It has been seen so far that there are religious beliefs in the Victorian era, yet those beliefs are affected by the development of science and technology in the Enlightenment era. McLean in his book The Enlightenment mentions that the Enlightenment era has started in the eighteenth century and has been a period where knowledge expanded in the world. Also, scientists have started studying the universe and conducting experiments (19). In Bram Stoker’s novel, the reader sees the scientific development for the first time when Van Helsing suggests giving Lucy blood by blood transfusion. Since the blood transfusion is new to the characters other than the doctors, Van Helsing has had to explain its meaning to Arthur Holmwood. Van Helsing tells him …show more content…
Seward calls the blood transfusion an “operation” (102) which also indicates that it has been new then. Today however no one would refer to the blood transfusion as an operation because it is a simple procedure whereas the operation is more like a surgery and is more complicated. Due to this scientific and technological development, Arthur Holmwood, Dr. Seward, Van Helsing, and then Quincey Morris give Lucy blood (Stoker 101, 107,112, 124) and metaphorically have a sexual relationship with her although they are not married to her. This means that the men break away from the Christian teachings on not to have a sexual relationship with a person unless they are both married. Furthermore, the operation Van Helsing and Dr. Seward perform for Renfield after Dracula attacks him is another proof of the development that has been brought by the Enlightenment era. They make him an operation “just above the ear” (Stoker 231). Nevertheless, when Dr. Seward enters to Renfield’s room, he moves him (228) without considering that any part of his body might be broken. Similarly, before the operation, Van Helsing leaves for some time to change his “dressing-gown” (229. They also perform the operation in the room of Renfield which is not sterile as an operating room should