Stereotypical Women

The housewife, the virtuous woman, the hysterical woman, the nagging woman. There are many different stereotypes of women- especially in literature.

In 'Dracula', the 'New Woman' is often referred to. The 'New Woman' was a movement documented in the 19th century and is often linked with the suffragette movement of the 10th century. basically, the 'New Woman' was this crazy idea that women were allowed to think for themselves- mad isn't it. In Dracula, it becomes obvious that Mina is definitely not a 'New Woman' and is put about by the idea. "Some of the 'New Woman' writers will some day start an idea that men and women should be allowed to see each other asleep before proposing or accepting." - Mina pg.98 This quote could suggest a stab at the New Woman by Stoker himself, or it could be used to show that Mina is very traditionally virtuous.

Lucy, on the other hand, differs from Mina as she flirts with the men who are interested in her, and she goes outside with an undoubtable "something long and black, bending over her half-reclining white figure." She only goes out in her nightdress- something that at the time was a very intimate piece of clothing. She contrasts from Mina as Mina is worried that "Someone should notice my bare feet". Ludicrous really.

Nowadays, I do think that some women fit into stereotypes, but not all, and there are many types of stereotypes. For example, driving to school every morning, I get angry at the women who drive their children to their private school in their big 4x4 gas guzzler. I stereotype them as 'soccer moms' who don't work because of they have a rich husband, and their only job is to have kids, make sure the cleaner or housemaid does the bath just right and get their nails done. Oh and who double park and block the road. Just an example.

Form and Structure in Dracula

Why is the novel written in journal entries and letters?

The theme of verisimilitude runs continuously throughout Dracula- the appearance of truth. The book begins with Jonathan Harkers personal journal, and begins with very dull, but normal events. He writes about how his train was late, he quotes real times, real places; "Left Munich at 8.35pm on 1st May, arriving at Vienna the next morning[...]". Although it is very dull, there is method in the madness. the real places, the typically real events (trains being late) and the use of real times allow the reader to gain a suspension of disbelief. By beginning the novel like this, the reader will accept, although not completely, the reality of the novel. This allows the reader have a trust between themselves and the characters (here Jonathan Harker), making the strange occurrences later in the chapters more believable. The idea of the suspension of disbelief allows the reader to not completely believe the text as if it is non-fictional, but accept the novel enough to enjoy the text without something to completely reject it.

Another major theme throughout Dracula is the invasion of privacy. We are told that the journals are 'personal' and private, and that no eyes should be reading them. This goes for the letters between the characters as well, 'this is a secret' etc. Again, it allows the reader to have some sort of suspension of disbelief. This privacy however could be linked as a symbol of Dracula himself. He is a creature whom attacks during the night, a time when one is asleep and at their most vunerable. in the 1800's, being in bed at night (especially for a woman) was a very private and intimate thing, yet Dracula chooses this time to attack. It also ties in with him being supernatural, could he have a power to see private thoughts?

The letters and journals allow the reader to have narrative irony, in which the audience knows something that the characters don't. Such as, after reading Jonathan Harkers journals, that audience knows that the great big bat at a window is Dracula, likewise with his red eyes, or 'pin-pricks' in the throat. So when you read onto Mina's journal, the reader knows that they are all linked with Dracula, but the characters are yet to find that out.

Although it can be boring and dull in parts, writing a novel in this structure does prove useful for the verisimilitude argument.

Dracula Chapter 1

So in the last lesson we established that Bram Stoker purposefully made the novel appear dull during the first couple of pages. By using 'normal' things such as accurate train details, real dates, how late the trains are etc, he creates versimilitude. Then by sneaking in a couple of strange occurences such as "The women looked pretty, except when you got near them" it allows him to get the reader prepared for a full-blown wolf-howling, flame-burning vamp-fest.
What I noticed about the chapter that interested me was when Harker is describing the nationalities in Transylvania, he mentions the 'Wallachs', which are descendants from Wallachia, who was the Prince of Wallachia at some point? Vlad the Impaler. Perhaps I'm reading too much into it, but it's a nice little mention.
Another thing was the line from Burger's 'Lenore'. Ok well not the line, but the name Lenore. Although I didn't find any significant meaning of the name other than 'light', it is used in A LOT of Edgar Allen Poe's gothic poems, all of which included that name (Lenore/The Raven) or an alternative to the name -Elenore- all had major themes of the death of a beautiful woman. Again, it isn't hugely relevant to Dracula other than perhaps it's gothic link, but I still found it interesting.

