Heroism In Bram Stoker's Dracula

In the novel Dracula by Bram Stoker, there are several different characters who demonstrate heroism by acting selflessly. Gender roles play a significant part in developing the alliance of people whose goal is to defeat Dracula. All of the heroes recognized by the audience are masculine, but not all of the heroes are considered protagonists by the audience. Because several different characters act selflessly throughout the novel, it clear that a group of men form as “the embodying archetype of the hero,” (“Archetype of the Hero”).

The protagonists are portrayed as the group of male characters who form an alliance with the common goal of defeating Dracula. The group of men devoted to stopping Dracula is led by Dr. Van Helsing with help from

Van Helsing, Jonathan Harker, Dr. John Seward, Arthur Holmwood, and Quincey Morris, all demonstrate multiple acts of selflessness, and appeal to the audience as the collective group of heroes. They sacrificed a substantial amount of their time and effort for killing the Count. However, Renfield is also an example of a hero that is often overlooked. Throughout the novel, Dr. Seward and the others suspect Renfield of being a follower of Count Dracula, and observe him consuming the lives of animals. He attacks Dr. Seward and exclaims, “The blood is the life!” (Stoker 137). The group later concludes that he worships Dracula and wants to become a vampire to be immortal. He experiences a change when Mina visits him and he feels a sense of conscience to keep her safe from the Count. When Dracula visits Renfield in the asylum, it is inferred that Renfield resists Dracula because of his conscience to keep Mina safe, and eventually dies from the injuries Dracula inflicts. Despite Renfield’s act of selflessness that makes him heroic, the audience does not sympathize with him, so he is not considered a

Mina Harker shows strong desire to help the men in any way she can, but they do not want to trouble her and make her anxious, so Dr. Van Helsing says “We shall tell you all in good time. We are men and are able to bear; but you must be our star and our hope” (Stoker 227). The men respect Mina, and Dr. Van Helsing praises her by saying, “Ah, that wonderful Madam Mina! She has man’s brain—a brain that a man should have were he much gifted—and woman’s heart,” (Stoker 221), but nonetheless, they will not allow her to help them slay the Count. Dr. Van Helsing adds, “We men are determined—nay, are we not pledged?—to destroy this monster; but it is no part for a woman,” (Stoker 221). Later, the men reluctantly allow her to be more involved with the pursuit of the Count because of her telepathic connection to him, but are reluctant to do so because they fear for her health. Because this novel was written during the Victorian era, there was a dramatic gender inequality between men and women, so for Mina to partake at all in their killing of the Count was unusual. Mina is capable and willing to help the men, but is only able to do so as an assistant by typing their diary entries. The gender roles of this time period play a role in who ultimately defeats Dracula, the group of men with Mina only as an onlooker. Although the male characters praise Mina for her help, she is not portrayed as a hero