John Ruskin, in Appendix G: Gender of the Penguin Classics edition, describes the common beliefs of the Victorians on the situation of the sexes when he says that "man's power is active, progressive, defensive...the woman's power is for sweet ordering, arrangement, and decision... [she is] incapable of error" (Appendix 473-474).
This Angel of the House view of womankind as the correct view was expressed by Stoker through his character Mina in Dracula. She retained all of the qualities which Lombroso and Ferrero stated as belonging to the proper Victorian woman: she is reserved, docile, and sexually apathetic (Appendix 479).
Mina's Struggle
She is upright and organized, while at the same time remaining supportive and maternal to the men. Even after being tainted by Count Dracula, she is repulsed by the "dirtiness" that she perceives has assumed a place in her body, and more profoundly, upon her soul: "Unclean! Unclean!" she cries (Stoker 316).
Her one moment of sexual release fills her with shame and regret, especially since she "did not want to hinder him" (Stoker 306). She is repentant as a good Angel, and will never allow herself to slip again. Even in this instance, she is seen as the victim since her conduct in all other respects has been above reproach.
Mina and Jonathan
When Dracula threatened her husband while he was about to attack her (Stoker 306), she, as a proper Angel, put her husband above herself. This also puts her into a situation of blamelessness, as well as safely within the sphere of proper feminine behavior: "[a woman] must be...wise, not that she may set herself above her husband, but that she may never fail from his side...[she has] the passionate gentleness of an infinitely variable, because infinitely applicable, modesty of service” (Appendix 474).
Other Attributes
As in Ruskin's description of a good woman, Mina is also very good at organization. It is Mina who types up, combines, and orders all the diaries, letters, telegrams, and articles that led to the intelligence needed to put the puzzle pieces together and ultimately destroy Dracula (Stoker 240).
Mina is the culmination of Victorian feminine propriety and goodness on all levels, from her behavior and attitude to her actions and responses to others. Because of this, Mina's life is saved at the end of the story. The person who is good and kind and is not contrary to society's norms receives life and justice.
Her character is contrary to that of Lucy Westenra, who represents the opposite attributes of Mina Harker.
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