An extremely strong sense of sexuality serves as the driving force behind Bram Stoker's novel, Dracula. This theme is not a directly stated theme in the novel, but it can easily be implied by the reader. Before I read the novel, I never thought of it being so "sexy", but as reflect on my reading now, Dracula was definitely one of the "sexiest" novels ever written. Before reading Dracula I thought I had a pretty good picture of how a vampire really appeared physically: a man, older aged, pale skin, black hair, fangs, and dressed in all black. I honestly thought that the vampire's act of "blood sucking" was just that, but looking back on my reading of the novel, I realize that it was a very sexual act indeed. The sexuality of the text nearly jumped off the page and hit me right in the face, so to speak.
There are several examples of somewhat graphic sexuality present throughout the course of Dracula. The vampire's sexual nature comes out initially during Jonathan Harker's encounter with the three female vampires residing in Dracula's castle. Harker confronted them as extremely appealing objects but who held an element of danger. Harker noted, "I felt in my heart a wicked, burning desire that they would kiss me with their red lips (Ch.3)." Stoker went on to describe the three women as sensual predators and their bite as a kiss. One of the women anticipated the object of their desire [Jonathan Harker], "He is young and strong; there are kisses for us all." As they approached, Harker waited in delightful anticipation, much like a new husband waiting on his bride on their wedding night. This encounter between Jonathan Harker and the three women vampires was very sexual in nature. .
After this, the attention in the novel is transferred to Lucy Westenra and Mina Murray. Lucy is the object of the attention of three male characters in the novel: Quincy Morris, John Seward, and Arthur Holmwood.
