"My revenge has just begun! I spread it over centuries and time is on my side." Dracula-Chapter 23
Although the myth of the vampire had been around long before Bram Stoker ever put pen to paper in 1897, it was Stoker's Dracula that would crystalize the legend and give us a 'blueprint' of the quintessential vampire. Say what you will, to most vampire fanatics (myself including), Count Dracula is still THE embodiment of everything a vampire is supposed to be. Before we delve further into the tale of the Count himself, let us take a moment to discuss the man who brought the legend to life.
Bram Stoker
Abraham "Bram" Stoker was born in Dublin, Ireland on November 8, 1847, the third of seven children. Until the age of about seven years, he suffered from a variety of childhood maladies, and then inexplicably made a miraculous and complete recovery. Before his recovery, young Bram was almost completely bedridden, and was kept entertained by his mother with fantastical stories from her home town of Sligo, tales of supernatural happenings, rife with disease, death, and other such 'goodies' that served as candy to feed an imagination starved for such treasures. It is my personal belief (a belief shared by many, incidentally) that this early maternal influence played a key factor in his later literary style. Thank you, Mama Stoker!
In 1864, he entered Trinity College in Dublin to study mathematics, but it was his athletic prowess, conversely enough, that garnered him many awards. He was also elected president of the Philosophical Society. After graduating with honors in 1870, following in his father's footsteps, he sought employment as a civil servant at Dublin Castle. It was during this time that he also served as a theater critic for the Dublin Evening Mail, and would go on to review Henry Irving in Hamlet, one of those moments in time that was perhaps life changing. A favorable review and a shared love of the arts would prompt a life long friendship between the two men, and Irving would invite him to accept the position as manager for his Lyceum Theater in London; a position he would go on to hold for almost thirty years.
In 1878, Stoker would marry the beautiful Florence Balcombe, whose former suitor was none other than another famous literary figure, Oscar Wilde. The couple had one son, Irving Noel, who was born on December 31, 1879. Stoker's position at Lyceum afforded him the opportunity to travel in very affluent circles, and he was able to rub shoulders with London's high society, meeting such notable members as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and James McNeil Whistler. He was also able to travel around the world, though ironically, his travels did not take him to Eastern Europe, the setting of his most famous novel.
After a series of strokes, the man who gave us Dracula proved himself mortal and died on April 20, 1912. Upon his death, he was cremated, and the urn containing his ashes was placed for public display at Golders Green Crematorium. Upon his son's death in 1961, Noel's ashes were added to the urn. Rather darkly poetic, and quite fitting, if you think about it.
In 1864, he entered Trinity College in Dublin to study mathematics, but it was his athletic prowess, conversely enough, that garnered him many awards. He was also elected president of the Philosophical Society. After graduating with honors in 1870, following in his father's footsteps, he sought employment as a civil servant at Dublin Castle. It was during this time that he also served as a theater critic for the Dublin Evening Mail, and would go on to review Henry Irving in Hamlet, one of those moments in time that was perhaps life changing. A favorable review and a shared love of the arts would prompt a life long friendship between the two men, and Irving would invite him to accept the position as manager for his Lyceum Theater in London; a position he would go on to hold for almost thirty years.
In 1878, Stoker would marry the beautiful Florence Balcombe, whose former suitor was none other than another famous literary figure, Oscar Wilde. The couple had one son, Irving Noel, who was born on December 31, 1879. Stoker's position at Lyceum afforded him the opportunity to travel in very affluent circles, and he was able to rub shoulders with London's high society, meeting such notable members as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and James McNeil Whistler. He was also able to travel around the world, though ironically, his travels did not take him to Eastern Europe, the setting of his most famous novel.
After a series of strokes, the man who gave us Dracula proved himself mortal and died on April 20, 1912. Upon his death, he was cremated, and the urn containing his ashes was placed for public display at Golders Green Crematorium. Upon his son's death in 1961, Noel's ashes were added to the urn. Rather darkly poetic, and quite fitting, if you think about it.
Now let us turn our attention to the one, the only COUNT DRACULA! I may be biased, folks, but Dracula will always be the real deal when it comes to vampires for me. Ever since he burst onto the literary scene in 1897 via Stoker's novel, Count Dracula has spawned more media attention (via literary fiction, movies, television), than even Channing Tatum. That's pretty special, considering he's not even real! Although, as we shall see, some of his most memorable characteristics are drawn from inspiration Stoker found both in historical figures and his own acquaintances.
Count Dracula is a centuries-old vampire, believed to be a descendant of Attila the Hun. Although little is known of his early life, it is rumored that Dracula was once a student at Scholomance, where he became quite proficient in the studies of alchemy and magic. As befitting his rank of Voivode (warlord), Dracula led troops against the Turkish invasion across the Danube, which earned him a reputation for being clever and cunning that would last for centuries after the last battle cry had sounded. Presumably, Count Dracula would lose his life during one of these battles, returning as a vampire to live for centuries in the same castle he had inherited during life. This is where the novel begins.
