Author: Lucia The Huntress

One of the strongest emotions all people experience is desire, but we are taught through society techniques that may suppress these temptations. However, there are times in which we give into these temptations and fall prey to these cravings. Thankfully there is guidance provided from those we love, along with time, and patience, that make us aware that if we give into our desires we become vulnerable and weak. Which allows others if they wish, to control and manipulate us. In the poem Goblin Market by Christina Rossetti, Laura is tempted by the goblin market men to buy the fruits they sell, which in the beginning of the poem doesn’t mention that there will be any consequences from consuming them. However, Lizzie is confident that “their offers should not charm us, their evil gifts would harm us” and out of fear and lack of knowledge runs away from the goblin market men and their tempting fruit. Laura on the other hand is not fazed by her sisters warning and decides to pursue the goblins due to her desire for knowledge. This scene is similar to a scene from the 1992 film of Dracula, which was not in the novel, where Mina stumbles upon an Arabian book that displays an illustration of a man and women in obscure sexual positions. She is extremely embarrassed by what she has stumbled upon because Lucy caught her glimpsing at the illustration; however, rather than criticizing Mina for looking upon something so un lady-like she giggles and encourages her to look on. Lucy like Laura easily gives into the temptation of knowledge, but Mina like Lizzie fears the consequences and is not easily persuaded. However, the difference within similarity between Mina and Lizzie is that Mina eventually gives into the temptations, while Lizzie even when the goblins “held her hands and squeezed their fruits against her mouth to make her eat” refused to give into the desires, which in the end saves her sister and makes her a stronger female character compared to Mina.

Throughout the novel when all else fails the doctors of the novel turn to pseudoscience. I believe the scene that best displays something “you cannot understand” is the scene when Lucy struggles for life. In this scene there is a moment where Dr. Seward notices that “whenever she got into that lethargic state, with the stertorous breathing, she put the flowers from her; but that when she waked she clutched them close” (Chp 12).  Even in Lucy’s state of falling in and out of consciousness she finds comfort in the garlic necklace, that Dr. Van Helsing had tried to explain to Lucy’s mother was a part of her treatment. However, Dr. Van Helsing never truly explains  scientifically how garlic will help Lucy, and it is interesting that no one else cares to ask him why he resorts to this form of medication once the blood transfusions no longer work. Even Dr. Seward doesn’t appear to care why Van Helsing is turning to this form of pseudoscience as a form of treatment. I believe that no one questions the treatments prescribed through pseudoscience because of the placebo effect it has on patients. Placebo’s may even be seen as the new version of pseudoscience in today’s world. Yet, going back to this moment in the novel once Lucy dies Dr. Seward says “Ah, well, poor girl, there is peace for her at last. It is the end!”; however, he cannot comprehend what Dr. Van Helsing means when he responds “Not so; alas! Not so. It is only the beginning!”.  So of course, after hearing this, Dr. Seward puts his faith in pseudoscience, and most likely believes that response from Van Helsing may be due to the garlic treatment, because the truth behind Dr. Van Helsings treatments has yet to be revealed in this scene.

This video talks about the science behind the placebo effect as well as the correlation I’m trying to make with why people believe that pseudoscience/magic can heal people and work .

Mina and Lucy’s characters are supposed to represent women of the Victorian era, which entails being pure, angelic, religious, and joyful; so that they may make a good wife to their husbands. In this era it is no longer common to have arranged marriages, rather women now have a say in which suitor they wish to marry. This indicates that the role of women in society is changing or evolving. Later in chapter 8 Mina touches upon the subject of how the relationship between men and women further change in the future and that “New Women won’t condescend in future to accept [marriage]; she will do the proposing herself.” In this scene Mina hopes that women of the future will have more freedom and live in a more tolerant society of women’s freedom to do as they please. However, later in the novel we may ask the question whether or not Lucy, with her freedom to choose among her suitors, made the correct choice?  Because once she becomes sick Arthur calls upon Dr. Seward for help, leaving us to ponder whether or not she made the correct choice. Lucy once she has been bitten become dependent on the men around her in order to live, which leads us further to believe that women need men in order to survive, because on their own they would perish. It may be possible that this little freedom that women have gained in the Victorian era is too much to handle, and maybe why Lucy ends up being bitten by Dracula because in her unconscious dream walking state, she secretly craves the freedom that Dracula is able to bestow upon her.  Unfortunately, this freedom causes her to evolve into a monster that resembled a “devilish mockery of Lucy’s sweet purity”, and the only way to save this new species of women is by the hand of mortal men.  

Sherlock Holmes is a brilliant detective because of his attention to detail that others easily over look.  However, why does Holmes need Watson’s assistance in order to help him solve mysteries he easily can solve on his own? What is it about Watson that makes him so important to Holmes? For example, when Watson attempts to assist Holmes in identifying the mysterious walking stick, Holmes simply responds to Watson hypothesis that “I am afraid, my dear Watson, that most of your conclusions were erroneous. When I said you stimulated me I meant, to be frank, that in noting your fallacies I was occasionally guided towards the truth” (2). Why did Holmes even bother asking for Watson’s opinion if he already knew the answer? Holmes is blunt and frank with poor Watson, yet at the same time realizes his is obnoxious behavior towards him. For example, instead of allowing Watson to grab a cab, that would allow them to quickly take them to the hotel Holmes stops him, insisting that he rather walk because “I am perfectly satisfied with your company if you will tolerate mine” (26). The relationship between these two strikes me to be quite fascinating, especially because later in the novel after learning about the curse of the hound and Sir Charles death, rather than Holmes attending Sir Henry and Dr. Mortimer to Baskerville Hall, he sends naïve Watson. What I found even more striking was that Watson first thought upon learning this information was that “the promise of adventure had always a fascination for me, and I was complimented by the words of Holmes and by the eagerness with which the baronet hailed me as a companion” (34). This left me wondering if Watson is truly fascinated with adventure, or if there is another reason why he is compelled to go on a journey that may end up costing him his life?