitudes towards sexuality and how societal expectations shaped their actions and portrayals in the novel.
How does the paper address religion and the Victorian crisis of faith?
The analysis investigates how Dracula reflects the Victorian crisis of faith, examining the interplay between religious beliefs and the emerging influence of scientific thought, particularly Darwinian evolution, within the novel's context.
What is the significance of science, particularly Darwinian evolution, in the analysis?
The paper explores the role of science, specifically Darwinian evolution, in contrast to religious beliefs within the Victorian context and how this conflict is presented in Dracula.
What are the chapter summaries provided in the document?
The document provides summaries for an introduction chapter establishing the enduring appeal of vampire myths and positioning Dracula as a reflection of Victorian society; a main chapter analyzing Dracula through the lens of Victorianism, focusing on sexuality, gender roles, religion, and science; and a chapter specifically focused on sexuality in the Victorian era and its representation in the novel.
What keywords are associated with this academic paper?
Keywords include Victorianism, Dracula, sexuality, gender roles, religion, science, evolution, Gothic novel, vampire myth, Victorian morality, social repression, female emancipation, and crisis of faith.
What is the structure of the provided document?
The document provides a comprehensive preview including a table of contents, objectives and key themes, chapter summaries, and keywords. This is intended to offer a structured overview of the academic paper's content.
- Quote paper
- Jelena Vukadinovic (Author), 2005, Dracula and Victorianism: A conservative or subversive novel?, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/126103
