There are quite a few theories and legends about the origins of vampires. One of them says that they are descendants of Cain, who became the first biblical murderer of his own brother. But all this is speculation to the main version. Until now, not everyone knows that the origin of the vampire is directly related to the name of Vlad Tepes, the Romanian governor of the 15th century, later the ruler of Transylvania. It is he who is the very famous Count Dracula!
The Count is a real life Romanian national hero and crime fighter. Its history goes back to medieval Transylvania...
History of Count Dracula
Bloodthirsty ruler
Vlad the Impaler was the ruler of Transylvania (a region located in northwestern Romania) from 1448 to 1476. His favorite pastime was the sadistic torture of enemies and civilians, among which one of the worst - piercing the anus. For the fact that Vlad the Impaler loved to impale living people, he was nicknamed Vlad the Impaler. However, his most cruel atrocity was something else: somehow the Romanian governor invited him to his castle (in which, in fact, he carried out all the torture - see photo below) to dinner party a large number of beggars. When the poor fellows were eating peacefully, Count Dracula locked them in a room and set them on fire. In addition, the chronicle describes a case when this sadist ordered his servants to nail their hats to the heads of Turkish ambassadors only because they refused to take them off in front of the ruler.
Such atrocities left their mark on the personality of this ruler. Count Dracula became the prototype of the hero novel of the same name, written Why was Tepes unusually cruel? Why did he keep the whole of Transylvania in fear, confusing and bewildering all European monarchs? More on this later.
The insidious and cruel Count Dracula
Transylvania is the place of his birth. "Dracul" (Dragon) is a nickname. At the age of 13, the son of the Wallachian governor Vladislav II was captured by the Turks and held hostage for almost 4 years. It was this fact that influenced the psyche of the future ruler. He was described as an unbalanced person with many obscure habits and strange ideas. For example, Count Dracula was very fond of eating at the place of execution of people or the recent battle with a fatal outcome. Isn't it strange?
The nickname "Dragon" Tepes received due to the fact that his father had a membership in the elite Dragon, which was created by Emperor Sigismund in 1408. As for the title - Vlad III, he should have been called the ruler, and not the count, but such naming is arbitrary. But why is this ruler considered the progenitor of vampires?
It's all about Tepes' extraordinary passion for bloodshed, for inhuman torture and murder. Then it becomes incomprehensible why the Russian Tsar from - John Vasilievich - was nicknamed "Terrible"? He, too, should be dubbed a vampire, because it was he who drowned Ancient Russia in the blood in the literal sense of the word. But that's another story...
Let's decide once and for all. Who is he - the great and terrible Count Dracula ...
The Romanian ruler Vlad III, better known as Dracula (1431-1476), came from the family of Basarab the Great, the ruler of Wallachia (1310-1352), who defended the independence of his state from Hungary in a difficult struggle.
Vlad III's father - Vlad II - seized the throne in 1436, overthrowing his cousin with the support of the Hungarian king Sigismund Luxembourg. But later, yielding to Turkish pressure, Vlad II was forced to renew the vassal obligations of the Wallachian rulers and send two sons, Vlad and Rada, as hostages to the court of the Sultan.
Hungary, of course, also stepped up the pressure, and Vlad II constantly had to maneuver, seeking compromises.
However, in 1447 he was killed on the orders of the regent of the Hungarian kingdom, the legendary Janos Hunyadi, and a new Hungarian protege took the Wallachian throne.
In 1448, seventeen-year-old Vlad made his first attempt to seize the throne. Taking advantage of the fact that Hunyadi's troops were defeated by the Turks, Vlad, with Turkish help, reigned under the name of Vlad III.
Vlad III gained "world fame" during his lifetime. Mainly - thanks to violent courage and equally violent bloodthirstiness, which even in the gloomy era of the Late Renaissance seemed pathological. He was unthinkably cruel to enemies, and to allies, and to subjects: he chopped off their heads, burned them, skinned them, forced them to cannibalism, boiled them alive, ripped open their stomachs, put them on a stake, etc. etc. In impalement, Dracula was especially successful.
Once, for no reason, he attacked his own innocent city and killed 10 thousand subjects under torture. Many of them were put on a stake - this is how he earned another nickname - “tepes”, or “impaler”.
