How are Women represented as inferior and sexualised beings in the horror of Dracula?

The first female vampire has been presented as a slave to Dracula but also as a prisoner. She pleads Jonathan Harker to help her as he arrives at the castle, this shows a sense of how desperate she is as she is eager enough to approach him and let everything out straight away without letting him even settle properly.  When the prisoner approaches Harker for the second time she once again pleads for help but then bites him, this shows how Dracula has created the prisoner as a more sexual item as she is also wearing clothes that show more parts of her body, this is in contrast to other women of this era. She is presented as inferior as she is related to and spoken to like she is Draculas slave, he tells her what to do and she reacts and follows his commands without hesitating therefore showing he has a higher authority than her. 

The Holmwoods family maid is presented the opposite of Draculas type of slave. Fully dressed wearing black and white shows how pure she is therefore presenting her in a non sexual way. The maid is never bitten by Dracula and because of this you can always see the contrast between the Maid and the victims of Dracula. The maid may be a symbolism for natural beauty but also a woman’s dignity.

The next victim under the spell of the Dracula is Lucy. Lucy is represented as an unhappy young woman that’s ready to be taken away by the ‘perfect’ man. As Dracula pays Lucy regular visits, this is as if he is teasing her as she is desperate to see him again; this is Draculas way of luring in his prey. Lucy awaits for Dracula in her sleepwear every time, even though Lucy is in bed ill because of the vampire bite, the less clothes could once again be signify how Dracula has made her more sexual as she is not all covered up like a young woman should be presented but in this case Lucy is manipulating how women present theirselve. As Lucy defeats the anti vampire medicine by becoming demanding towards the maid, this shows the attitude change in the girl as she is no longer sweet and innocent but a desperate woman in need for the touch of Dracula as if she is addicted.

Mina a middle aged woman was not bothered about Dracula but was represented as a normal everyday mother and wife. After receiving a message that her husband awaits her she is puzzled but eager to see him. Dracula bites Mina in a different way than he did to Lucy, with Lucy he made the bite out to be more sexual experience hence the reason he paid several trips to tease her. He made himself looks more like a hero than the villain to as if seduce her. After seeing Mina once he attacked her straight away, this shows how desperate he is for more prey after becoming angry from losing his other prey.

The child is presented as a less powerful person compared to the other females. She is very gullible as she follows Lucy into the woods but this would be because of her age and not having any knowledge of the situation. She appears to have been brought up in a stable home with a wealthy family therefore stating she will be raised with dignity to keep the families reputation therefore will not be a sexualised being.