Lucy Westenra

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 not mentioned in the novel 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 Hammer horror production, she is called Lucy Holmwood and is engaged to Jonathan Harker.

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, Lord Godalming; Quincey Morris, an American cowboy; and Doctor John Seward, an asylum psychiatrist.)

Lucy accepts Arthur's proposal, but soon begins suffering from severe anemia. 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, but in the end is unable to prevent her death.

Before long a "Bloofer [beautiful] Lady" begins to appear at night, preying upon small children. Dr. Van Helsing realizes that Lucy has become a vampire, and asks Dr. Seward, Arthur, and Quincey to help him destroy the undead creature. Van Helsing feels it best that the men who loved Lucy in life play a role in freeing her soul. With their help the lady vampire is destroyed, and Lucy is finally able to rest in peace.

Modern interpretations

Like her friend Mina, Lucy is painted by Stoker as unrealistically idealized, Angel in the House, described by Van Helsing as "lily-like girl" and complimented by Seward from her "unequalled sweetness and purity". Her vampire version is a highly sexual predator of children, who had to be destroyed so the real Lucy could "take her place with other Angels".

Appearances in movies

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 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.

Lucy/Mina amalgams

In 1958, Hammer Films' Horror of Dracula has a character based on Lucy Westenra. In this version, Lucy is Arthur Holmwood's sister, and her fiance 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.

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.

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Sadie Frost as Lucy in the 1992 adaptation of Dracula.

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. The character had important scenes exploring her flirtation with her three suitors as well as several other scenes regarding her impending attacks, vampirism by Dracula, and demise that were cut from the theatrical film version, but resurfaced in several videos.

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 then any other films.

Lucy's character remained largely unchanged in BBC One's 2006 adaptation of Dracula, where she was played by Sophia Myles.

Lucy Westerman

In 2000, Colleen Fitzpatrick (aka Vitamin C) plays Lucy, whose last name has been changed to Westerman in Dracula 2000. This version of Lucy becomes the third of Dracula's vampire brides.

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.

Elizabeth (Eliie) Gonzalez was featured as Lucy in Merced College Theatre's production of "Dracula" Directed by Carin Heidelbach

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.

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 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.

Radio

In 1938, Mercury Theatre broadcast a radio version of Dracula. Lucy appears in the middle of the broadcast as the ill fiancee 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.