Mina Murray Harker
Overview:
Mina, the fiancée of Jonathan Harker and best friend of Dracula’s first victim, Lucy, is the most complex character in the novel. She is essentially a never-ending contradiction. While she exemplifies the Victorian woman, she is equal in intelligence and bravery to her male counterparts. She is depicted as a mother-like figure but she is also depicted as a child. Though she is clearly a woman and described as feminine and submissive, her intelligence is equated to that of a man’s brain. But first and foremost, Mina, though pure and innocent, also maintains an evil, demonic quality for some of the novel.
Mina, the fiancée of Jonathan Harker and best friend of Dracula’s first victim, Lucy, is the most complex character in the novel. She is essentially a never-ending contradiction. While she exemplifies the Victorian woman, she is equal in intelligence and bravery to her male counterparts. She is depicted as a mother-like figure but she is also depicted as a child. Though she is clearly a woman and described as feminine and submissive, her intelligence is equated to that of a man’s brain. But first and foremost, Mina, though pure and innocent, also maintains an evil, demonic quality for some of the novel.
Mina as a Mother Figure:
Mina extols her men for their good nature and courage and looks out for them as a mother figure. “I suppose there is something in a woman’s nature that makes a man free to break down before her and express his feelings on the tender or emotional side without feeling it derogatory to his manhood… with a sob he laid his head on my shoulder, and cried like a wearied child, whilst he shook with emotion” - Mina Harker (Stoker 245- 246) “We women have something of the mother in us that makes us rise above smaller matters when the mother-spirit is invoked; I felt this big, sorrowing man’s head resting on me, as though it were that of the baby that someday may lie on my bosom, and I stroked his hair as though he were my own child” -Mina Harker (Stoker 246) Mina brings out the vulnerable side of each man just as a mother does in a child. When both Arthur Holmwood and Quincey Morris mourn Lucy’s death, Mina is there to comfort them. She holds them like a mother would hold a child in agony or fear. Mina's wisdom and kindness - other maternal qualities - are shown when she speaks of Dracula's own agony and begs them to be merciful. Her forgiving nature and pity has such an effect on the men that even Jonathan chastises himself for saying such horrible things about a soul trapped inside a monster: "'I too may need such pity; and that some other like you'" - Mina Harker (Stoker 328) "We men were all in tears now. There was no resisting them, and we wept openly" - Dr. Seward (Stoker 328) Mina also brings the rest of the men to tears when she taps into their emotional side by requesting that they kill her before she completes her transformation. When she has them read her burial service to her while still alive the men completely lose control of their emotions. “Even a sceptic, who can see nothing but a travesty of bitter truth in anything holy or emotional, would have been melted to the heart had he seen that little group of loving and devoted friends kneeling round that stricken and sorrowing lady; or heard the tender passion of her husband’s voice, as in tones so broken with emotion that often he had to pause” - (Stoker 352) Mina's Intelligence:
Mina has an intelligence and dedication far beyond that of the average woman in the era. She is financially independent and studies while working full- time, however, everything she does to advance her knowledge is so that she can be useful to Jonathan and the others: "I have been working very hard lately, because I want to keep up with Jonathan's studies, and I have been practising shorthand very assiduously. When we are married I shall be able to be useful to Jonathan" - Mina Harker (Stoker 61) "'Ah, that wonderful Madam Mina! She has a man's brain - a brain that a man should have were he much gifted - and a woman's heart. The good God fashioned her for a purpose, believe me, when He made that so good combinantion. Friend John, up to now fortune has made that woman of help to us'" - Van Helsing (Stoker 251) "'At home in Exeter I always used to make up the timetables, so as to be helpful to my husband'" - Mina Harker (Stoker 358) In her journals Mina can even be seen having internal discussions about possible routes Dracula might take and how they can catch him. Mina as a Victorian woman:
Mina Harker is the perfect example of a Victorian woman. In contrast with Lucy, her sexuality is hardly mentioned and she is constantly described as pure and free of impure desires. Even after having the wafer scar on her forehead, once Dracula is killed the mark goes away and she is once again the quintessence of purity. At the end of the novel, Mina becomes a dutiful wife and mother - the goal of a perfect Victorian woman. Even as Jonathan first mentions her the first few pages of the novel it is only to mention that he should get a recipe for her- implying her role in the household. Her occupation as an assistant schoolmistress suggests her proper manners and her display of emotion separates her as a woman. Her usefulness is exactly what would be expected of a Victorian woman, and she is also very modest when speaking of her own intelligence and helpfulness. Mina is even seen ridiculing the "New Woman" ideas which we trying were to challenge the expectations of Victorian women. Mina as a New Woman:
