Blood and Hierarchy

In Stephen Arata’s essay, The Occidental Tourist: Dracula and the anxiety of Reverse Colonization, he suggests that there are racial anxieties in the novel expressed in one way through Lucy Westenra and her blood transfusions. He writes, “But Stoker is careful to establish a strict hierarchy among the potential donors.” (pg. 467) The first to give the transfusion is Holmwood. Lucy’s fiancé but also an English aristocrat. Then Dr. Seward, an Englishman. Then Van Helsing, who is a foreigner. Finally by Morris, who is not only a foreigner but also an American. This order does not make any logical sense. Mostly because, Van Helsing is the oldest, yet he is in line before Morris who is a healthy young man. It furthers the fact that this is a racial anxiety in the novel.
I did not notice this until Arata pointed it out. I did find it odd that Van Helsing was not the last, being the oldest, but I did not look at the deeper meaning. It is interesting that such a hierarchy was put in place among the men, when it came to “purifying” Lucy’s blood. It is as if only the “best” blood would be able to chase out the “devil” blood of Dracula. It is interesting however that although the vampire’s bite is feared because of becoming undead, that the vampire is suggested to be stronger then all other men. This is furthered by the fact that even with the four blood transfusions; Lucy still was changed by the stronger being. Even the English aristocrat’s blood was not “potent” enough against Dracula. Something that is not even mentioned is Lucy’s own blood. It is obvious in the novel that women are seen as the weakest being. This is furthered by Van Helsing saying, “I fear to trust those women.” (pg. 180) in reference to the servant women. So not only is he saying that his old, weak blood is better than a woman’s blood, but also that his foreign blood is better than a lowly servant’s blood. Lucy’s blood was obviously not strong enough to withstand the bite by Dracula on its own. She needed these males blood to keep her alive and from turning into a vampire herself. All of this eventually failed and she inevitable became a vampire. She a woman, viewed in the novel as one of the lowliest creatures has now become string because of her blood or taste for blood, as it turns out.
It is also interesting to note that even though women’s blood in the novel seems to be seen as “bad” blood, this is the only blood Dracula feeds off of. He only seems to bite women. He is sustained off of women’s blood. Was Stoker trying to say something about women and how they were viewed in this time as powerless? Was he trying to show that women may have the “best blood of all”? I doubt it, but it is an interesting thought.