This is a draft of my A level coursework which got me an A*. It talks of the representation of the dangerous woman in both Dracula and the Bloody Chamber. I highlight the different criteria in my work to ensure I used all the required objectives.
Explore the ways in which the concept of the dangerous woman is presented in ‘Dracula’ by
Bram Stoker and ‘The Bloody Chamber’ by Angela Carter.
In H. Bertens literary theory: The Basics{1}, it states that “female independence gets a strongly
negative connotation, while helplessness and renouncing all ambition and desire are presented
as endearing and admirable.” believing that many 20th century authors used daring and
liberating depictions of erotic relations where they are exploitive of the women. Traditionally, the
role of the woman in literature is habitually presented as a ‘damsel in distress’, especially in fairy
tales such as the various Grimm brothers stories such as “Rapunzel”{2}. The feudal ways of
fairy tales tend to lend itself to the patriarchal stereotypes during such time periods where
women were often circumscribed to the role of the doting housewife, belittling the act of
maternity and formulating choking constrictions on feminity. Often women are controlled by the
forces of patriarchy and their voices hushed by that of a dominant male figure and ‘The Bloody
Chamber is a perfect archetype for such roles and stereotypes. Yet in some literary texts, such
as Bram Stoker’s ‘Dracula’ women have been portrayed as cunning creatures with whom you
should not cross otherwise there will be a series of unconventional events.
In Bram Stoker’s ‘Dracula’{4}, the protagonist Johnathon Harker, exhibits devotion to his fiancé
Mina, yet is entranced by the female enchantress and the experience is described as being
erotically sensual. Initially describing these women as something unearthly and being perplexed
by their very presence, presented as ethereal beings who can manipulate people’s thoughts and
surrender one into a trance like state. Evident in Chapter 3 of the novel where Harker first
encounters the vampresses, where they are pictured with vivid and elusive ‘golden hair’ and
having a ‘connection with some dreamy fear.’ Harker falls evidently in a state of entrancement
as he closed his eyes and Stoker uses the adjective of ‘languorous ecstasy.’ with such language
being taboo and unspoken, somewhat daring for the 19th century. ‘Dracula’ is evidently a piece
of literature that supports H. Bertens theory as Stoker is using erotic depicitions in order to
demonise the vampresses. Desire lead to sex, which in turn led to diseases and child birth,
casuality was therefore irrespectable as it exhibited a lack of care; sexuality and expression of
lust was frowned upon, serving as a justification as to why women were demonised for being
able to control men with their sexuality and inherently being the causation of them losing all self-
control. ‘In the moonlight opposite me were three young women, ladies by their dress and
manner.’ The moon is often symbolic of the woman, often linked to the menstrual cycle and
believed to of been the cause of many people’s insanity as the word ‘lunatic’ is procured from
the Latin word ‘lunar’ which we know to be a synonym for the moon. Having connotations of
empowerment, by correlating women and the moon together it ultimately presents women to be
that of danger and power due to the ineffable ascendancy the moon has over human beings.
Throughout time, the moon has been this object of desire for all writers as it inhibits the
unknown and unobtainable. Having the dangerous women presented in an explicit way to
establish their mysterious and static beauty, they’re succumbed to an objectified state of
repressing any women who dare to express their sensuality.
Stoker presents the vampresses as these paradoxical beings which elicits the reader to show
little trust in their character, describing the vampresses as ’youthful’ our mind conjures an
, image of innocence which is showing dramatic irony as we are soon to find out their underlying
desires.The appearance of flawlessness gives them an aura of purity which is an oxymoron to
their actual malicious intent. Within Harker’s earlier description of the vampresses, there are
multiple connotations that are almost foreshadowing what’s to come. As the plot progresses we
find that the enigmatic women are ‘waiting to suck his blood’. Blood and contraction of STD’s
during the Victorian Period was exceedingly dangerous and ultimately lead to a deadly
epidemic. Often archaic stories propogate the notion that gentleness and obedience is the most
desired trait to be found in a woman. Resulting in the representation of the dangerous woman to
be more striking and unconventional for the reader as we are almost conditioned to view women
in such a light . The juxtaposition of the adjective in comparison to the action shows that even if
portrayed in a less negative light, the connotations are still present and that regardless of the
possible ‘erotic’ depictions in order to exploit a woman, the dangerous woman’s behaviour
quintessentially exposes her irrespective of her outward appearance. With this ideology in
place, we begin to question whether Bertens theory still stands, here we have the female
forming her own connotations of behaviour in divergence from what her visage shows.
Stoker has Harker describe the vampresses as having ‘pale sapphires’ for eyes and their ‘great
dark piercing eyes’ and the link to the sapphires could show the underlying power of women as
they’re a holy symbol but also a symbol of power and strength in accordance to astrological
specialists. To then refer to them with such negative connotations and dark adjectives unsettles
us as the eyes are often referred to as being ‘the window to the soul’ and is a view of their
intrinsic nature. They’re then described as having ‘red lips’ which is a yonic symbol (resembling
the female genitalia.) establishing their dominance. The female genitals and womb symbolise
birth and new life. Stoker would have used this as a deliberate devise to establish not only their
femininity but the power of sexuality and danger of a sexually awakened woman. Women in
literature who are proven to be beautiful and sexually aware are demonised, as traditionally
women are often expected to be conservative and obedient beings. Even within the Bible
women are either favoured for being virginal (Virgin Mary) or denounced for being a ‘whore’
(Mary Magdalene). Stoker frequently uses looks as a depiction of nature, the vampresses are
seductive and manifest very womanly features which formulates an association of a
rubenesque*** woman with danger and possessing a depraved inclination. Modern feminists
would argue this is a fatuous attempt to demoralise women for being comfortable in their
sexuality and gender in a futile effort to force them into curtailment. Reinforcing Bertens theory
that their independence is insinuating their debauch and corrupt lifestyle.
Harker is overwhelmed with their sensuality which contradicts his expressed love for Mina. Later
finding the women repulsive as he calls them ‘horrible women’ and blames their monstrous
selves on his insufficiency to remain loyal, not allowing himself to take any responsibility. The
vampresses are incongruent to their setting as they’re found to be in a room having a ‘long
accumulation of dust’ and being ‘gloom haunted’. The Count himself is more correspondent to
the setting as he is given animalistic descriptors of a ‘filthy leech’ and lizard’. Unlike the
vampresses who embody that of a womens image, Stoker describes The Count in a darker light
as a man cannot be seen as immoral by his standards and thus cannot be represented in such
a light. Yet despite the repulsion of both the setting and Dracula himself, the vampresses are
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