Criticism, September 22nd, 1996
Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu's story "Carmilla" became the basis for the better known novel "Dracula," by Bram Stoker, and an examination of the earlier story exposes the controversial themes of women's power and lesbian love affairs that Stoker attempted to control in his retelling. Stoker changes the story to make the women characters subservient to the males, and chooses to either punish women for their desire in Lucy's case, or makes them asexual helpers after they escape death, as with Mina Harker. Mina also functions as a guard between the male vampire hunters and homosexuality.
Of the vampi...
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