Lucy Westenra
| Lucy Westenra | |
|---|---|
| Dracula character | |
 Sadie Frost as Lucy in Bram Stoker's Dracula | |
| Created by | Bram Stoker |
| Information | |
| Nickname(s) | The Bloofer Lady [1] |
| Species |
Human Undead Vampire |
| Gender | Female |
| Occupation | Vampire |
| Family | Mrs Westenra (mother, deceased or undead) |
| Nationality | British |
Lucy Westenra is a fictional character in the novel Dracula (1897) by Bram Stoker. She is the 19-year-old daughter of a wealthy family. Her father is mentioned in the novel when Mina says he was a sleepwalker and her elderly mother is simply stated as being Mrs. Westenra. Lucy is introduced as Mina Murray's best friend. In the 1931 Universal production, she is called Lucy Weston. In the 1958 film Dracula, she is called Lucy Holmwood and is engaged to Arthur Holmwood.
In Dracula
Lucy Westenra is a vivacious young woman who is much praised for her beauty, purity, and sweet nature. These qualities earn her three suitors, all of whom propose to her on the same day: Arthur Holmwood, the wealthy son of Lord Godalming; Quincey Morris, an American cowboy; and Dr John Seward, a primitive psychiatrist.
Lucy accepts Arthur's proposal, but soon begins suffering from severe anaemia, sleepwalking and chronic blood loss. She has, in fact, become the victim of Count Dracula, who is slowly draining her of blood. Despite the best efforts of Dr Seward and Dr Abraham Van Helsing, Lucy's condition rapidly deteriorates. Dr Van Helsing correctly identifies the true cause of her illness, and puts up garlic around her sickbed to repel Dracula. Even after four blood transfusions (from Holmwood, Seward, Van Helsing, and Morris, respectively) and despite the doctors keeping a constant watch on her condition, their efforts prove futile. By ill-fortune, Lucy and her mother are left unattended when a bat and later a wolf (both of whom are Dracula taking on different shapes) comes crashing through the window. The shock causes the mother to expire from a heart attack, while Dracula drains Lucy of blood, almost to the point of death.
The men find her barely alive the next morning, but as they try another transfusion to save her, Van Helsing sees that the bite marks on her throat have vanished and she now has longer canine teeth: a sign that her final stages of vampirism is complete, and that there is now no way to save her. She wakes, and for a moment, when Arthur is near her, she requests a kiss in a rather uncharacteristic and lustful manner. Van Helsing pulls Arthur away, realizing that she is no longer Lucy, showcased when Lucy snarls inhumanly after she's denied her request. However, she abruptly reverts to normal and, seemingly realizing what she's becoming, begs Van Helsing to protect Arthur. He swears to do so for her sake. Soon, Lucy weakens and dies from her blood loss. Despite this, color rises to her cheeks, making her look rosier and lovelier than ever, a telling mark of vampirism. While Arthur and the other two laymen think it's all over, Van Helsing knows that death marks her final transition into the world of the undead.
Lucy is interred, but not long afterwards, reports spread of children being attacked at night, each child claiming to have been abducted by a "Bloofer (or Beautiful) Lady". The children also have bite marks on their throats, though none has been seriously drained. Dr Van Helsing realizes that Lucy has now risen again as a vampire, and asks Dr Seward, Arthur and Quincey to help him destroy the undead creature. When they doubt him, Helsing takes Seward to show him first-hand that Lucy's coffin is empty, and then waits until she appears with another child. Luckily, as they watch, she takes only a little blood before flitting back to her crypt. After tending to the child, Van Helsing and Seward go into the crypt, where the coffin now contains Lucy's peacefully reclined body; but as Van Helsing points out, it hasn't decayed a day since her death, since the undead never age.
That next night, Van Helsing gathers the rest of the men and applies a plaster made from consecrated hosts over Lucy's crypt while she is walking. The men wait for her until she comes come back with another victim and they see the monstrous form she has become. They confront her, and prevent another assault. Upon seeing Arthur, Lucy changes her tone to that of a seductress, beckoning him to join her so they can be a couple in undeath. Her hypnotic spell almost works until Van Helsing desperately brandishes a pectoral cross at her, and she is repelled. She flees back to her crypt, but is unable to enter until Van Helsing removes some of the plaster. Immediately, the men are astonished to see Lucy use her new supernatural powers to slip inside effortlessly despite the small opening. They prise open the door and find Lucy seemingly at rest in her coffin.
Van Helsing explains that anyone bitten by a vampire becomes a vampire in turn. Since Lucy was subsequently killed when she was drained, the change was instantaneous, as such Lucy became corrupted and under Dracula's control. Forced to feed on blood nightly to appease her inhuman hunger, while spreading the curse. But if a vampire is killed, the victim is saved. Van Helsing feels it best that the man who loved Lucy in life play a role in freeing her soul. On his instructions, Holmwood drives a wooden stake into Lucy's heart. Van Helsing knows, however, that Count Dracula can reclaim his bride by removing the stake; so to prevent this ever happening, he decapitates the body and stuffs its mouth with fresh garlic. Thus, the unfortunate Lucy can finally rest in peace.