Sigmund, Symbolism and Sex

If there's one person who can link trees to penis's it's Sigmund Freud. By coming up with psychoanalysis, he reckoned that when we fall asleep we become unconsciously aware of 'stimuli' whatever that is, and we react to it by dreams.
So, Freud thinks that anything 'which consist of three parts can mean a man's sexual organ and that the phallus 'is symbolically substituted with all things similar to it by their form, namelylong objects that jut out'. So, linking this to what we have began reading in Dracula, in which reality and the dream state become confusingly intertwined, Jonathan Harker writes in his diary; "Soon we were hemmed in with trees [...]". Freud would see these 'trees' and the phallus. (trying not to write 'penis' too much as it freaked me out how much we said penis last lesson.)
Moving on, Freud says that pretty much everything other than trees, mountains, rocks, sticks etc are female genitalia. To carry on with the quote above- "[...] which in places arched right over the roadway til we passed through a tunnel [...]" SO to conclude, Harker is thinking about bits 'n' bobs.
Freud then goes on to say that journeys, whether threatening or not, symbolises sexual intercourse. "The carriage went at a hard pace straight along [...]".
It is true that sex and what not is a key element to the Gothic, and I do know that there will be a lot of symbolism and sexual-like things, but I don't really like Freud's interpretation of dreams. I think that sex is a very animalistic instinct which all of us probably have in our unconscious, but to me, a tree is a tree. Well not anymore, Freud's ruined that for me.

VAMPIRESS

FINALLY moving onto Dracula, my fave. Here's a bit of background about what a Vampire actually is;
Vampires are mythological or folkloric beings which subsist by feeding on the life essence (often blood) of other living beings regardless whether they are undead or a living person.
Thanks Wiki.
10 examples of Vampires in history:

1. Count Dracula - How could I resist the obvious. From Bram Stokers 1897 horror novel, Dracula has a mask or cordality though flies into fits or rage when his plansare interfered with. He drinks blood, defies gravity by climbing walls and has some supernatural talents. He can only be killed by decapitating the head and a stake through the heart - being undead, he is immune to normall ways of human attack. Clever Van Helsing.
   



2. Kurt Barlow - From 'Salem's Lot by Stephen King (cracker of a book) He said he is so old he outdates Christianity itself, can cast hypnotic spells, and takes part in ritual human sacrifices. Not a nice guy really.



3. Spike off Buffy the Vampire Slayer - he is soulless but feels human emotions like love etc, he is driven by the thirst of blood because it has supernatural powers as it is what seperates the living from the dead. He also has a vunerability to the sun.



4. Nosferatu - also a synonym for the noun Vampire. The old black and white movie shows a vampire with all the classic features, lust for blood, is nocturnal etc. Very similar to Dracula.



5. Vlad III, Prince of Wallachia - known by his patronymic Dracula, and nicknamed Vlad the Impaler. It is said that it is Vlad whom Bram Stoker based Dracula upon, because of the Prince's lust for blood/putting victims of battles on sticks. Of course he isn't a real vampire, I'm just trying my absolute hardest not to mention any character from Twilight.



6. Elizabeth Battory - aka 'The Blood Countest' 1560-1614, Hungarian (rings a bell) her cousin Stephen became Prince of Transylvania in 1575. Believe it or not, she had an illigitimate child at the age of 14 (whoa) but married a count at 15. She was a stunner apparently, and her narcism made her look at herself for hours in a mirror. She had another 3 daughters and a son. She became interested in black magic, and her and her husband would torture servants using wartorture methods. The village where their castle was believed in the folklore of Vampires and became worried when Countess Battory became romantically linked to a supposed 'Vampire'. After some pretty horrific tortures after her husband died, she grew older and less beautiful, drawing the blood of young maids apparently was the cure to aging. Get some Olay or something.



7. Louis and Lestat from that film 'Interview with a Vampire' so a guy called Louis has a wife and kid and they get killed. He's absolutly gutted and befriends a vampire called Lestat. Having nothing to live for, he accepts Lestats offer to become a creature of the night, so Lestat drains Louis' blood and replaces it with immortal blood. He then learns the way of the vampires.

That's it! I can't think of any more and the web isn't being helpful with it. 7/10 ain't bad.

What do I thinkabout Faustus.

After finally finishing Faustus, my opinion of the character has developed. At the beginning of the play, I thought he was arrogant, proud and has an overwhelming thirst for knowledge and power. At the end of the play, I still think he is all of these things. However after seeing him fall from grace by doing such things as boxing the Pope's ear and being treated as an entertainer for Emperors ans such like, perhaps his personality has become more sympathetic. In his final soliloquy, he still refers to himself in the third person, but in an act of desperation before he is finally ripped to shreds, he offers; ''I'll burn my books!'' as a way to show he'd give up anything to not be dragged away, kicking and screaming to hell. Who wouldn't though?
However, I do think that although Faustus is very intelligent (shown through his speaking of Latin, casting off each career choice in the beginning of the play etc.) he does though have a vast lack of common sense. Perhaps he doesn't realise that after speaking to the Old Man (which I thought he symbolised religion and/or is supposed to be a powerful religious figure?) and saying a few words, he has repented? If you were in his position and were told by your little devil friend Meph that you had to pledge yourself again to Lucifer, you wouldn't jump to it, no, you'd say hang on a minute, if I have to pledge again that means I have just repented, so why should I go back?? It does make me quite angry, doesn't he realise how easy it is to get off the hell bandwagon?
Overall though, good play about good and evil.