During the wildest of the massacres arranged by him in 1460 on the day of St. Bartholomew in one of the cities of Transylvania, 30 thousand people were impaled.
Count Dracula was not just a sadist
His cruel punishments had a certain political sense. For example, when envoys from the Turkish court dared not remove their hats in his presence, he ordered turbans to be nailed to their heads in what was no doubt a defiantly daring display of independence. Depending on the social status sentenced cola differed in length, diameter, color, whimsical geometric figures- something like a "garden of torture", where Vlad III liked to feast at his leisure, and the cadaverous stench and groans of the agonizing did not spoil his appetite at all. That is why Vlad III entered the history of Romania under the nickname "Tepes" (lit. "Impeller-on-the-stake").
Even in a Hungarian prison, Vlad III, according to the old Russian "Tale of Dracula Governor", remained true to his passions: he caught or bought mice and birds, which he tortured, impaled and beheaded. The fury of Vlad III (in German sources he is called "wutrich" - "violent", "fiend", "fierce"), it seems, was pretty tired not only of enemies, but also of subjects, and in 1476 they killed Tepes at the age of 45 years. His severed head was preserved in honey and delivered as a trophy to the Sultan. According to the version of the 15th century, Vlad III was mistaken for a Turk in battle and, surrounded, pierced with spears, which, having noticed a mistake, was very regrettable.
But if everything was so, then why did Vlad III, having managed to cut down five attackers, did not manage to explain to the others that he was their governor? And why did the "mourning" compatriots, trumpeting the head of the dead ruler, send it to the Sultan?
Some saw in him a national hero of Romania, a defender against Muslim expansion, a fighter against boyar abuses (C. Giurescu), others considered Vlad III an unprincipled tyrant, no different from other "Machiavellian" sovereigns of the Late Renaissance, called him a "terrorist" ruler , the forerunner of Stalin and Hitler (R. McNally and R. Florescu).
However, by general opinion, Dracula acquired a reputation as a vampire warlock only at the end of the 19th century - thanks to the imagination and talent of Bram Stoker (1847-1912), author of the famous novel Dracula (1897). Indeed, in written sources there is no mention of the witchcraft and vampirism of the Wallachian ruler. But if we take into account the specifics of these sources, it turns out that the fantasies of the English novelist were by no means groundless.
Therefore, information about Dracula should be interpreted not only in the historical and pragmatic aspect, but - and above all - in the mythological. This applies to the name itself, or rather the nickname of Vlad III Dracula. Fyodor Kuritsyn, the alleged author of The Tale of Dracula the Voivode, characterizing Vlad III, directly says that "the name of Dracula is in the Vashian language, and ours is the Devil. Toliko is wicked, as by his name, so is his life." Here the Russian scribe of the 15th century makes a mistake, although not a fundamental one. In Romanian, "devil" is "dracula", and "Dracula" is "son of the devil".
The nickname "Dracul" was given to the father of Vlad III, but historians traditionally explain that the connection with evil spirit nothing to do here.
It is no coincidence that local peasants, who had not heard of Stoker's novel, even in the 20th century considered Dracula's castle to be an unclean place.
Of course, there is reason to believe that the soldiers of Vlad III turned their spears against the ruler for reasons of fear and revenge or for the sake of a Turkish reward, and cut off his head in order to send it to the Sultan and thereby curry favor or visually confirm the fulfillment of the "order" - the head of Tepes was exhibited in Istanbul on general view. But for all that, Dracula's warriors acted exactly as custom prescribed to deal with vampires: the body of the bloodsucker had to be pierced with a sharp weapon, and the head must certainly be separated from the body.
From this point of view, the story of Dracula's grave is also characteristic. Vlad III was buried not far from the place of death - in the Orthodox Snagov Monastery, which was patronized by his family.
P.S. So Dracula is not a vampire, but a mere mortal!
Count Dracula is the hero of many mystical books and films. The name of the famous count is associated with the Romanian tourism industry. In every village in Transylvania (northwest of present-day Romania) you can taste a blood-red wine called "Dracula". 4 castles are contenders for the title of the birthplace of the legendary prince.
"Lucifer International"
Blood, as you know, has a huge magic power. It was used in making fearful oaths, as well as in attempts to resurrect the dead or rejuvenate. , or "Red Brothers", as they call themselves (it turns out they exist in our time), they drink other people's blood in order to prolong their lives.
