first impressions of Dracula

I have been enjoying Dracula by Bram Stoker all day. I am about on page 70 and have been enjoying it quite a bit. I feel so terrible for Jonathan Harker being trapped in The Count's castle like a prisoner, and really his accounts are quite eerie to read. The novel so far doesn't read very scary, but if you honestly put yourself into Jonathan's shoes, that would all be quite terrifying! I have just moved past the point where it is not only Jonathan's journal entries, but the novel is now also including letters back and forth between Mina and her good friend Lucy. I was a little turned off at this point, simply because I don't much like, or appreciate, the way the women are written, at least at this point. There is a lot of talk about how highly men are in their eyes, how much a wife should always be completely honest with their husband and hold no secrets, how unworthy they are for these men that are randomly purposing, and other such things. It is a little off-putting, even though in my mind I am aware that this novel was written by a man during a period of time that those ideas were probably forcefully taught to women, but it is still off-putting all the same. Right now these views are mainly expressed through Lucy, so I suppose the novel might pan out to show that is just her personality, which I hope. I am not sure I can ever say that I love a novel with women that act like that prancing through the pages, worshipping men in a very degrading and weird way for me. I am anxious to continue on the story, as the entire beginning part with Jonathan and The Count have me thoroughly engrossed in what will happen, but I will be honest, once Mina and Lucy were introduced, I found it slightly jarring and was soon after putting the book down. Hopefully I will be able to push through that at least long enough to see if it will be a continuing theme or not.

All I can think of is...poor Jonathan! And Dracula is truly quite a creepy thing!