Dracula, though one could certainly argue the point, is not a 'monster' in the typical sense of the word. He is suave, sophisticated, and exudes an old-world charm and courtesy that is almost endearing. Conversely, that is what makes the cold cruelness, the fits of rage, and the calculated disregard for human life all the more chilling.
Primal and predatory, there is still no denying the fact that Dracula is probably one of the most darkly seductive characters ever to grace paper or film, bar none. Mina Harker and Lucy Westerling would no doubt agree *smile*.
Known as the "King of the Vampires", Dracula's powers are considerable. Not only does he possess superhuman strength, he is extremely agile, with the ability to scale surfaces in a vertical or reptilian manner. He is a powerful telepath, able to hypnotize his victims, and is also able to command animals such as bats, rats, and wolves, with whom he shares a particular kinship. He has the unique ability to manipulate the weather, using it to create mists to hide himself should the need arise, as well as the ability to call down storms. Dracula can shapeshift at will, turning himself into a bat, a wolf, a large dog, and fog. Perhaps, however, his most mysterious (and impressive) power is his ability to transfer his vampiric condition unto others by first feeding on them and then feeding his victims his own blood in turn. This process, incidentally, is known as ''ghouling''.
As I mentioned, it is believed that Stoker drew his inspiration for Dracula from several sources, including his good friend, Henry Irving, who shared both Dracula's sophisticated suaveness and fits of rage when provoked. Another possible source of inspiration is the 'Bloody Countess', Elizabeth Bathory, who shall be the topic of our next lesson, as luck would have it. The most wide spread theory, however, is that Stoker drew his inspiration from one of history's most colorful and brutal characters, the man known as Vlad the Impaler. Let us now talk a bit about the 'main man' behind the legend.
Count Dracula is a centuries-old vampire, believed to be a descendant of Attila the Hun. Although little is known of his early life, it is rumored that Dracula was once a student at Scholomance, where he became quite proficient in the studies of alchemy and magic. As befitting his rank of Voivode (warlord), Dracula led troops against the Turkish invasion across the Danube, which earned him a reputation for being clever and cunning that would last for centuries after the last battle cry had sounded. Presumably, Count Dracula would lose his life during one of these battles, returning as a vampire to live for centuries in the same castle he had inherited during life. This is where the novel begins.
Dracula, though one could certainly argue the point, is not a 'monster' in the typical sense of the word. He is suave, sophisticated, and exudes an old-world charm and courtesy that is almost endearing. Conversely, that is what makes the cold cruelness, the fits of rage, and the calculated disregard for human life all the more chilling.
Primal and predatory, there is still no denying the fact that Dracula is probably one of the most darkly seductive characters ever to grace paper or film, bar none. Mina Harker and Lucy Westerling would no doubt agree *smile*.
Known as the "King of the Vampires", Dracula's powers are considerable. Not only does he possess superhuman strength, he is extremely agile, with the ability to scale surfaces in a vertical or reptilian manner. He is a powerful telepath, able to hypnotize his victims, and is also able to command animals such as bats, rats, and wolves, with whom he shares a particular kinship. He has the unique ability to manipulate the weather, using it to create mists to hide himself should the need arise, as well as the ability to call down storms. Dracula can shapeshift at will, turning himself into a bat, a wolf, a large dog, and fog. Perhaps, however, his most mysterious (and impressive) power is his ability to transfer his vampiric condition unto others by first feeding on them and then feeding his victims his own blood in turn. This process, incidentally, is known as ''ghouling''.
As I mentioned, it is believed that Stoker drew his inspiration for Dracula from several sources, including his good friend, Henry Irving, who shared both Dracula's sophisticated suaveness and fits of rage when provoked. Another possible source of inspiration is the 'Bloody Countess', Elizabeth Bathory, who shall be the topic of our next lesson, as luck would have it. The most wide spread theory, however, is that Stoker drew his inspiration from one of history's most colorful and brutal characters, the man known as Vlad the Impaler. Let us now talk a bit about the 'main man' behind the legend.
The man who would become known as Vlad the Impaler was born in 1431 (either in November or December, the month is unclear) in the Translyvanian city of Sighisoara. Though little is known of of his childhood, we can say with some certainty that it was a fairly affluent area of the city, and that at the time of his birth, his father was in exile. He had two siblings, an older brother, Mircea, and a younger brother, Radu the Handsome.
In 1444, Vlad III and his younger brother, Radu were sent to Adrianople as hostages to appease the Sultan, and there they would remain until 1448. Upon his release to the Turks, young Vlad received their support as candidate for the Wallachian throne. Though his initial reign was short-lived, lasting only two months, it was during this time that most of the atrocities associated with "The Impaler" took place.
