Lucy and Mina in the Novel Dracula

In the novel, Dracula, by Bram Stoker, the two main female characters are Mina Harker and Lucy Westenra. In this Victorian setting, both women are equally important in portraying the view that Bram Stoker wanted- two types of females: the pure and the unwholesome. In the beginning, both women are the stereotypical “perfect” ladies of the time period but as we read on, the differences show more and more. Although both possess similar innocent qualities, it is shown that Lucy's naive and lack of self control creates a gap that shows the difference between the two women and slowly causes her downfall.
Mina Harker is the ideal Victorian woman. She is a more conservative and the picture of perfection. Van Helsing described her as "one of God's women, fashioned by his own hand to show us men and other women that there is a heaven...”. Above all, Mina's innocence is her most precious characteristic. She desired to always be pure, especially in God's eyes. Retaining her innocence and her purity was her main conflict with the antagonist, Dracula. After several sessions of Dracula sucking away her blood, a wafer was placed on her head, a mark seared on her forehead, and she proclaimed, "Unclean! Unclean! Even the Almighty shuns my polluted flesh!” There was always expectation on whether or not Mina was going to remain pure and innocent, or end up like Lucy. Mina's innocence helped her drift away from Dracula and helped kept her as conservative as she was in the beginning.
Lucy Westenra is very similar to Mina in many ways but is more passionate and open. She also possesses the virtues of being innocent and her beautiful qualities bring her three marriage proposals. Lucy is very youthful, naive, and playful. When she had to pick a suitor, she exclaimed, "Why can't they let a girl marry three men, or as many as want her, and save all this trouble?” She often falls down to please others and wishes everyone can get what they want as well as herself. She does not know exactly...