The Monstrous Double In Bram Stoker's Dracula

My research topic for Essay 3 was the monstrous double in Victorian literature. I looked into doubling in both Bram Stoker's Dracula and Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and argued that Victorian literature provided an outlet for 19th century English people to live out their repressed desires. The most fascinating thing about my essay was researching Dracula. I was not expecting to write about the sexuality of Dracula when I started my paper, but that's where my research led me. When we think of the word "Victorian" today, we often associate it with high morality and prudishness. This is essentially true, as the structure of society was inherently misogynistic and homophobic. But, through Stoker's Gothic novel, men, women, and homosexuals alike could experience deviant sexuality without the judgement of society. The three female vampires in Dracula's castle are the complete antithesis to the meek, submissive sexuality that was valued in Victorian women. The vampiresses are seductive and wildly bloodlustful and seem to have a control over their own sexuality that was not common for the time. Through these female vampires, women could picture themselves expressing and taking ownership of their own sexuality, while simultaneously, men could envision giving up control and taking on a more submissive sexual role. Likewise, the phallic symbolism associated with fangs and penetration of the skin can be interpreted as homosexual desire, which was violently discouraged and punishable by law in the 19th century. In fact, homosexualiy was so taboo that it could not be explicitly referenced at all, and was instead considered a "misplaced heterosexuality" and could only be experienced through a female mediator. Overall, researching this topic was incredibly interesting, and it helped me understand Victorian culture and its fears and desires.