Although Mina can be described as the perfect Victorian woman, Stoker also managed to portray the New Woman in her. She and Lucy mock the New Woman but Mina is as much a model of the New Woman as anyone. She is out of the house working a full-time job and is financially independent. She can be considered equal, if not more than equal to her husband Jonathan. Mina, as opposed to the naive Lucy, is a well cultured and learned self sustaining woman who outshines even the men around her. |
Mina as a Child:
In complete contrast with her description as a mother, Mina is compared to a child. She clings to Jonathan as a child would cling to a parent; she has a complete role reversal when frightened: "The dear girl was more affectionate with me than ever, and clung to me as though she would detain me" - Jonathan Harker (Stoker 285) And again, after Mina is attacked by Dracula, Jonathan says: "Mina is sleeping now, calmly and sweetly like a little child" - Jonathan Harker (Stoker 345) Mina's loyalty:
Mina’s loyalty to the men in her life, especially her husband, is unmatched by the loyalty of any of the other characters in the novel. She explicitly says she would rather die than betray them like wives have before: “Think dear, that there have been times when brave men have killed their wives and their womenkind, to keep them from falling into the hands of the enemy… It is men’s duty toward those whom they love” -Mina Harker (Stoker 351) “You must lose no time in using your opportunity. At such a time I myself might be – nay! If the time ever comes, shall be – leagued with your enemy against you” -Mina Harker(352) Mina also shows her loyalty and love for her husband when Dracula threatens to kill Jonathan if she makes a sound. She risked her own life to protect her husband: "'I would haves screamed out, only I was paralyzed... he spoke in a sort of keen, cutting, whisper, point as he spoke to Jonathan: - Silence! If you make a sound I shall take him and dash his brains out before your very eyes'" - Mina Harker (quoting Dracula) (Stoker 305) Mina from Other Characters' Points of View:
From the view of the men in the story, Mina is seen as a typical Victorian woman. She is virtuous, good, and subservient; most importantly she is useful to the men. Van Helsing praises Mina as an angel: "'She is one of God's women, fashioned by His own hand to show us men and other women that there is a heaven where we can enter, and that its light can be here on earth. So true, so sweet, so noble'" - Van Helsing (Stoker 203) After her ordeal with Dracula when she was attacked with Jonathan laying right beside them, Jonathan pities his wife Mina saying: "it was pitiful to see her so brave and yet so sorrowful" - Jonathan Harker (Stoker 308) And again after her wise speech asking them to have pity on Dracula: "This I know: that if ever there was a woman who was all perfection, that one is my poor wronged darling" Jonathan Harker(Stoker 329) The final line of the novel is Van Helsing explaining why it is important for them to keep a record of what happened that year for Jonathan and Mina's son, Quincey: "We want no proofs; we ask none to believe us! This boy will some day know what a brave and gallant woman his mother is. Already he knows her sweetness and loving care; later on he will understand how some men so loved her, that they did dare much for her sake"- Van Helsing (400) This final quote of the novel perfectly sums up Mina's character. While the entire novel every character commented on her sweet nature and kindness, she is finally recognized for her bravery and dedication to the men who protected her. Mina's Mercy:
Mina is the only character in the novel who shows any mercy or humanity toward Dracula. Almost becoming a vampire herself she understands that he is a human soul trapped inside of a monster. She puts the men to shame by making them realize that he is not hateful but the demon working in his skin is: "'I know that you must fight - that you must destroy even as you destroyed the false Lucy so that the true Lucy might live hereafter; but it is not a work of hate. That poor soul who is wrought all this misery is the saddest case of all. Just think what will be his joy when he too is destroyed in his worser part that his better part may have spiritual immortality. You must be pitiful to him too, though it may not hold your hands from his destruction... Just think...some day... I too may need such pity; and that some other like you- and with equal cause for anger- may deny it to me'" - Mina Harker (Stoker 327-328) |
"Already he knows her sweetness and loving care; later on he will understand how some men so loved her, that they did dare much for her sake" - Abraham Van Helsing (Stoker 400)