(Untitled)

[assimbya]

"In Coppola’s film [Mina] is even less emancipated than in Stoker’s novel because she submits herself to the dominance of Dracula and henceforth gives up her own identity and takes up that of Elisabeta, even if this means her death; furthermore, this is not her decision but Dracula’s. Mina therefore remains a “functioning object” (Berner 159) and

Comments

[elaby]

... Why didn't I know that there's a Journal of Dracula Studies?

Whoever Katharina Mewald is, she puts her point so well!

[assimbya]

Perhaps because they don't publicize well enough? All the issues are archived here, thrillingly enough.

I know! She's my new favorite person.

[elaby]

Whoa, COOL. Thanks for the link!

[assimbya]

You are most welcome! I am glad to share it.

[dangerousdame]

As you know, romance between Mina and Dracula is one of my pet peeves. That's a very good stating of why.

[assimbya]

(Ooh, The Prisoner icon! Fun!)

Well. I personally can like romance between Mina and Dracula provided it is done incredibly specifically - so specifically that it may not even count as romance anymore, by most definitions. Because I understand the desire to pair them up - they're both so smart, and so different, that they pretty immediately seem like an interesting couple - but it's impossible to make a relationship between them conform to any general standards of healthy romance without completely wrecking one or both of their personalities. So, the healthiest one can accurately write is them coming to some sort of...stalemate. Or compromise.

And, needless to say, framing a romantic relationship between Mina and Dracula as something that actually frees her, gives her autonomy rather than takes it away...is ridiculous. You cannot give someone autonomy in a process that takes away their will. It's impossible. Both the Badham and Coppola films work from this assumption, that Mina's 'choice' to be with Dracula is an affirmation of her

[dangerousdame]

I should have been more specific- I don't necessarily mind all Mina/Dracula romance (an I like yours alot), but I don't like the romanticising of what was, in the novel, essentially rape.

[assimbya]

Oh, agreed. A million times agreed. For some reason, many people, when I try to explain to them what the problem with doing that is, they don't quite get it. Can't we just send John Badham's laser beams and Francis Ford Coppola's Elisabeta plotline to another planet somewhere?

(This is what the end of the first act of the play I'm currently writing is about!)