Penny Dreadful's Progressive Take on Dracula

Penny Dreadful is a British-American horror drama that is inspired by many classical thrillers in literature: The Picture of Dorian Gray, Frankenstein, the Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, but most importantly and most prevalently is Bram Stoker’s Dracula. The show takes place in 19^th Century London but does occasionally change settings depending on the need per episode. The show still represents some of the key elements from the novel such as: toxic masculinity, female empowerments, and feminine destruction, while simultaneously progressing and expanding past heteronormativity. The three characters that parallel, yet also transcend past their original characters are Dracula, Ethan Chandler, and Vanessa Ives.

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While the show is introduced to characters that parallel the original novel’s, it isn’t until season 3 that we are introduced to the old vampire himself, Count Dracula, or as he’s known in the show, Dr. Sweets. Now Dr. Sweets isn’t even known as Dracula initially. This version of Dracula is more humanizing and creates more of a feeling of kin from viewers. Dr. Sweets is still possessive, manipulating, and prone to violence and anger, but the show decides to make Lucifer his brother. For those who do not know, Lucifer is an angel who fell from God’s grace and now resides in Hell for eternity. While this character doesn’t exactly bring feelings of warm and fuzziness to the screen there is a level of humanity that is brought to Dr. Sweets since he is seen in a familial way. He is no longer this scary, alone, and inhuman character, he has a brother and he is a brother himself, bringing him more closely to humanity. 

He also is portrayed in a more “metropolitan” way that could be considered for fluid on a gender spectrum. He is seen in more feminine styles (yet still in men’s clothing) and has a sort of awkwardness and goofiness that isn’t often connected to the dark count himself. Giving him less traditionally masculine characteristic creates a similar effect to that of Count Dracula in the novels. Both are less heteronormative and traditional in those they are possessive over and represented as.

Other characters from the show like Ethan Chandler, who has nearly the same American masculinity that Quincey Morris had, also represents a strict manliness that makes him this stereotypical heteronormative ideal male character. Chandler represents the toxic masculinity that some men possess. He’s prone to outbursts of anger and violence as expressed in season three, episode 5, when Chandler tells Hecate (a non-Dracula character) about his past and his ferocious side. Even though he does cross many lines and prove that toxic masculinity is real, there is a level of lust and attraction to the character that viewers and other characters alike find appealing. This commentary is that even though his masculinity is dangerous and harsh, society gives a bit of leeway to men like this as they are considered “beneficial” to society. Had Chandler not been protecting the women and other men in his group, there is a chance they wouldn’t have thought so fondly of him given his fewer appealing attributes, however he was a leader of sorts, so he is accepted the way he is. 

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Chandler’s toxic masculinity is even more represented once it becomes known that he is also a werewolf. The fact that werewolves ae so stereotypically monstrous and dangerous makes it perfect for him. This does stray from the original novel, but in the best way possible. He is seen as such a violent and angry person that turning into a psychical representation of that makes complete sense for his character. This also emphasizes his brute masculinity and violence. As a werewolf his has the ability to bite someone and make them a werewolf as well. This is important as the biting to make someone and making them a werewolf is purely taking, purely phallic. He is biting them and that is it, versus a vampire who must exchange biting. This gives a forceful rape identity to him in a way. 

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Now Vanessa Ives, who is most closely related to Mina Murray Harker in Stoker’s version, is represented has the shows heroine. She breaks the mold that the novel’s Mina had that prevented her from being a truly feminist character. A lot of the social norms and limits that society put on women in the novel, were idealized in Mina, however Vanessa has actual power that takes her beyond the idea of a woman. She has been touched by cosmic forces and can channel the powers of light and dark. She is sought out by Lucifer, Dracula, and even more powerful male characters who see the absolute power that radiates inside of her. Vanessa is a female character who doesn’t allow herself to be held back by societal or human restraints, she goes beyond human power and almost proves that she is stronger than all of the male characters (including Lucifer on occasion). She also breaks the mold by being better skilled at firearms and fighting than most of the male characters in the show. She is truly a progressive character, and both finds parallels to Mina and also breaks heteronormative boundaries

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image 1-"Dracula." Penny Dreadful Wikia https://penny-dreadful.fandom.com/wiki/Dracula

image 2- "Ethan Chandler." Penny Dreadful Wikia 

https://penny-dreadful.fandom.com/wiki/Ethan_Chandler

Image 3- Ashley. “Vanessa Ives in Penny Dreadful Costume.” Carbon Costume, 17 Sept. 2017, carboncostume.com/vanessa-ives-penny-dreadful/.