Looking at Dracula by Bram Stoker, some critics point out the fact that, Stoker never really told us why Dracula turned into a vampire in the first place as he was just shown as one. Van Helsing does briefly state that it might be the habits that he picked up school being young. However, this does not really explain the fact that why Dracula is the only male powerful vampire in Transylvania.
The aspect of Dracula the has been criticised of being too adultery homosexuality and for portraying emotional abuse. The book shows many sexual implications and is normally not understood by youngsters but as they grow up they soon realise what they actually read. Leonard Wolf argues that by Dracula drinking Lucy's blood that was mixed with the blood of the men who donated blood to her, is Dracula married to Lucy and all the other men? This is because towards the end of the novel when Mina drinks Dracula's blood they are married, although she is married to Harker. Looking at this point and referring back to Dracula I too find it a little confusing as to what is going on and it is just not right.
Gender replication is always seen to be a vampire myth. Looking into gender and sexuality, sex is also seen as a myth of the vampire world. Vampires always use seduction as a way of getting their prey. This is also seen in Dracula by Bram Stoker. Female vampires are more commonly seen as seducing their prey in the novel, even more than Dracula himself. This kind of stresses the point that why are women always seen as being more sexual than men. The scene from Bram Stoker's Dracula, the attack of the vampire on Lucy, can be debated as being a clear sign of rape. As this was the nineteenth century I'm not sure if this was seen in this way. On the other hand if this happened in the 21st century today it would definitely be seen as Lucy being raped.
Although the book has been criticised for over exposing sexuality, it introduced the the New Woman in the late nineteenth century. Mina is seen as the ideal New Woman as she had a positive approach rather than Lucy's twisted approach. However, critics like Carol A Senf argue that see In the book, Dracula portrayed Mina as the traditional heroine and Lucy as the sexually aggressive New Woman. She argues that Mina is not a New Woman as she has no sense of power. Even though Mina does save the man she loves in the end, sets her wedding date herself and is and is an independent woman she is still not seen as the New Woman. On the other hand some critics do not agree with Stoker showing Lucy as one. They find her, "as frightening a monster as a vampire"(Heldreth 1999). Females are often seen as victims of male repression and Lucy has been presented as the first victim and prey of Count Dracula in Stoker's novel.
However, this point can be argued as to why was Lucy, a female, Dracula's first prey and victim who got bitten. This is because Harker, a man, was Dracula's prisoner and was attacked by three female vampires. This states the point that why did the female vampires have to attack him and not Dracula. Once Dracula saw this he stopped them and said that Harker was his. What did he mean by this? Did he mean that he would be his first victim but then why was Lucy? This could be because females were seen as more vulnerable than men. However, this could also be that female being portrayed as more weaker and giving up to Dracula could be more pleasing to the audience.
Ref:
Punter D, 1996. The Literature Of Terror: The Modern Gothic. Wesley Longman, New York
Miller E, 2000. Dracula: Sense and Nonsense. Dessert Island Books, Westcliff-on-Sea
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