Until recently, the Gypsy Jesters sect operated in Los Angeles. Its members slaughtered the victim, drank its blood and ate the meat, and all traces of the brutal ritual were destroyed in a portable cremation oven. There is a "Lucifer International" which includes bloody sects all over the world! So who is their ideological inspirer, Vlad Dracula?
Creation of a myth
About Vlad Tepes, the most famous vampire of all times and peoples, the myth began in 1463 by King Matthias I of Hungary. On his order, an anonymous denunciation was fabricated about the terrible atrocities that Vlad allegedly committed: about tens of thousands of tortured civilians, burned alive beggars, about hats nailed to the heads of impolite ambassadors.
Books about ghouls and ghouls played a big role in the emergence of interest in the topic of vampirism. Byron's friend the physician Polidori wrote the novel The Vampire in 1819, which became a role model. Bram Stoker (who, by the way, was a black magician and a member of the Golden Dawn magical order), who sang of the "red brothers" only completed the creation of the myth when he published his famous novel Dracula in 1897. His character has become completely for bloodsuckers real way to emulate.
The cult of vampirism became associated with "initiation" into the ancient knowledge of the Dacians, the ancestors of the Romanians, and impalement. Two crossed pointed stakes became the symbol of vampires. It is believed that Dracula revived the magical rite of his distant ancestors. And what do historical documents say about his personality?
The truth about the "great monster"
The future ruler Vlad III Dracula ("son of the dragon") was born in 1431 and spent the first years of his life in the city of Sighisoara in Transylvania. A dragon was depicted on his family coat of arms - in Romanian "dracula", hence the nickname. The only one lifetime portrait Vlad does not at all correspond to the image of a ferocious and ruthless villain.
A beautiful face: black eyebrows, wide open green eyes framed by long eyelashes, aquiline nose, thick mustache, shaved chin. Big suffering eyes without a trace of cruelty and malice, unnatural thinness and a yellow, sickly complexion speak of trials and hardships. Black wavy hair falls over broad shoulders. Noble, full of dignity appearance.
He became the gospodar of Wallachia (a historical region on the territory of Romania) in 1456, in Hard times. Sultan Ottoman Empire Mehmed II Fatih (the Conqueror) had already stormed Constantinople, the capital of Byzantium, and moved on to Europe. The Turks occupied Bulgaria and Serbia. And the ruler of little Wallachia not only repelled their onslaught, but also attacked them himself.
In 1458, he made a trip to Bulgaria, freed and settled in his principality the Bulgarian peasants professing Orthodoxy. Mehmed II decided to overthrow the rebellious prince of Wallachia and put him on the throne younger brother Radu the Beautiful, who converted to Islam. Vlad knew that he could not resist alone, and turned to his neighbors for help. Assistance was promised by Matthias I Corvinus, the Moldavian prince Stefan (cousin and friend of Vlad) and other rulers.
But when the Turks attacked Wallachia in the summer of 1462, no one came to the rescue. The forces were unequal, despite the fact that Vlad drafted the entire male population of Wallachia into the army, starting from the age of 12, waged a guerrilla war and used scorched earth tactics. The Sultan approached the capital of the Principality of Targovishte.
In a swift night attack, Vlad's 7,000-strong detachment destroyed about 15,000 Turks and caused panic in their camp. But main goal- kill the Sultan to prevent further aggression - failed to achieve. After that bloody night, Mehmed II, leaving part of his troops to Radu the Handsome, left Wallachia. Defending his land, Vlad ruthlessly exterminated its enemies and really impaled them. But such an execution was then used in many countries.
black betrayal
Dracula defeated his enemies, but Stefan betrayed him and went over to Radu's side. The prince retreated to Transylvania, where the Hungarian troops were stationed. Korvin, whom he once helped to take the throne of Hungary, called Vlad "beloved and true friend". Matthias organized a denunciation of Dracula, and during the negotiations he arrested and chained Vlad, accusing him of having links with the Sultan, and kept him in prison without trial for 12 years!
The fact is that Corwin squandered 40,000 guilders, which he received from Pope Pius II to organize a crusade against the Turks, and decided to blame Vlad for his failure. Such an accusation against a man known for his uncompromising struggle with the Turks and who actually put Mehmed II to flight sounds absurd. The prince, despite the torture, did not confess to anything, and then Corvin, in order to hide his crimes, decided to present him as a monster in the eyes of the people.
