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Metaphor
Explanation and Analysis—Dracula's "Wine Press":
In this climactic passage in Chapter 21, Dracula addresses both Mina Harker (whom he has just preyed upon) and the men in the room, using a metaphor to liken Mina to his own "bountiful wine-press":
And you, their best beloved one, are now to me, flesh of my flesh; blood of my blood; kin of my kin; my bountiful wine-press for a while; and shall be later on my companion and my helper.
After drinking her blood, and she his, Mina belongs to Dracula; this metaphor is a means of staking claim to her body and soul. Dracula's language is sensual, even somewhat romantic, yet with overtones of malice. He seeks to dominate her, objectifying her as an object (the wine-press) for his pleasure and physical rejuvenation. Furthermore, adding insult to injury, Dracula's language is strongly reminiscent of the Song of Songs, a book in the Old Testament of the Bible known for verses both romantic and erotic. Dracula uses this language—"blood of my blood," "flesh of my flesh," "bountiful wine-press"—to taunt, challenge, and emasculate Jonathan, making a mockery of both his marriage and his religion. This passage reveals the true fear at the heart of Dracula's characterization: individuals who leverage love and sexuality as a form of power.
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