Dracula: Blood Transfusions and Control Over Women
In this video, I explore the powerful symbolism of blood transfusions in Dracula and how they connect to gender dynamics, Victorian medicine, and power over women. This analysis focuses on the history of medicine, showing how blood transfusions evolved from the 17th century to the 19th century, and how these medical practices reflect societal anxieties in the Victorian era. We’ll trace the history of blood transfusions, from early experimental procedures to the scientific breakthroughs in the 19th century that influenced Bram Stoker’s portrayal of life-saving transfusions in Dracula. You’ll learn how themes of purity, control, and dominance over women’s bodies are explored through both Dracula’s bite and Van Helsing’s medical interventions, connecting them to historical developments in science and medicine. By examining characters like Lucy and Mina, this video uncovers the deeper meaning behind blood transfusions, science, and gender in one of literature’s most iconic gothic novels. I