During the late 19th century Victorian era, women’s roles and positions were portrayed as dependent, devoted to families, and home-loving (Trueman). As time goes on, the term “New Woman” was introduced (Shmoop). Later, this term was popularized by British-American writer Henry James. This “New Woman” moved away from the stereotypical woman during the Victorian era. The “New Woman” was educated, intelligent, and independent (Melani). One novel that represents these two types of women is Bram Stoker’s Dracula. The two female characters in the novel are Mina Murray Harker and Lucy Westenra. Both Mina and Lucy represent the typical woman in the Victorian era. For example, the Victorian women were portrayed as an innocent person. Lucy appears in …show more content…
These women were viewed as a child or a girl during the era, because women’s right were extremely limited to the point where women’s right were similar to children’s right during the period. Often in the novel, Mina is referred as a child; Jonathan Harker has once said, “Mina is now sleeping like a little child” (303). Similarly, Lucy is referred as a girl; Quincey has once said, “Lucy, you are an honest-hearted girl” (58). Like it is shown in the novel, women in the Victorian era had very little freedoms and repressed during the era. Women did not have the right to own property, women could not vote, and women were dependent to men. Among multiple characteristics of women in the Victorian era, one of the characteristics that is well shown in the novel is women were dependent to men. After Lucy was bitten by Dracula, Van Helsing decides to transfuse new blood to make Lucy revive back to normal. The first blood transfusion is done by Arthur Holmwood, her fiancé. She receives multiple blood transfusions after the first from John Seward, Van Helsing, and Quincey Morris. One can think this as a simple blood transfusion between people to save Lucy’s life; however, all blood transfusions are done by male characters. Van Helsing could have asked the maid for blood transfusion; however, he did not. Only men could save women. Van Helsing even …show more content…
Without women being devoted or obeyed their husbands, their husbands cruelty targeted against women. Because of this, Mina is also portrayed as a Victorian woman, like Lucy, because of her devotion towards her fiancé, Jonathan Harker. While he was trapped in Count Dracula’s castle for about two or three months, Mina shows her concerns and worries for him in her diaries; she writes, “No news from Jonathan. I am getting quite uneasy about him, though why I should do not know,” “I do hope he is not ill,” and “This suspense is getting dreadful” (70, 70, 71). These writings show how much Mina cares about her fiancé. Furthermore, while Mina waits for Jonathan to return to home, she remains loyal to her husband. During her waiting period, she could have marry new person and start a new life because she has not heard any words or news from Jonathan for a long period of time. However, she does not. She remains faithful and loyal to her fiancé. In addition, when Mina finally gets a letter from Sister Agatha about the fact that Jonathan is suffering from a violent brain fever in Budapest, she immediately travels all the way from Whitby to Budapest just to take care of him. Mina clearly represents the ideal Victorian era woman. She is completely devoted to her family, especially to her