A Symbolic Act Of Shakespeare s The Of Dracula

Stoker is describing a symbolic act of enforced fellatio, where, as Bentley indicates, â€Å"Blood [becomes] a substitute for semen, and where a chaste female suffers a violation that is essentially sexual† (Bentley 29). This interpretation arises from the inherent eroticism both in the act of the sucking as in the configuration of the scene, in which Mina is scantily dressed and the Count is semi-nude. Once more, we witness sexuality as representing depravity, but a depravity that is not just condemned by external individuals, but by the transgressor, as well: the moments that follow in the novel frequently underline Mina’s subsequent feelings of â€Å"Unclean[liness]† (Stoker 324) after Count Dracula stains her with his blood. Bentley suggests that the female character’s perceived impurity also recalls primitive fears of menstruation, which habitually denominated a woman as inherently sexual and foul. Further, by drinking the Count’s blood, Minaâ €™s entire body is violated — his life-force now flows through her, turning her into a monstrous and threatening figure, if not on the outside, then on the inside. Following this encounter, the monster-hunting gentlemen are put in a more precarious position, perhaps because the threat of virtuous woman becoming monstrous is more terrifying than facing a woman who was monstrous from the onset. I have previously alluded to the unholy trio of female vampires as fatal figures of the unfeminine: they are insensitive, aggressive, and, mostShow MoreRelatedWilliam Shakespeare s King Lear Essay2262 Words   |  10 PagesShakespeare s King Lear is regarded to be one of his most successful piece of literature, published in the 17th century, in which he depicts a dramatic adaptation of relationships between parents and their children. Preceding the twentieth century, several critics have deemed King Lear as a classic tragedy and therefore labelling the character of Lear as a tragic hero. This is because much-like the ancient Greek legend of Oedipus, Lear s sense of pride is what consequently leads to his demiseRead MoreLogical Reasoning189930 Words   |à ‚  760 Pagesneed to know when time is getting short and a decision is needed. This sort of recognition requires frequently asking in the background, â€Å"Should I continue to weigh the pros and cons, or should I stop and act now?† The less time available, the more rational it becomes to be reactive and to act on intuitions or ‘gut instinct.’ 10 ────CONCEPT CHECK──── Ramones friend says, Ramone, look at those two white guys on the other side of the street. They look friendly. The blond guy with him