Appearances onscreen
Character in Nosferatu
Ruth Landshoff made a few brief appearances as a character similar to Lucy in the 1922 German silent film Nosferatu.
The character of Lucy Harker is based on Lucy Westenra in the film 1979 film Nosferatu: Phantom der Nacht. She is played by Isabelle Adjani.
Lucy Weston
Frances Dade was the first young woman to play the role in the cinema in the first film of Universal Studios' Dracula series, though her character was credited as Lucy Weston. In the Spanish-language version, Carmen Guerrero portrays Lucia Weston. In both films, her death after becoming a vampire occurs off-screen, and is only implied in the English version.
Actress Susan George played another Lucy Weston in a televised version of Dracula in 1968.
In December, 2010, Simon and Schuster (Gallery Books) released "The Secret History of Elizabeth Tudor, Vampire Slayer" purportedly as told to Lucy Weston.
Lucy/Mina amalgams
In 1958, Hammer Films' Dracula has a character based on Lucy Westenra. In this version, Lucy is Arthur Holmwood's sister, and her fiancé is Jonathan Harker. She becomes a victim, and later "bride" of Dracula as revenge against Jonathan Harker for destroying his former bride. Lucy meets the same fate as her literary character, although she tries to attack Arthur before being destroyed. She is played by Carol Marsh.
Kate Nelligan plays Lucy Seward in 1979's Dracula starring Frank Langella. Lucy's character is similar to Mina Murray's in the novel, and Broadway play version. This character survives Dracula's power, and only momentarily becomes his bride, whereas Mina is killed early on. What was the Stoker's Lucy role is now named Mina Van Helsing, the daughter of Dr. Abraham Van Helsing, who arrives after her death, finds her to be a vampire, and is tragically forced to stake her as she urges him to kiss her. She is played by Jan Francis.
Lucy Westenra
In 1970, Soledad Miranda portrayed Lucy Westenra, opposite Christopher Lee as Count Dracula, in Jesus Franco's version of the film.
Dan Curtis's 1973 version of Dracula starred Fiona Lewis as Lucy Westenra. In this version, Lucy's character was Dracula's reincarnated love.
The BBC's faithful version of Dracula saw Susan Penhaligon as Lucy Westenra in 1977. This version was first aired in the US as part of the Great Performances series.
In Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992), directed by Francis Ford Coppola, Lucy is played by Sadie Frost. Lucy is eroticized much further than her literary incarnation, becoming more than seductive and coquettish, even tempting, and what she says often refers to sex. As a spoiled child of aristocracy, she talks with artlessness and frankness. Unlike her friend Mina, who stays resolute, Lucy's sexual tendencies are to be her downfall. She is drawn into Dracula’s claws because of her somnambulism crisis. Dracula then rapes her in the garden. Henceforth, she slowly transforms into a vampire, and has to be slain by Van Helsing and her beloved fiancé in order to be saved from damnation.
Lucy Westenra was played by Lysette Anthony in Mel Brooks' parody Dracula: Dead and Loving It (1995).
Lucy Westenra was played by Bai Ling in Michael Oblowitz' 2001 movie The Breed.
In 2002, dancer Tara Birtwhistle assumed the role of Lucy Westenra in a ballet/silent film version of Dracula, called Dracula: Pages from a Virgin's Diary, directed by Guy Maddin. This adaptation portrays Lucy's character more frequently than any other film.
Lucy's character remained largely unchanged in BBC One's 2006 adaptation of Dracula, where she was played by Sophia Myles, although she serves as an unintentional catalyst for events as her new 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 Holmwood consummating his marriage to Lucy.
Lucy Westenra was played by Asia Argento in the 2012 film Dracula 3D.
In NBC's 2013 production of Dracula, Lucy Westenra is played by Katie McGrath. In this version, Lucy is a lesbian and harbors secret romantic feelings for Mina.
Lucy Westerman
In 2000, Vitamin C (real name Colleen Fitzpatrick) played Lucy, whose last name is changed to Westerman, in Dracula 2000. This version of Lucy becomes the third of Dracula's vampire brides. The name of her character is actually an irreverent reference to the original novel and has no relation to the Westenra character. Before being turned, Lucy herself states this, mentioning she was named after the Peanuts character.
On stage
In 1927, Dorothy Peterson originated the role of Lucy Seward in the Broadway stage play version of Dracula. In this version the characters of Lucy and Mina were combined to create Dr. Seward's daughter, who falls under Dracula's power but is saved from death at the end of the play.
Marcella Gaudel starred as Lucy in the revival of the play in 1931.