Last takeoff
Under the reign of Radu the Handsome, Wallachia became a region of the Ottoman Empire. The Turkish threat to Europe was growing. New dad Roman Sixtus IV, apparently, understood that it was Dracula, who in fact showed his abilities as a commander, who could lead the Christian army against the Turks in crusade. And the "great monster" received freedom by fulfilling the conditions set for him: the transition from the Orthodox faith to the Catholic one and marriage to Corvin's cousin.
In 1476, Vlad, as commander of the Hungarian army, set out on a campaign to liberate Wallachia. Troops marched through Transylvania. There are documents about how joyfully his return was welcomed by the citizens of the city of Brasov, where, according to the denunciation, he had recently committed unheard-of atrocities. Having knocked out the Turks from the territory of the principality, Dracula on November 26, 1476 again became the ruler of Wallachia. But he was surrounded by open and secret enemies.
At the end of December, he was treacherously killed by traitors from his inner circle. His head was donated Turkish sultan and it was exhibited in one of the squares of Constantinople, which Mehmed II made the capital of the Ottoman Empire. According to legend, the headless body of Vlad was found by the monks of the Snagov Monastery located near Bucharest. They buried him in the chapel he built earlier near the altar.
Truth in lies
Facts, as you know, are stubborn things, and they say that Dracula was cruelly slandered. He did not commit heinous crimes, of which there is no evidence in historical documents. It is impossible that such facts are not reflected in the chronicles of those years. In the writings of the court chroniclers, the vile Corvinus is presented as just, and the traitor Stefan, who impaled 2,000 Romanians, is a saint. Among the streams of lies, fortunately, documents about the reign of Vlad have come down to us.
During his short life full of troubles, he founded Bucharest as a fortress and built the Curtea-Veche palace in it, the future residence of the Wallachian princes, in front of the ruins of which his bust now stands. Letters have been preserved in which he gave land to the peasants. Vlad fought bravely against the Turks, defending his people and his land, built churches and monasteries.
He - national hero Romania, a martyr betrayed by insidious "friends", killed and slandered. An outstanding personality, a smart and fair ruler who terrified his enemies, was turned into a mythical bloodthirsty monster for the whole world, which became the ideal for modern, very real cannibals and bloodsuckers.
Vampires and zombies.
"Secrets of the XX century" - (Gold series)
Count Dracula is a character known, perhaps, to everyone. We offer today to get to know this hero better and find out if he really existed.
First mentions
The name of Count Dracula was first used in 1897 in the novel Irish writer Abraham "Bram" Stoker. That was the name of the main antagonist of the work - an evil bloodsucker vampire who lives in a gloomy castle and cannot stand daylight. In reality, such a person did not exist, and the well-known Romanian prince, Prince of Wallachia - Vlad III Tepes became a kind of prototype for the hero of the book. Translated from the Romanian language, "Tepes" means "impaling". This nickname didn't just happen. Dealing with his enemies, the count ordered to put them on stakes. As a result, the victim could suffer for hours, and sometimes days. "Draco" is translated from Latin as "devil", so the name of Count Dracula, as the prototype of the main villain of Stoker's novel, is not unreasonable.
History of Dracula
As mentioned earlier, Vlad III was a tough ruler, he fought with the boyars for the centralization of power, and went on campaigns against the Turks. It is known that the ruler allowed the peasants to arm themselves in order to increase the possibility of resisting the hated Turkish raids. As a result of the refusal to pay tribute to the Turkish sultan, a large army of the Ottoman Empire tried to enter the principality, but their advance was successfully stopped not without the help of the population.
Legends about the Muntean governor
Being a strict but fair ruler, Count Dracula aroused the fear and respect of his subjects. There are several stories that are documented in records in archives and annals or were orally passed down by the inhabitants of those parts from generation to generation. The most famous of them tells of a merchant who was robbed in the market. A thief stole a purse from a merchant. He complained to Vlad III Tepes. The thief was quickly found and, in the traditional way for the ruler, was punished by impalement. And the purse was thrown to the merchant, adding one extra coin. After counting the contents, the merchant informed the ruler that there was extra money there. Count Vladislav Dracula grinned and said: “If you had kept silent, you would have sat next to your offender!” Another story tells that in those days there were many beggars in Romania. Count Dracula gathered them all together in a large hall, fed them, watered them, and after a plentiful dinner asked the question: “Do you want to stop your worldly torments?” Many answered in the affirmative, after which the ruler ordered the hall filled with people to be set on fire. Another story tells about a golden cup placed near a fountain right in the city. Anyone could drink water from it, and no one even thought of stealing it. Probably the population of Wallachia was very frightened by public executions, and no one wanted to die being impaled.
