TLDR; Victorian men are pathetic lol.

Vampires being allegory to the women in Victorian era and society's need to remain modest and maintain their propriety, that anything slightly out of their norm is deemed to be a depravity. For example, Lucy and Mina being Evil vs Good, respectively. Mina being the prime example of dainty, feminine, and demure and Lucy falling for the seductions and being somewhat a bit curious to the "New Women" movement even though she isn't part of it herself and led her to her illness. Despite Mina being the prime example of what a true Victorian lady should behave, Professor Van Helsing "compliments" Mina for "having a man's brain—a brain that a man should have were he much gifted—and a woman's heart," Stoker probably wished to establish a somewhat a conservative opposition between the sexes.

Stoker mentions a lot of "manhood" and anything seen as feminine is otherworldly. Such as in Dr. Seward mentions in his diary, ".... then he cried till he laughed again; just as a woman does. I tried to be stern with him, as one is to a woman under the circumstances, but it has no effect." He also writes in a way to show he's against the New Women movement, "you have given me hope—hope, not in what I am seeking of, but that there are good women still left to make happy—good women, whose lives and whose truths may make good less for the children that are to be."

Women specifically, who aren't lived to be or remain as innocent are seen as "demons" threaten to demolish men's reason and their power. It's mentioned a lot in the first few chapters where Harker is basically stripped of his patriarchal norms and turns into the damsel in distress, faces moments of hysteria, like the other men in the story(coined a lot to women in late 1800s psychology). Such as in one quote, "But, there, you can't trust wolves no more nor women,"

Speaking of, because of Stoker's interest in modern psychology, he embellishes his Dracula with his knowledge in the era's new psychological advances, and unfortunately Freud's theories on psychosexual theory 😭 (free me from Freud, i beg). Dracula was just an early interpretation of psychoanalysis and the unconscious.

Of course, let's not forget about the propaganda of Christianity and how it's the "solution to rid all evil." Harker starting off as a Protestant and his belief it's idolturous to then hanging his gifted crucifix. Stoker suggests that a nation that ignores religion and devotes itself solely to scientific inquiry dooms itself to unimaginable spiritual dangers.

There's also themes of fear of outsiders "gaining power and ruining their bloodline;" Dracula is a allegory for that. For example, two quotes that struck me to be propaganda for anti-immigration and a bit anti-semtic are these: "And now, my friends, we have a duty here to do. We must sterilize this earth, so sacred of holy memories, that he has brought from a far distant land for such fell use." and "Thus are we minisfers of God's own wish: that the world, and men for whom His Son die, will not be given over to monsters, whose very existence would defame Him. He have allowed us to redeem one soul already, and we go out as the old knights of the Cross to redeem more." Implying of the Crusaders in the 12th century when Christian Europe fought the Islamic East for control of the 'Holy Land',

All in all, Dracula as a story is a very fascinating read and a must iwhen diving into Gothic literature. Definitely learned that Stoker is a fragile Victorian man by creating such allegories and underlying themes of race, religion, science, superstition, and sexuality.

5/5 ☆☆☆☆☆ :3c

5/5 ☆ omg!! True definition of yearning and wholesome love!! To have a book make me cry, I know it's more than 5 stars. The story, Lady Knights, queer characters. I think this is one of those rare books where it didn't feel somewhat sexist, like there was no patriarchal notions, The whole book was just refreshing to read. Kier and Grey, I love both of u so much 🥹