His legendary penchant for the sadistic treatment of those he considered enemies made his name one to be feared, his preferred method of impalement earning him the name Vlad Tepes (impaler). Estimates put him responsible for anywhere between 40,000-100,000 deaths. Though he preferred impalement, it was by far not his only method, the man, say what you will about him was diverse in that respect. He has been known to drive nails through the skulls of his victims, and use such means as strangulation, blinding, mutilation, scalping, skinning alive, exposure to the elements and wild animals and burning alive. Man, woman, child, rich or poor-no one was safe. It should be noted, however, that the Russian accounts of him do paint the man in a more favorable light, hailing him as a great ruler and just sovereign. It should also be noted, that most of these atrocities were committed not against invading armies but against his own people of Wallachia. It is believed that it was an attempt to try and force his own 'moral code' (such as it were) upon the people, even if he had to kill them to see it done.
Unlike his literary counterpart, Vlad III was mortal, and after a long and lengthy battle with both the Turks and his younger brother Radu over control of the lands, he was assassinated in December of 1476, though the exact date is unknown. Some reports claim that he was killed by Wallachian boyars, others have him falling in defeat during battle with the Turkish army. Still other accounts have him struck down accidentally by one of his own men during the heat of that same battle. The one thing that cannot be argued is that ultimately, he was decapitated by the Turks, his head sent to Constantinople as proof that he was actually dead. He was reportedly buried at Snagov, an island monastery located close to Bucharest.
I would be remiss, and Count Dracula would be most upset if I did not conclude this lesson without some mention of how Vlad III (and by right of literary association, the Count himself) came into the name of 'Dracula'. Vlad III's father, you see, belonged to a secret fraternal order of knights founded by King Sigismund of Hungary to uphold Christianity and defend it against the Ottoman Turks, known as the Order of the Dragon. Its emblem, incidentally, was a dragon, wings extended, hanging on a cross. From the time he was admitted into the Order in 1431 until his death, Vlad II wore the symbol and later, when he became ruler of Wallachia, his coins would bear the dragon symbol. The Romanian word for ''dragon' is 'dracul' with 'ul' being the definitive article. Vlad II became known as Vlad Dracul or Vlad the Dragon. In turn, Vlad III became known as Vlad Dracula, or Son of the Dragon. It should be noted that the word 'drac' also means 'devil' in Romanian. So now, you know.
In 1444, Vlad III and his younger brother, Radu were sent to Adrianople as hostages to appease the Sultan, and there they would remain until 1448. Upon his release to the Turks, young Vlad received their support as candidate for the Wallachian throne. Though his initial reign was short-lived, lasting only two months, it was during this time that most of the atrocities associated with "The Impaler" took place.
His legendary penchant for the sadistic treatment of those he considered enemies made his name one to be feared, his preferred method of impalement earning him the name Vlad Tepes (impaler). Estimates put him responsible for anywhere between 40,000-100,000 deaths. Though he preferred impalement, it was by far not his only method, the man, say what you will about him was diverse in that respect. He has been known to drive nails through the skulls of his victims, and use such means as strangulation, blinding, mutilation, scalping, skinning alive, exposure to the elements and wild animals and burning alive. Man, woman, child, rich or poor-no one was safe. It should be noted, however, that the Russian accounts of him do paint the man in a more favorable light, hailing him as a great ruler and just sovereign. It should also be noted, that most of these atrocities were committed not against invading armies but against his own people of Wallachia. It is believed that it was an attempt to try and force his own 'moral code' (such as it were) upon the people, even if he had to kill them to see it done.
Unlike his literary counterpart, Vlad III was mortal, and after a long and lengthy battle with both the Turks and his younger brother Radu over control of the lands, he was assassinated in December of 1476, though the exact date is unknown. Some reports claim that he was killed by Wallachian boyars, others have him falling in defeat during battle with the Turkish army. Still other accounts have him struck down accidentally by one of his own men during the heat of that same battle. The one thing that cannot be argued is that ultimately, he was decapitated by the Turks, his head sent to Constantinople as proof that he was actually dead. He was reportedly buried at Snagov, an island monastery located close to Bucharest.
I would be remiss, and Count Dracula would be most upset if I did not conclude this lesson without some mention of how Vlad III (and by right of literary association, the Count himself) came into the name of 'Dracula'. Vlad III's father, you see, belonged to a secret fraternal order of knights founded by King Sigismund of Hungary to uphold Christianity and defend it against the Ottoman Turks, known as the Order of the Dragon. Its emblem, incidentally, was a dragon, wings extended, hanging on a cross. From the time he was admitted into the Order in 1431 until his death, Vlad II wore the symbol and later, when he became ruler of Wallachia, his coins would bear the dragon symbol. The Romanian word for ''dragon' is 'dracul' with 'ul' being the definitive article. Vlad II became known as Vlad Dracul or Vlad the Dragon. In turn, Vlad III became known as Vlad Dracula, or Son of the Dragon. It should be noted that the word 'drac' also means 'devil' in Romanian. So now, you know.
Please proceed to Assignment 4 for your homework.