Feminism in the 19th century and Dracula by Bram Stoker (Free Essay Example)

The late 19th century was a time when women were heavily oppressed and had to confine to society's ideal image. The average woman was inferior to the average man, as women in the late 19th century had to be pure and fit this image that benefited the male agenda. This caused women to have little to no rights, and for the man to overtake as the superior gender role in society. These points are best shown throughout the book, Dracula, and the late 19th-century society. Women in the late 19th century had to fit society’s image, and if not they were punished which is best shown between Lucy and Mina.

In the late 19th century, women were controlled and they were treated based on how, “pure,” they are deemed. This is best shown by two characters in the book, Lucy and Mina. Lucy is shown to not be pure throughout the book, and because of that she was punished and lived a miserable life throughout the ending of, Dracula. This happened because of how she at a time had three different suitors to choose to marry. This was not the average image of a woman in the late 19th century, as they had to be with one man and respect him. For example, Dracula states, “Just Fancy! Three proposals in one day! Isn’t it awful! I feel sorry, really and truly sorry, for two of the poor fellows” (70). The use of the word “awful”  in this quote, is showing how Lucy does not want to reject the two men, and only stick with one man. It is clearly evident in the quote that she will have a tough time letting go of these two men as she will have to choose only one. Three proposals in one day is shown for the average woman not to be pure because she wants everyone and cannot settle with one man. Later on in the book, Lucy allows a strange man into her home, who is better known as Dracula, and consented to having sex with him. This is showing how Lucy is not pure and agreeing with society’s values at the time because she allowed a random man into her home, as she had a husband already waiting for her. 

 The book then punishes Lucy for this and has her live a miserable life until death. For example, it states that “There on the bed, seemingly in a swoon, lay poor Lucy, more horrible white and wan-looking than ever. Even the lips were white, and the gums seemed to have shrunken back from the teeth” (154). The usage of the words “poor,” “horrible white,” and “wan-looking” are all traits of Lucy while she is sick. She is fighting a horrible sickness because of the consented sex she had with Dracula. This is the book now punishing Lucy because of the horrible acts she has done throughout the book. If Lucy fit society’s image she would not have been punished and had white lips, and gums that were shrunken back from her teeth. Lucy would never have gotten sick and battle this sickness if she only had been loyal to one man, and not bounce around from one man to another.  

In contrast, Mina is deemed to be pure as she fit society’s image. She keeps up with society’s norms of a average woman. Mina is there for her husband, Jonathon, and has a job at the same time. For example, the book, states that “My dearest Lucy… The life of an assistant schoolmistress is sometimes trying… I have been working very hard lately because I want to keep up with Jonathan’s studies” (67). The quote shows, that Mina has been working very hard lately for Jonathan, which is showing that the woman in the late 19th century should be there for their man, and at the same time attend to all their other jobs. Mina is doing everything that benefits Jonathon and putting all his priorities first. This was a very unfair standard set on women, as they rarely had time to themselves and make their own decisions and choices. 

Connecting to real-world society, Lucy and Mina best represent women back in the late 19th century and how they were heavily characterized by society and had to always meet a certain standard. Society always wanted women to be there for their husbands, and be home to tend to their needs. That was the average image of a woman back in the late 19th century. For example, Bomarito states, “Women were expected to remain subservient to their husbands. Their occupational choices were also extremely limited”(NP). Society always wanted women to be prepared and ready at all times to be there for their husbands, and tend to their needs. If women were to do all of these, they were then deemed to be pure in society's eyes. The quote is also stating how they rarely had any freedom and had to stay pure because how their occupational choices were very limited.  Women rarely had the time to make their own choices and tends to their own needs because how society wanted them to only be there for their husbands. A statistic that was stated by Lane, states that “Ninety percent of women married during the nineteenth century, and over ninety-five percent were not employed outside the home” ( Smith 42). These statistics are showing that a crazy number of women were unemployed outside of the home, meaning that their only job was to be there for their husbands. This is showing how society deemed women to be pure, as they wanted women at home and to always tend to their husbands.  

The problems that women faced in the late 19th century, as shown in British literature and in society are problems that women still face today. Women are still faced with many issues around the world today, as they are never equal to the average man. This is shown in present-day America because, News.Gallup.com states, “Woman in the relationship shouldering primary responsibility for doing the laundry (58%), cleaning the house (51%) and preparing meals (51%).” These standards and values are still placed on women today because how these are traditional values in society's eyes. Society expects women to remain home and get all of the tasks done in the house just as they did in the late 19th century. They must remain pure to their husbands and society as they must attend to these tasks. It is very unfair that these standards are still placed on women until this day and how they must still do all of these tasks that benefit their husbands.