Humanities Analysis Paper assignment

[student name]

HUM 3000-1

Erro

[date]

Feminism in O’Pioneers! and Dracula

Humans are social creatures that tend to run in groups and rotate around the various

relationships they create throughout their lifetime. From parents to childhood friends, romantic

relationships, professional relationships, toxic relationships, all have their own impact on people

and the choices they make in life. The relationships in O’Pioneers! and Dracula have an

incredible effect on both the characters and plots of their prospective stories. Specifically, an

analysis of the relationships of the women in both stories portrays the societal views of

femininity and feminism of the times. As analyzed in this paper these works place more feminine

characters as lower and lesser than characters that portray more masculine traits and actions. This

system of rewarding masculine women over feminine women sheds light on the patriarchal

society that still exists today.

Dracula by Bram Stoker, a classic vampire novel features two main female characters

whose practically opposite personalities place them into entirely different fates throughout the

story. Mina Murray is the smart, dutiful fiance of the main character Jonathan Harker.

Juxtaposed to Mina is Lucy Westenra, a young, bubbly, and naive bachelorette. While both

women look to get married in the near future it is Lucy who draws the most attention most

notably from Count Dracula himself. Lucy’s carefree almost childlike innocence makes her the

perfect victim in this narrative, while Mina’s clever and quiet demeanor is rewarded by the

remaining male characters. “I was filled with anxiety for Lucy, not only for her health, let she

should suffer from the exposure, but for her reputation in case the story should get wind,” Mina

expresses minutes after unknowingly discovering Lucy after being preyed on by Dracula. It’s

significant that Mina’s major concern is Lucy’s reputation, this displays a societal concern for

keeping up appearance specifically for women. Mina acts as a caretaker for much of the story

especially for Lucy and her fiance Jonathan. In many ways, Mina represents the ‘ideal’ woman

of the times while Lucy is a warning to naive women that embrace their femininity. However, as

seen in Dracula Mina’s portrayal as a more desirable woman for her quieter and obedient

approach is just as problematic and misogynistic as Lucy’s portrayal. While Mina is praised for

her traits, she doesn’t succeed to the degree that one would expect, she is boxed into a motherly,

secretarial role carefully being limited from assuming a truly masculine or leaderly role like her

male counterparts. They are consistently referred to and portrayed as stronger, more in control,

and in no uncertain terms superior. Mina’s situation is comparable to Alexandra’s life in

O’Pioneers!, while both women are shown to have more masculine characteristics and are put

slightly higher than their more effeminate counterparts neither reaches any type of incredible

success, and what success they do gain isn’t without consequence.

Similar to Dracula, O’Pioneers! by Willa Cather, portrays two female characters with

considerably different relationships and fates. While Alexandra is the main character or at least

the most center of the plot, the relationship between her younger brother Emil and his childhood

friend Marie drives some of the major conflicts of the piece. The forbidden relationship between

Emil and the married Marie ends in their tragic and premature deaths. While the still criticized

stagnant relationship of Alexandra and Carl survives but causes rifts within Alexandra’s family

and doesn’t necessarily bring anyone any form of great joy. The portrayal of both of these

women is especially important when analyzing each of these relationships. Marie much like

Lucy from Dracula, even as a small child, is described as beautiful, sought after by men,

somewhat naive, bubbly, and flirtatious in nature. Alternatively, Alexandra is seen as stoic,

hardworking, determined, and above all else very masculine in nature. She succeeds mainly due

to her determination and focus, she has never taken time to worry about starting a relationship

with a man or sought after any men instead she worked on her land. Alexandra, the woman who

didn’t worry about love and had a very masculine personality succeeds in the end but even her

success has its limits. “... I think when friends marry, they are safe. We don’t suffer like -- those

young ones.’ Alexandra ended with a sigh… She leaned heavily on his shoulder. ‘I am tired,’ she

murmured. ‘ I have been very lonely, Carl.” Alexandra says. She ends her story defeated, tired,

and lonely. After all her work and diligence she lost her brother, her friend, and is left with a rift

between the rest of her family. By analyzing these two women we learn that a young, flirtatious,

feminine woman is doomed from the start but a successful, hardwired, masculine woman is also

doomed to be alone and by many’s definitions undesirable.

While both O’Pioneers! and Dracula feature major female characters, the fates and

portrayals of these characters send negative and cautionary signals about feminism and feminity

as a whole. Truly feminine women are portrayed as childish and their sexuality becomes their

ultimate downfall. More masculine women like Alexandra or more obedient women like Mina

are portrayed as more desirable women but they are still shown as having limits to their ability or

agency. This raising of masculine traits over feminine reveals deep-seated misogyny which can

still be seen in society today. Even as feminism grows and evolves it struggles to shake many of

the societal norms established from hundreds of years of patriarchy and sexism. Sexual or

feminine women are stereotyped as airheads, vain, or bimbos. The ‘not like other girls’ female

characters that display masculine traits and are often pitted against feminine counterparts are

given more importance or validity. Both are being undermined by misogyny, female

representation becomes intertwined with the reinforcement of sexist norms and ideals. The

reality is an honest and feminist narrative would put both feminine and masculine female

characters on the same level with the same opportunity for success. Instead, they are often

pigeonholed into either hypersexualized and mindless or smart and prudish.

Works Cited

Cather, Willa. O Pioneers! Dover Publications, 1993.

Stoker, Bram. Dracula. 1897.