“If fixed gender roles represent order and gender roles in flux stand for chaos (a lack of order), then one might argue that Dracula, the vampire, represents chaos and threatens English values of gender roles” Shaffer DRACULA and homoeroticism. How does Dracula threaten gender roles? Jonathan – cuts self. Renfield – cuts seward and drinks his blood. Seward, Quincey morris and Arthur holmwood give their blood to Lucy – Dracula consumes that blood. Dracula’s only victims are women. Sexuality. The killing of Lucy – sexualised.

Chapter 2, Harker – 8 May I only slept a few hours when I went to bed, and feeling that I could not sleep any more, got up. I had hung my shaving glass by the window, and was just beginning to shave. Suddenly I felt a hand on my shoulder, and heard thew Count’s voice saying to me, ‘Good morning.’ I started, for it amazed me that I had not seen him, since the reflection of the glass covered the whole room behind me. In starting I had cut myself slightly, but did not notice it at the moment. Having answered the Count’s salutation, I turned to the glass again to see how I had been mistaken. This time there could be no error, for the man was close to me, and I could see him over my shoulder. But there was no reflection in the mirror! Extract: Jonathan cuts himself while at Dracula’s castle. Arthur kills Lucy Vamp.

…I saw that the cut had bled a little, and the blood was trickling over my chin. I laid down the razor, turning as I did so half round to look for some sticking plaster. When the Count saw my face, his eyes blazed with a sort of demoniac fury, and he suddenly made a grab at my throat. I drew away, and his hand touched the string of beads which held the crucifix. It made an instant change in him, for the fury passed so quickly that I could hardly believe that it was ever there.

Explore the presentation of gender roles within Stoker’s Dracula. Shaffer states that ‘gender roles represent order’ and highlight English values which are very evident within some of the key protagonists in Dracula. During the Victorian era, women’s position within society was inferior to men, their roles were in the home and were considered weak and vulnerable, to be protected from the harsh realities of the outside working world. Women were expected to be good, virtuous, motherly and supportive of husbands. The above traits can be seen in characters such as Mina Harker and Lucy Westenra. Men were then seen as the more dominant sex, they ventured into the world of business and were considered the protectors providers of their families, epitomised by characters such as Harker, Quincey, Seward and Helsing.

Read through the rest of the writing and annotate where each AO is being addressed. Colour code these if you want a more visual revision aid. AO1: AO2: AO3: AO4: AO5: AO1:  Articulate informed, personal and creative responses to literary texts, using associated concepts and terminology, and coherent, accurate written expression.   AO2:  Analyse ways in which meanings are shaped in literary texts.   AO3:  Demonstrate understanding of the significance and influence of the contexts in which literary texts are written and received.   AO4:  connections   AO5:  different interpretations.

How can we improve the writing? Consider the tings you would change in this piece of writing. Critical voices Language analysis What comparison would you start to make with The Little Stranger?