How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
Some of the "New Women" writers will some day start an idea that men and women should be allowed to see each other asleep before proposing or accepting. But I suppose the New Woman won't condescend in future to accept; she will do the proposing herself. And a nice job she will make of it, too! There's some consolation in that. (8.1)
Is Mina making fun of the "New Women"? It's not totally clear. Is she being sarcastic when she says, "And a nice job she will make of it, too"? Mina's not the type of woman who would ever propose to a man—she'd wait to be proposed to. But she's not usually that sarcastic, either. So maybe this is a place where Bram Stoker's own voice is coming in—perhaps he's using Mina as a mouthpiece to poke fun at progressive women.
Quote #5
A brave man's blood is the best thing on this earth when a woman is in trouble. You're a man, and no mistake. (12.28)
We don't want to tell Van Helsing how to do his job, but we can think of a lot of things that are more useful to a "woman in trouble" than "a brave man's blood."
Quote #6
In such cases men do not need much expression. A grip of the hand, the tightening of an arm over the shoulder, a sob in unison, are expressions of sympathy dear to a man's heart. (13.38)
Ah yes, the "man hug." Good, manly Englishmen have to keep a stiff upper lip! They can't break down and cry—they just slap each other on their shoulders to express their sympathy.