The Madonna/Whore complex

A few lessons ago we looked at this concept by Sigmund Freud, and I’m not completely sure that I understand it, because it is so….. well, weird and absurd and therefore I’m puzzled as to how Freud became so famous. Anyway, I believe the complex to mean that there are only two ways in which a man can see a woman, she is either a sacred love object, where no sexual contact has occurred and so to men she is the Madonna. On the other hand, once a man has had sex with a woman, then he will see her as the whore.

Within the context of Dracula, this complex is fairly important as, despite both Mina and Lucy being virginal, Lucy is seen as the whore stereotype and Mina is seen as the Madonna stereotype. At the beginning of the novel, Lucy is desired by many men and even receives three marriage proposals in one. Then later on in the book, Lucy is bitten by Dracula, she has been ‘penetrated.’ After this event has occurred, Lucy’s physical appearance has changed and we see her, “pure [turn to] voluptuous wantonness.” Then Lucy is no longer desired by many men, despite her appearance being prettier, only Arthur still is in love with her. And even then Van Helsing won’t let Arthur near Lucy and her new whore-like characteristics. Tis shows that men far more crave the Madonna type of woman.