Where did the legendary king live?
On the modern map you will not find Wallachia - the principality, which was once ruled by Vlad III Tepes. Today it is part of modern European country Romania. Wallachia was located in the south of the Carpathians, reaching the Danube River. This region is very picturesque, has a wonderful beautiful nature. Charm from mountains, rivers, fresh air you will remember for a long time if you decide to go to this area. One of the places highly recommended to visit is the city of Brasov. It is in it that the famous castle of Count Dracula - Bran is located. Historians have no evidence that it was the permanent residence of Vlad the Impaler. However, the information that when visiting the Principality of Transylvania, Count Dracula stayed at Bran Castle cannot be refuted. Tourists who have been here say that moans and screams are heard in the corridors and rooms of the building, and in the morning the smell of blood is in the air. Thus, for such modern state, like Romania, Count Dracula to this day is a means to replenish the treasury.
The exploits of the Romanian prince
If you stop thinking of Dracula as a vampire for a moment and turn to historical reference to encyclopedias and archives, it becomes clear that Vlad III Tepes was a rather stubborn, strict, but competent commander, a true patriot. Being born in 1430 (some historians call 1431), he became the main contender for the throne of Wallachia, on whose territory Catholic Hungary and the Muslim Ottoman Empire made their claims. Already at the age of thirteen, Count Vladislav Dracula takes part in the battle of Varna. At the age of seventeen, with the help of the Turks, he ascends to the throne of Wallachia. But he won't be able to rule for long. Only in 1456 did Tepes take the place of ruler for a long time. After four years, he decides to stop paying tribute to the Ottoman Empire. Sultan Mehmet, personally acquainted with Vlad III Tepes, was surprised by such an act and sent huge army deal with the renegade prince. To the surprise of the Sultan, small Wallachia, headed by a bloodthirsty ruler, gave a serious rebuff to the army of the Janissaries. Count Dracula's castle was besieged by hordes of enemies, but the attacks were repulsed, and as a result, the Turks had to return home empty-handed.
Display in early cinema
AT modern films, thanks to the advent of computer special effects, Count Dracula has changed, began to look even more intimidating. A noteworthy picture is "Bram Stoker's Dracula" in 1997 from director Francis Ford Coppola. The film retells the book of the Irish writer. The role of the main protagonist was played by Gary Oldman. Cast members The film is very impressive: Anthony Hopkins and Keanu Reeves fit perfectly into their roles. The most "fresh" film is "Count Dracula" 2014 release. The plot has deviated somewhat from classic movie horror. There is love story and the story of the dashing campaigns of the Romanian governor, who protects native land from Turkish invaders. And he received his unearthly power in this interpretation from ancient vampire. In addition, in the movie "Count Dracula" in 2014 there are inconsistencies related to the marital status and names of the count's children.
Dracula in modern cinema
In modern films, thanks to the advent of computer special effects, Count Dracula has changed, began to look even more intimidating. A noteworthy picture is "Bram Stoker's Dracula" in 1997 from director Francis Ford Coppola. The film retells the book of the Irish writer. The role of the main protagonist was played by Gary Oldman. The cast of the film is very impressive: Anthony Hopkins and Keanu Reeves fit perfectly into their roles. The most "fresh" film is "Count Dracula" 2014 release. The plot in it somewhat departed from the classic horror film. There is a love story and a story about the dashing campaigns of the Romanian governor, who protects his native land from Turkish invaders. And he received his unearthly power in this interpretation from an ancient vampire. In addition, in the movie "Count Dracula" in 2014 there are inconsistencies associated with marital status and the names of the count's children.
