Blog Post #1: Sexuality and Lust in Bram Stoker's Dracula

 Dracula's Thirst

Ryan Chau

Bram Stoker’s Dracula plays heavily on the relationship between Dracula and Mina, and Dracula's desires. This scene as a whole explores lust, sexuality, as well as sexual repression. The scene starts off with a bizarre storm and many strange and bewildering occurrences all happening simultaneously. The insanity is almost palpable and it leaves the audience feeling overwhelmed. From Renfield’s rambling, it is rather apparent that the strange events are due to Dracula’s proximity, restlessness, and his lust. The validity of Dracula being the cause of these happenings is fortified by what John Seward says in regards to Renfield’s insanity, “There is method to his madness.” Dracula’s presence is affecting everyone. Wolves are escaping, patients at the insane asylum are growing rowdy, even Mina and Lucy are not immune as we see them dancing in the rain and even osculating. Their moment is completely unexpected and represents Mina’s desires and sexual repression after Jonathan has been gone for so long. Music and the rapid movement of the camera add to the bizarre air. Dracula is restless and stirring, and upon escaping he immediately seeks out Lucy, representing desire.  This scene is interesting because with the aura of madness impressed upon the audience, the audience is given the actual point of view of Dracula, as if the audience has become madly lusty, the audience is seeking out Lucy.

Lucy walks into the maze in a seemingly possessed manner, dressed entirely in red. This characterizes not only Dracula’s lust, but hers as well. When Mina sees Dracula with Lucy, we see that Dracula has bitten and infected Lucy. The whole process of biting and changing Lucy was incredibly sexualized by, well, the presence of sex. This is the moment were Mina first sees Dracula. She stops dead in her tracks, horrified. When Dracula looks up and sees Mina for the first time, he recognizes her and he seems ashamed. As if Mina was his wife from another life, and he was caught with someone else. You can see Dracula’s face change from bestial to human very briefly, almost like a flash of lightning as he says, “No, Do not see me.” This relates to later on where he is completely dressed and human, and he says, “See me now.” As Dracula disappears, Mina, as the heroine, rushes into save Lucy. She is perceived as the main hero in that moment as she brings Lucy back to reality. When Lucy is conscious again, she is draped entirely in white, as if her innocence has been reestablished.

The scene as a whole is focused on Dracula. His lust is the instigator of the ongoing events and it led him to Lucy and, indirectly, Mina. He is reminded of his wife when he sees her and his lust has become a source of shame, and so, Dracula hides himself from her. Mina represents Innocents and an object of desire to Dracula. This is shown by her white gown and his reaction to seeing her, as well as the red outline that appears over her when he sees her. This scene sets up the rest of the events of the movie. Lucy becomes a vampire, and Dracula seeks Mina from that point on. We are given the point of view of Dracula, and we can now understand his desires and his desperation.