Ann Sachs played the role of Lucy, in yet another revival of the play in 1977. Lauren Thompson replaced Sachs in the role some time later before the play closed in 1980.
In Argentina, Drácula, el musical by Pepe Cibrián and Angel Mahler : Lucy: Paola Krum (1991 y 1992), Alejandra Radano (1994), Karina K (1997), Romina Groppo (2000), Georgina Frere (2003), Florencia Benítez (2007), Georgina Reynaldi (2007), Luna Perez Lening (2011).
Drácula Siglo XXI by Argentina´s composer Pablo Flores Torres Lucy Westenra: Gabriela Moya Grgic (2011)
Dracula, The Musical opened on Broadway in 2004. Lucy Westenra plays a less-than-crucial part. She is very much like the novel, though in this version Dracula originally targeted Mina Murray, but Lucy becomes his victim when she answers Dracula's call. She dies, a victim of the count, and rises as an undead vampire. She is destroyed by the men, as in the novel, but Mina is shown severely mourning her. The role has been played by Kelli O'Hara.
In 2006, Gabrielle Destroismaisons portrayed Lucy in a French Canadian musical production Dracula - Entre l'amour et la mort.
In 2011, Anaïs Delva played the role of Lucy Westenra in the French musical Dracula – L'amour plus fort que la mort.
In comics
Lucy appears in Marvel Comics adaptation of Bram Stoker's Dracula # 2-3. Lucy is portrayed as in the novel as a dark haired nineteen-year-old beauty who is killed along with her mother by Count Dracula in 1890 after Abraham Van Helsing tries to save her life.
Topps Comics also did a comics adaption of the film Bram Stoker's Dracula.
In 2008, Ben Caldwell created a very short version of Dracula as the first in his series All-Action Classics. In it, Lucy is a beautiful young woman who, while being visited by her friend Mina, is struck with sleepwalking and anemia, but this is discovered to be the work of Dracula. She dies because of her ignorant maid ruining Van Helsing's plans, and is later, after becoming a vampire, killed for good by her fiancé Arthur.
Her character was used in the 2011 DC Comics/Wildstorm Victorian Undead 2: Sherlock Holmes vs Dracula. Lucy is turned by Dracula as followed by the original story. But it deviates from there as Dracula had managed to reach her crypt and spirited her away before Van Helsing, Dr. Seward, Quincy and Harker can kill her due to Holmwood's treachery. She becomes a minion to Dracula and helps with his plan to take over London. During her first confrontation with the heroes, she is horribly scarred when Holmes manages to hit her with a flare. She recovers by turning on Holmwood and feeding on him before leading an ambush with Dracula's brides against the heroes. However, she reveals she is not particularly loyal to Dracula, reveling more in her vampiric power than in serving him; even stating she enjoys being a monster now. She is immune to religious symbols, considering herself more enlightened than Dracula's other brides since she was turned in the recent times. However, as Lucy trades insights with Helsing (who sees her as suffering the curse of the undead, in contrast to her twisted view of it being a blessing that frees her from her human responsibilities), she realizes that she is outmatched as the brides are killed. Lucy then proposes a deal, in which she will kill the last bride for them and leave them alone in exchange for not coming after her. Before escaping through the ceiling, her last words are an apology to Jonathan for the death of Mina (who in this version killed herself before she turned) and her regret that Mina "doesn't know what she's missing". Her fate is left unresolved as the heroes make Dracula their top priority after he infiltrates Buckingham Palace to kill the Queen and take over London. At the end of the mini-series, Lucy is the only vampire not accounted for and is still at large through London. Ironically managing to survive the events of the story in her undead state. In this version, Lucy is portrayed as a red-haired, likely a reference to the 1992 film, Bram Stokers's Dracula.
In novels
In A Betrayal in Blood by Mark A. Lathan, it is revealed that Dracula was never a vampire, but a former friend of Van Helsing who was 'banished' to Transylvania after he had an affair with Van Helsing's wife. Having uncovered evidence that Arthur Holmwood is actually his son, conceived during his affair with Van Helsing's wife and believed by Dracula to have died as a child, Dracula attempts to come to England to ask for Lucy's help in investigating this claim, but Van Helsing manipulates events so that Lucy is killed, using her existing anemia to create the illusion that she was killed by a vampire. After her death, Van Helsing hires an actress with a slight resemblance to Lucy to create the illusion that she has returned as a vampire, setting up her coffin so that she will appear to move when staked. The deception is exposed in the course of the novel by Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson.
Radio
In 1938, the CBS radio series The Mercury Theatre on the Air made its debut with Dracula. Lucy appears in the middle of the broadcast as the ill fiancée of Arthur Seward, and it is only later established that she is a victim of Dracula. She becomes a vampiress and is destroyed by Arthur and Van-Helsing. Elizabeth Farrell performed as Lucy, opposite legend Orson Welles in a dual role as both Dracula and Arthur Seward.