Lucy Westenra is a fictional character in the 1897 novel Dracula by Bram Stoker. She is the 19-year-old daughter: Letter, Lucy Westenra to Mina Murray. 24 May. of a wealthy family and is Mina Murray's best friend. Early in the story, Arthur Holmwood, John Seward, and Quincey Morris, propose to Lucy on the same day. Despite deep affection for them all, she turns down the latter two and accepts the proposal of her true love, Arthur. Before Lucy can marry, Count Dracula attacks her while she is sleepwalking outside. Her health declines, and Seward enlists the help of his friend and mentor Abraham Van Helsing. Their efforts to cure her fail, and Lucy dies. She returns after her death as a vampire and attacks children, who dub her the "Bloofer Lady". The suitors and Van Helsing eventually corner her into her crypt and destroy her, putting her soul to rest.
Lucy has appeared in most adaptations of Stoker's novel, although they change many aspects of her character. For example, the 1927 stage play swaps her and Mina's names.
Character history A 19-year-old "dark-haired woman",: 29 September Lucy Westenra writes to her friend Mina that she would like to marry all of three of her suitors, so none of them will feel sad. They propose to her on the same day, Arthur Holmwood, the wealthy heir of Lord Godalming; Quincey Morris, a Texan adventurer; and Dr John Seward, a psychiatrist—and she chooses Holmwood. Lucy falls ill, and much to the men's dismay no explanation can be found. Seward summons Dr Abraham Van Helsing from the Netherlands, who deduces that a vampire has been feeding on her. Van Helsing attempts to thwart Dracula by securing the house with garlic blossoms but is unsuccessful when Lucy's mother, whom everyone else has kept ignorant to avoid worrying her, removes it. Their secrecy is in vain for she dies of fright when a large wolf (implied to be controlled by Dracula or the vampire himself in a different shape) attacks her and Lucy while Van Helsing and Seward are absent. Lucy herself is close to death when Van Helsing and Seward visit her with Arthur and Quincy the next morning. However, under the vampire's influence, she becomes even more prone to sleepwalking and is drawn outside, where the Count fatally drains her of blood. In her final moments, her vampiric side emerges and tries to bite Arthur, but Lucy regains her human senses and before dying asks Van Helsing to "guard [Holmwood], and give me peace".: 20 September
A week after her burial, Lucy rises from the grave as a vampire and attacks children. Van Helsing makes some inferences by the telltale bite marks on their necks, the timing of her death and the start of the attacks.Ledger 104. While visiting her tomb after dark, the men encounter her undead corpse feeding on a child. Far from the pure, kind-hearted young woman she was in life, she appears as a predatory temptress. Seward notes this corruption: "Lucy Westenra, but yet how changed. The sweetness was turned to adamantine, heartless cruelty, and the purity to voluptuous wantonness".
Van Helsing repels her attempts to seduce her former fiancé with a crucifix. Her vampire form flees into her tomb as the sun rises. Van Helsing and her suitors open her coffin and drive a wooden stake through her heart, destroying the vampire form and allowing Lucy to rest in peace. To ensure that Dracula will not reclaim her, they fill her mouth with garlic before decapitating her and soldering the lid to her coffin. Lucy's death motivates her suitors and Mina to join forces with Van Helsing and Jonathan Harker in hunting and destroying Dracula.
Historical background
According to Sally Ledger, Lucy "is at first sight an archetype of Victorian femininity" but later shares characteristics with the then-feminist ideal of the New Woman.Ledger 101.
Leslie Ann Minot pointed out, in a 2017 essay on Lucy Westenra and other 19th century female characters, that if Dracula is an overt portrayal of a sexualized monster then her attacks on children would then equate to "the sweet Lucy sexually molesting toddlers"; Minot sees this as one reason why the character has received less attention than others. She historicizes the character (and the novel) by placing it against a backdrop of a number of well-publicized cases of molestation and abuse of children by mother figures, particularly in the context of baby farming, citing the case of Margaret Waters. Victorian society had begun to take an interest in the welfare of children, resulting in the Factory and Workshop Act 1891 (54 & 55 Vict. c. 75) and the foundation of the SPCC, which would become the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.Minot.
Stoker was well aware of these developments and was close friends with W. T. Stead, the newspaper editor who supported the SPCC, published lurid accounts of child abuse and was himself jailed for the abduction of a 13-year old girl, which he organized as a demonstration. Stoker used newspaper clippings in the novel that are pastiches of the sensationalist writings of Stead and others about child prostitution, in particular Stead's "The Maiden Tribute of Modern Babylon", and he describes the lower-class victims in much the same way. Their childish talk leads to "bloofer lady" as a child's way of saying "beautiful lady". This "bloofer lady" talks to children and lures them with the promise of riches and games, and after returning, bearing bite marks, they become emaciated and weak and wish to return to the "bloofer lady". All this is described in language similar to that of newspaper reports on procuresses seducing children into prostitution. Minot also called Lucy "a demonic mother-parody, taking nourishment from children instead of giving it".
Her surname is derived from the Westenra family of Ireland, descended from Dutch Protestant settlers of the Van Wassenaer family; Derrick Westenra, 5th Baron Rossmore was a notable figure at the time Dracula was written.