Role in modern culture
AT recent decades all greater influence has on us western culture. Once it was alien to us, but today many of its features have firmly entered our lives. So, they came to us from the West different holidays, which have not previously been observed in our area. One of them is Halloween (All Saints' Eve). Traditionally, people who celebrate this day dress up in carnival costumes. A necessary requirement for the outfit is a "terrible" or "mystical" theme. The Count Dracula costume is one of the top Halloween costumes. Moreover, it is quite simple and consists of a long cloak with a standing collar and fangs. Thus, a person wearing such a costume will look like Dracula the vampire from the movie and have the look of a bloodsucker that is familiar to our eyes.
Considering the time in which Count Dracula lived, there is no photo with this legendary character. However, there are paintings and frescoes with his images. For lovers of this theme, the outfit of Vlad III Tepes on a festive evening will make an indelible impression. BUT true connoisseurs genre and history will only confirm the irresistible look.
Vampire or not?
As far as we know, a vampire is someone who drinks someone else's blood. The image of the bloodsucker Count Dracula received thanks to the novel and subsequent films based on it. The prototype of the hero of the book - Vlad III Tepes was not caught in the use of human or someone else's blood. However, being a strict and sometimes cruel ruler of his lands, he often punished and executed people who were guilty even in small things. And the executions were terrible and demonstrative, so that it would be disgraceful for others to repeat atrocities. Perhaps because of these massacres, the image of the Romanian medieval prince is associated with the image of Dracula the vampire. In any case, regardless of whether he drank blood or not, today the most famous vampire in the world is Dracula, created by a writer from Ireland, whom the reader first met back in 1897. Vlad Tepes became the prototype of the hero, nothing more. So believe in supernatural powers prince of Wallachia is not worth it, even despite the very bright biography this ruler, his exploits and legends about him.
A few last words
Vlad III Tepes Dracula lived more than five hundred years ago, and his memory is still alive. The reason for this is Count Dracula, photos, videos and other materials about which have filled the media space today. famous character created a whole trend in cinema and art. And today, films and series are released every year, where the main characters are bloodthirsty bloodsuckers. The vampire Dracula prompted hundreds of historians to the desire to explore any useful and interesting information about the ruler of Wallachia of the 15th century - Prince Vlad III. Thus, some of the gaps in history were filled.
my dear friend Hommy-Begu
The sequence in which these papers are presented will become clear as you read them. Everything unnecessary has been omitted so that this story, however incredible it may seem by modern standards, looks like an indisputable fact. There is not a word here about the past, in relation to which one can be mistaken, but all the selected evidence is recorded in hot pursuit and reflects the point of view and the degree of understanding of the participants in the events.
© I. S. Veselova, compilation, comments, 2014
© A. Parfenova, introductory article, 2014
© ZAO Firma Bertelsmann Media Moscow AO, Russian edition, decoration, 2014
Dracula by Bram Stoker
The novel "Dracula" by Bram Stoker never, for more than centennial history did not stop printing. The incredible popularity that he gained after the first publication in 1897 and which continues to live and evolve with each new version, is a completely normal phenomenon. The novel is based on images and ideas that make it attractive and intriguing to readers of any era, and even to us living a century after the death of the author.
With its status as a cult genre-forming novel Western European literature"Dracula" is obliged not only to sharp plot twists. The novel is a deep dive into topics that will always excite people. It has everything: the stereotypes of mass culture, Freud, Jung, tabooed in Victorian era topics of female sexuality and homosexuality. Stoker explores the nature of irrational fear, looks into the face of the very root of evil and sees in it an object of sympathy. He plays with the reader, taking him further and further into the labyrinth of voices and memories, blurring the line between reality and urban legend.
The novel "Dracula", like the count himself, is fraught with many secrets and hidden meanings. In order to understand the secret of its ageless popularity, you need to look into its origins.
Stoker collected materials and wrote "Dracula" for seven years, as evidenced by his diaries. However, some researchers of the work of the famous Irishman find the prerequisites for writing "Dracula" as early as early childhood writer.
Born in 1847 in Dublin to a civil servant and writer, Abraham "Bram" Stoker grew up as a sickly child. His mother spent a lot of time at his bedside, entertaining the boy with Celtic legends about bloodthirsty deities and spirits of the other world. These stories first originated in young writer the idea that in modern world there is a place for inexplicable otherworldly evil. Although there are no vampires in Irish myths, they abounded in pulp fiction of the time. The so-called "penny horrors" - cheap publications full of blood, the living dead and frightened young girls, were very popular at that time. The educational reform that began in 1870 contributed to the widespread increase in the level of literacy in Britain, but did not instill in the masses a taste for high literature. Even if Stoker did not read the pamphlets themselves, he was certainly familiar with their primary sources - Gothic novels of the early 19th century.
