Dracula: Symbolism Of Blood Essay

Topic: Bram Stokers Symbolism of Blood

With Bram Stokers novel, Dracula, the simple idea of blood is seen to be more complex as he likes to apply many themes of symbolism to the idea of blood. This idea of symbolism for blood can be seen for most of the characters in the novel as blood seems to affect all of the characters in a certain way. Two of the most important symbolic ideas for blood in Bram Stokers novel would be the idea of blood representing sex and also can represent the ideas of lust. As will be shown, mostly the ideas of symbolism for blood will center on the actions done to and by the characters.

With symbolism for blood as seen by Bram Stoker, sex seems to stand out as a major factor of symbolism for blood. This mostly affects the characters like Dracula and the group of Van Helsing, Dr. Jack, Arthur and Quincey. For Dracula and the symbolism of blood as sex, it is seen for Dracula more as a single more unclean thought of the word. When Dracula bites certain victims such as when he attacks Lucy and Mina, it symbolizes him having a sexual interaction with these two women. To stand out, however, this form of sex is only for his own personal needs and only cares about getting his blood or as represented by Stoker, is only in care for having sex with these two women. Lastly, this symbolizes Dracula as crafty and needing as when Lucy and Mina are given blood transfusions, Dracula only cares for himself and when the time is right, sneaks in and takes in the blood for him as with the three lady vampires that worked under him. For the group of Arthur, Dr. Jack, Van Helsing, and Quincey blood also represents a form of sex but not as abrupt as with Dracula. When the group does the blood transfusion, it represents the bond between these characters as if they were married to Lucy. For this form of symbolism for blood Arthur, Dr. Jack, Van Helsing and Quincey are all symbolized as noble for their form of sex as a symbol for the blood transfusion. The blood transfusion also symbolizes trust as these four men have entrusted their blood onto Lucy to make sure she has a chance of survival in which they can keep that sense of marriage if she were to have been alive. With showing the form of blood to be represented as a form of sex, it is an asset to include how blood is symbolized by Stoker to represent lustfulness.

With symbolism for blood representing lust, it focuses on Lucy as well as the three vampire ladies that worked with Dracula. With Lucy, there is said to be blood around her lips as to with she smiles and talks with a voluptuous voice. This symbolizes lust as the blood around her lips act as a bizarre sex appeal to Arthur as when she tries to control Arthur to come to her, he somewhat follows her commands all the while the blood still stains her lips as she seduces Arthur so she could attack him. For Lucy, blood also symbolizes lustful love as seen with Lucy opening her arms and making herself to Arthur as to show him she loves him and wants him to come with her. Lastly for Lucy and the symbolism of blood being lust, it can be symbolized as lustful terror as seen by when she attracts the young children to follow her thereby injuring them and thereby causing the blood to appear on her mouth along with her sharp violent fangs now being her teeth. With the vampire ladies, blood symbolizing lust acts as a symbol for hunger as seen when they attempt to take hold of Jonathan Harper with which to feed on him but also act as a source of pleasure to distract Harper from the real ordeal. Also, the blood symbolizing lust is seen for the vampire ladies as a symbol for lustful disgust as seen when Jonathan sees the vampire ladies becoming more of a disturbing image after they start feeding on the baby Dracula had brought them as a source of food. Lastly, the symbol of blood as lust for the vampire ladies are shown to be a symbol for lustful beauty as seen when Jonathan looks for the first time at the ladies and when Van Helsing sees these ladies before he kills them in their coffins as the lust seen in their face is brought by the blood they had taken from their victims.

As shown, Bram Stokers Dracula has had the simple idea of blood to be seen as more complex as he has been shown to apply many themes to blood. The symbolism for blood has been also shown to have affected the characters in certain ways. As shown, the main focus for the symbolism has been shown to surround the ideas of sex and forms of lustfulness. Lastly, its been shown that the symbolism for blood has been shown with the actions and choices done by the characters as well. With many theories now being thrown around to the ideas of bloods form of symbolism in Bram Stokers Dracula, it is easy to notice how most of it began done from the start with the ideas brought from Bram Stoker himself.