Characters of Dracula
Jonathan Harker: Jonathan
is an English solicitor who travels to Transylvania in order to consult with
Dracula. He is depicted as being the embodiment of an ordinary and stereotypical gentleman of the Victorian era. He exhibits the Victorian tendencies of conformity and evasion in the sense that he is originally blind to the evils of Dracula and attempts to ignore his budding suspicions despite the whisperings of those around him as he journeys to the gothic castle. The normality conveyed through Jonathan is later contrasted through characters such as Dracula, exemplifying the differences between stereotypical Victorian figures and the supernatural elements of the novel.
Mina Murray (later Harker): Within the novel, Mina holds both the role of a typical Victorian female, as she is particularly virtuous and holds a motherly role and attitude towards the other characters. However, she also is portrayed as a progress female within society, particularly in her views towards marriage which she exhibits. She is devoted to Jonathan and innocent of the supernatural and evil elements of the world, and is the best friend of Lucy, Dracula’s first English victim. Mina is intelligent and it is her
composition of Jonathan’s diary as well as her own and Dr Seward’s which allows for a plan to kill Dracula to be devised. Mina is depicted to be the most
complex character and competes with Dracula to hold the central role within the novel, as they are both unifying characters who unite the others
towards a common purpose. Whilst Mina is incredibly feminine, she is described by Van Helsing as having a “man’s brain”, which contrasts what would have been a common perception of women at the time. Although Mina’s body becomes polluted and scarred from her contact with Dracula, ultimately her soul retains its purity and at the conclusion of the novel her body regains its purity, which is illustrative of a return to the natural order of things.
Lucy Westenra:
Lucy is the best friend of Mina Harker, and is much like her in the sense that she is a paragon of innocence as well as virtue, despite having many suitors drawn to her. Lucy is a highly sexualised character who expressed desire for a number of men and her beauty compels these men to adore her. Lucy laments the Victorian era expectations of women in society, stating, "Why can't they let a girl marry three men, or as many as want her, and save all this trouble?". Bram Stoker exaggerates Lucy's insatiability to a point wherein she is described as, "a wanton creature of ravenous sexual appetite," however she is originally depicted almost in a childlike manner as she inspires everyone around her to protect her before her purity is turned "to voluptuous wantonness".
Count Dracula:
The vampire Dracula maintains a shadowy and illusive presence throughout the novel and rarely appears in a visible form to the supporting characters. Dracula is easily angered but also maintains a both haunting and strangely charming or desirous façade. He becomes representative of both the old world of value of superstition, mystery and the unknown parts of Eastern Europe, whilst also maintaining a threatening presence as he embodies many aspects of evil and commits sinful deeds. His consummation of human blood is given a sexual connation within the story and in several instances is depicted as being highly erotic. He has a number of supernatural qualities, principally his ability to manipulate the weather to do his bidding and allow him to hide himself. His actions cause the suffering of Jonathan and Mina, as well as Lucy, and when Dracula escapes from Van Helsing he remarks, “My revenge has just begun”. This reveals that he has an ulterior motive, perhaps the longing for a return to the glorious past centuries and this illustrates him to not be a creature of pure, fathomless evil but instead a more human character who wishes for a return to power even if that means subjecting people to his own dark vision and following his urges.
Professor Abraham Van Helsing:
Van Helsing is a Dutch professor whom little background information is given on within the story. He is an expert in medicine and has a number of personal eccentric characteristics which distinguish him and he is the only non-native English speaker in the group who hunts Dracula. Throughout the novel, Van Helsing does not undergo any great personal change or development but rather through his assistance in the removal of the Count he maintains his commitment to his moral values and religion. He describes the group who hunt Dracula with the hyperbole, “We go out as the old knights of the Cross to redeem more”. After being called upon by Dr Seward to assist Lucy his knowledge of myths and legends surrounding vampires is revealed to be invaluable to ridding the world of Count Dracula forever.