Gender Roles in Dracula - 769 Words

Gender Roles in Dracula In a time period where females had narrow gender roles, Bram Stoker wrote his novel, Dracula. The Victorian culture often suppressed women and their value. Traditional Victorian women were thought of to be pure and virginal. Bram Stoker revealed another side of women that was not often seen. These qualities were like that of the emerging new feministic culture called the â€Å"New Woman†. The concept of gender roles in the 1890’s was very conflicted; Dracula challenged traditional gender roles. Typical gender roles in the Victorian era were that of a woman being kind, caring, nurturing and motherly. Bram Stoker used characters in his novel to express typical gender roles of the time period, along with the bolder†¦show more content†¦Not only was Mina smart for a woman, but Dr. Seward also said that even a man would be gifted to have such a brain as hers (Stoker 238). Having a job as secretary for the â€Å"Children of Light† was another characteristic of the â€Å"New Woman† culture. Secretarial jobs were typically acquired by men. This definitely challenged the typical female gender roles of the time. â€Å"New Women† were females that stood up for their individual worth and wanted to do more than what was expected ofShow MoreRelatedThe Role of Gender in Dracula1144 Words   |  5 PagesBram Stoker’s â€Å"Dracula† is a story about a Vampire named Count Dracula and his journey to satisfy his lust for blood. The story is told thr ough a series of individuals’ journal entries and a letters sent back and forth between characters. Bram Stoker shows the roll in which a certain gender plays in the Victorian era through the works of Dracula. This discussion not only consists of the roll a certain gender takes, but will be discussing how a certain gender fits into the culture of that time periodRead MoreInverted Gender Roles: Dracula by Bram Stoker1465 Words   |  6 PagesEveryone In Bram Stoker’s novel Dracula, Stoker’s use of inverted gender roles allows readers to grasp the sense of obscureness throughout, eventually leading to the reader’s realization that these characters are rather similar to the â€Å"monster† which they call Dracula. Despite being in the Victorian era, Stoker’s use of sexuality in the novel contributes to the reasoning of obscureness going against the Victorian morals and values. Throughout the novel the stereotypical roles of the Victorian man and womanRead MoreThe Idea Of Gender Roles In Dracula By Bram Stoker1290 Words   |  6 Pagesdoes not represent reality. Gender norms are a form of social constructs assigned by society dictating how male and females should speak, dress, think and interact within societies context. Gender rules are then followed by gender norms; they define what is considered masculine and feminine; and whether or not these things are acceptable, appropriate or desirable by s ocieties mean. Dracula, a 1897 gothic fiction novel written by Bram Stoker explores the idea of gender roles in the victorian era perfectlyRead MoreWomen During The Victorian Era Essay1719 Words   |  7 PagesThroughout the 19th century, especially during the Victorian era, gender roles became very distinctive. There were certain characteristics that the ideal Victorian man or woman were expected to have which emphasized patriarchal superiority. The patriarchal system meant that males had dominance in their homes, specifically over women. The ideal man during this time period would focus on achieving job related success which, in turn, would show that he is an eligible suitor to get married. It was seenRead MoreAnalysis Of `` Dracula `` By Bram Stoker1631 Words   |  7 PagesPatriarchy and ingrained gender roles in most everyone’s mind. Most everyone feels comforted by their mother the most. Though there are a few exceptions, a mother is someone who has carried, given bir th to, and nurtured their offspring, especially in early years (often with breast milk). In Brahms Stoker’s Dracula, Stoker creates irony and draws attention to the deviation of Mina from the angel in the house Victorian woman by having Mina drink blood from Jonathan’s chest while Dracula watches over her.Read MoreDracula, By Bram Stoker1291 Words   |  6 Pages ​Bram Stoker, author of Dracula, not only creates the early depiction of vampire stories; but writes more to contradict the age old beliefs of women and their role in society. Dracula is more that just a vampire story. There is a deeper level to this. A level in which it can incite change in the way one percieves women. There is a noition that all women were to be the same but Dracula refutes that. Vampire sexuality, as represented in Bram Stoker s Dracula, reveals itself as both a phenomenon thatRead MoreCourtroom Case : Phyllis A. Roth Essay1558 Words   |  7 Pagesalso a Freudian. A better term to describe Roth would be a psychoanalytic feminist. One of her works as an author can be found in the back of the book Dracula: A Norton Critical Edition. Her criticism article is titled Suddenly Sexual Woman in Bram Stoker’s Dracula. In her article she analyzes the famous novel Dracula. She explores how gender plays a role in the novel and the concept of femininity. She wr ites about the transformation that takes place when a proper lady turns into a sexual vampire. HerRead MoreAnalysis Of The s Of And The Quiet, Proper Victorian Woman 934 Words   |  4 Pages A prevalent theme throughout Dracula is that of a woman’s role in society. The main female protagonist, Mina, is a delicate balance between the strong and independent â€Å"New Woman† and the quiet, proper Victorian woman that was customary in English society prior to the 1900s. She embodies the kindness, sense of duty, and femininity of a Victorian woman, while tentatively embracing the strength, bravery, and intelligence of â€Å"New Women.† Despite this slight reform, Mina still desires to be seen a meekRead MoreTexts Can Be Modified or Appropriated to Suit Different Audiences or Purposes, Yet Still Remain Firmly Within the Genre. Discuss Stoker’s ‘Dracula’ and at Least One of the Films You Have Studied.1050 Words   |  5 Pagesremain firmly wit hin the genre. Discuss Stoker’s ‘Dracula’ and at least one of the films you have studied. FW Murnau’s 1921 film Nosferatu is an appropriation of Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel Dracula. Despite it being an appropriation, explicit gothic conventions remain evident, which explore societal fears and values. These fears and values differ from Dracula, due to distinct contextual influences of different time periods. Stoker’s novel Dracula, presents the fear of female promiscuity, for whichRead MoreBram Stoker s Dracul Victorian Men And Women1455 Words   |  6 PagesKatherine Fulmer ENGL 3023 Dr. Lawrence 1 December 2015 Bram Stoker’s Dracula: Victorian Men and Women 1. Introduction Bram Stoker’s world famous novel Dracula, blurs the lines between Victorian ideal gender roles by using strong central female characters, such as, the three vampire sisters, Lucy and Mina, to express a powerful female sexuality challenging the Victorian notion of what makes a woman. The Victorian society placed women in a bubble of sexual purity and fragileness, making men the central