Dracula Essay Since the beginning of time, it has become culturally accepted that men are the stronger, preeminent gender in society. Throughout history, it can be seen that males, as a whole, have been perceived as dominant and impervious species to which nothing is inferior. Women were considered insignificant and useful only for irrelevant tasks. Evidence of this can be seen throughout the world, from prehistoric cave paintings in Lascaux, France dated back to 17000 BCE. in which men are depicted hunting and defeating wild beasts, to the Holy Bible where women played a secondary role. It was not until much later that women prevailed and made their mark on the world. One of the periods in history in which men’s role in society was at its height was during the Victorian Era. This era was a time in English history in which the British empire flourished and prospered. There was a revival in the arts, especially, gothic literature. In Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Mina Murray symbolizes the modern woman through her relationships with the other characters, her strong will to participate and learn, and her perseverance. Wilhelmina Murray’s closest friend in the novel was Lucy Westenra. Mina and Lucy were childhood friends, but were not of the same social standing. This was so because Mina’s mother worked for the Westenra household. Therefore, Mina was the child of a servant, which did not entitle her to the same privileges that Lucy had. As the two girls grew up, they each encountered different obstacles which shaped them into unique women. Jonathan Harker, as Mina’s husband, was utterly enchanted to have a woman like Mina as a wife. Not only knowledgeable and resourceful, she offered advice and opinions about how to deal with the dilemma of Count Dracula. Arthur Holmwood, Lucy’s fiancee, took a unique liking to Mina. Surprisingly reaching out to her about his grief over