Appearances On screen Year Title Actress Notes 1922 Nosferatu Ruth Landshoff Ruth (a character similar to Lucy) is the sister of shipbuilder Harding, in the 1922 German silent film 1931 Dracula Frances Dade Although the film is based on the stage adaptation, which switched Mina and Lucy's names, Universal's film retains the naming of Stoker's novel. However, Lucy's last name has been changed to Weston. 1931 Dracula Carmen Guerrero In the Spanish-language version by Universal of the same year, Carmen Guerrero portrays Lucia Weston. 1953 Drakula İstanbul'da Ayfer Feray In this Turkish adaptation, the character of Sadan is based on Lucy. 1958 Dracula Carol Marsh Lucy is depicted as Arthur Holmwood's sister, renamed Lucy Holmwood, with Jonathan Harker being her fiancé. She becomes a victim, and later "bride" of Dracula as revenge against Jonathan for destroying his former bride. Lucy meets the same fate as her literary character, although she tries to attack Arthur before being destroyed. Hammer's adaptation has been recognized as the first one to faithfully adapt Lucy's storyline from the novel of falling ill, becoming a vampire, and then finally dying. 1968 Dracula Susan George Named Lucy Weston, she is depicted as taking an interest in Dracula, despite her engagement to Arthur. After becoming a vampire, she is the one who bites Mina. 1970 Count Dracula Soledad MirandaBrowning and Picart 50. This version of Lucy is portrayed faithfully to her counterpart in the novel. 1971 Hrabě Drakula Hana Maciuchová Czechoslovak adaptation. Lucy's last name is never mentioned in this version. 1973 Dracula Fiona Lewis In Dan Curtis's television film, Lucy's character is depicted as the reincarnation of Dracula's wife. This film marks the first instance of the "reincarnation motif", depicting either Mina or Lucy as the Count's former wife, appearing in a Dracula adaptation. 1973 Dracula Charlotte Blunt In the 1973 Dracula episode of the Canadian Purple Playhouse TV series, Mina and Lucy are portrayed as sisters, with Lucy's full name being Lucy Murray. 1977 Count Dracula Susan Penhaligon In the BBC's adaptation, Mina is portrayed as a member of the Westenra family and Lucy's sister. 1979 Nosferatu the Vampyre Martje GrohmannA remake of the 1922 film Nosferatu. In this version, what was the Stoker's Lucy character is now named Mina, she is the one to be killed by vampire. What was Stoker's Mina character is now named Lucy Harker, she is wife of Jonathan Harker and Dracula’s second and main victim. She is played by Isabelle Adjani. 1979 Dracula Jan FrancisIn this version, what was the Stoker's Lucy character is now named Mina Van Helsing, she is the daughter of Dr Abraham Van Helsing. What was the Stoker's Mina character is now named Lucy Seward, the daughter of Dr Seward and fiancée of Jonathan Harker. This character survives Dracula's power and only momentarily becomes his bride. She is played by Kate Nelligan. 1992 Bram Stoker's Dracula Sadie FrostThis version directed by Francis Ford Coppola eroticizes Lucy, making her more than seductive and coquettish, even tempting. She is drawn into Dracula's control because of her sleepwalking. She also has three suitors as in the novel.1995 Dracula: Dead and Loving ItLysette AnthonyThe Mel Brooks's parody.2002 DraculaMuriel BaumeisterIn this Italian miniseries in the English language (also known as Dracula's Curse) Lucy is a modern girl who wants to sleep in many beds in many cities, have new experiences and live for ever. She also has three suitors as in the novel.2002 Dracula: Pages from a Virgin's DiaryTara BirtwhistleThis is a black-and-white silent film/ballet version by Royal Winnipeg Ballet directed by Guy Maddin2006 DraculaSophia MylesHer character remained largely unchanged from the one in the novel, although she serves as an unintentional catalyst for events as her husband, Arthur Holmwood, arranges for Dracula to come to Britain in the hope that Dracula will be able to cure him of the syphilis that prevents him from consummating his marriage to Lucy.2008 DraculaLakshmiIt's the 2008 Indian Telugu-language television series for Gemini TV.2012 Dracula 3DAsia ArgentoIn this version, the character is named Lucy Kisslinger and is daughter of the local mayor at the Transylvanian village.2013 Dracula 2012Priya NambiarIt's the Indian Malayalam-language film. Her full name is Lucy Thomas.2013 DraculaKatie McGrath In this version, Lucy Westenra is a closeted lesbian and harbors secret romantic feelings for Mina.2020 Dracula Lydia West In the BBC's 2020 miniseries, Lucy Westenra is re-imagined as a modern, promiscuous party girl, and a willing victim/associate of Dracula. However, after she is cremated before she can awaken as a vampire, she spends a few hours apparently deluding herself into believing that she is still beautiful before she is forced to face her true appearance, after which she commits suicide.2021 Bram Stoker's Van HelsingCharlie Bond Film focuses on Dracula's attacks on Lucy, her transformation into a vampire and her eventual staking.2024 NosferatuEmma Corrin A remake of the 1922 film. In this version, Lucy is renamed Anna Harding and is the pregnant wife of shipyard owner Friedrich Harding. Anna is infected with plague by Count Orlok (a renamed Dracula) to threaten Ellen Hutter (a renamed Mina) into reaffirming a pact she unwittingly made with him years ago. When Ellen does not comply, he kills Anna and the Harding children the following night; a grieving Friedrich also contracts plague and dies while kissing her entombed corpse.
Characters based on Lucy