As an adult, Stoker became interested in literature and the theater, which was greatly facilitated by his close friendship with Oscar Wilde and his marriage to a young actress, the legendary Dublin beauty Florence Balcombe. Five days after the wedding, in 1878, Stoker moved to London and became the manager of the Lycium Theatre, whose star is another of his close friend- Actor Henry Irving. Irving is a mysterious and ambiguous figure. Contemporaries said about him that the actor with just a glance could zombify an entire hall of spectators. Irving became famous thanks to the roles of Mephistopheles and Richard III. He was tall and slender, with a piercing gaze and gray temples, which strongly resembled the description of the earl himself, which Stoker gives in the "London" chapters of the novel, after the transformation of Dracula from an ugly old man into a gloomy inhabitant of London.
Meanwhile, the theme of the cruel and supernatural is gaining more and more popularity in popular culture. One by one they come out into the light Strange story Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson and The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. Although none of these plots are directly related to vampirism, both novels are permeated with the idea of personified evil and urban gothic. In 1888, Jack the Ripper begins to operate on the streets of London.
Despite being very busy with his work in the theater and family life Stoker always found time to write. Dracula is his fifth novel. None of the previous ones were successful or critically acclaimed, but the writer did not give up. He dedicated Dracula to his friend and editor, the fashionable Victorian writer Hall Kane.
Stoker approached the collection of material very seriously. "Dracula" is written in a very fashionable Victorian era epistolary genre. He chose this narrative model for a reason. She allowed the author to reveal his intention layer by layer, she let the novel speak with the voices of all the main characters except Dracula himself, thereby making it even more mysterious.
In 1890, Stoker and his family vacation in the seaside village of Whitby in North Yorkshire. Right there, in local library, he stumbles upon a retelling of the biography of his future hero. Stoker made the village famous by making it the site of Dracula's first landing on the shores of England in the form huge dog. The article he found told about Vlad II, nicknamed the Dragon, and his son Vlad III, the son of the Dragon, who was popularly nicknamed Tepes for his incredible cruelty. The word "dragon" in ancient Romanian sounded like "dracul".
Initially, the main character of the novel was called Count Vamir. Stoker renamed it to last moment. Who knows whether it was an accident or a sudden insight, but the very word "dracula", so unusual, unfamiliar, exotic for the English-speaking reader, for many centuries to come became synonymous with horror.
It is worth noting that in historical sources there is no record of the Count actually drinking human blood. And the stories about his incredible cruelty, quite possibly, were exaggerated by the chroniclers due to the political situation in Eastern Europe that time. However, sources repeatedly mention Vlad III's predilection for torture and punishment. In particular, to the “cleansing” of girls who had sinned before the wedding with the help of red-hot iron and the eating of their own children by traitors as punishment for high treason. And what else to expect from a political leader of the Middle Ages, whose age was almost always bloody and short, and fear was the main weapon.
Stoker's Dracula - composite portrait. From Vlad Sr., he took the past of the great warrior-commander, and from the younger - an impregnable fortress and a bloody trail in history. However, Stoker did what none of the Victorian horror writers had done before him - he made his hero real. It is the fact that Count Dracula really lived, breathed and probably killed that makes him so scary, exciting and multifaceted and distinguishes him from any myth.
Vampires before Dracula are decaying the walking Dead, terrorizing distant abbeys and having nothing to do with the attractive glamorous image that has become a stereotype these days. It was Stoker who saved vampires from claws and excess hair, taught them to speak and charm, gave them power over their minds and a long black cloak with a scarlet lining. He taught the world how to deal with a vampire. In one of the chapters of the novel, Dr. Van Helsing describes in detail the necessary attributes of a hunter: holy water, crucifix, garlic, silver. Be sure to aim at the heart, and then cut off the head.
When the novel was published, this is what the Manchester Guardian wrote about it: “Humanity is no longer afraid of monsters and the supernatural. Although Mr. Stoker approached the topic with great enthusiasm and skill, the novel gives the impression of parody and grotesque rather than horror ... A whole novel about medieval horror stories - big mistake from an artistic point of view.
