What launched Dracula to become a world famous vampire? The author named the famous villain after Vlad Dracul, the prince of Romania back in 1456. The name Dracula means the son of the dragon or the devil. Dracul was responsible for killing many people in his time by staking them through the heart. He is a bloodthirsty hero in Romanian folklore. The book Dracula was created during the Victorian era where the industrial revolution rose and caused poor work conditions and disease. In addition most Victorian novels portray the terrible work lives of humans and show love in the end. Dracula was not the first vampire to be introduced in literature however, but has become the most popular vampire in pop culture starting from one book. The novel Dracula …show more content…
As a result Dracula has had many remakes after the novel was published, but the vampire character has also been a huge villain in movies other than Dracula. Film adaptations have been made over the years and the image of Dracula has been different in every one. In the novel, Dracula was seen as a spooky vampire and was described by Jonathan as “But my very feelings changed to repulsion and terror when I saw the whole man slowly emerge from the window, and begin to crawl down the castle wall over that dreadful abyss, face down, with his cloak spreading out around him like great wings” (Stoker 36). The first licensed Dracula novel featured the actor Bela Lugosi as Dracula. Lugosi has become the standard image of Dracula for a long time and still today. In addition he wears formal clothes and a cape which make him seem human like with sharp teeth. He was not the most horrifying or terrorizing creature, but many films have revised the look of Dracula over time. Later in 1992 Bram Stoker’s Dracula was released with a more terrorizing and intimidated looking vampire. Dracula was portrayed as more of an animal than a human which is the opposite of Bela Lugosi’s character. The humanized vampire has become the more original idea of a vampire in people's minds and it started with Lugosi less than 100 years …show more content…
In the article “Dracula: Novels for Students” the author states that many remakes have been made but three stand out to most people “F.W Murnau’s Nosferatu, Tod Browning’s Dracula, and Francis Ford Coppola’s Bram Stoker's Dracula” (Constantakis 2). Dracula is a famous worldwide character and all three of these Dracula remakes represent him in different ways. The first Nosferatu film in 1922 was a no audio film where Dracula is portrayed as a well mannered humanized vampire. The film also could not have the real names of the characters because they did not have licenses to the novel. The second film, Dracula featured Bela Lugosi and the film pulled in great audiences and was a major factor in how Universal made a large profit. It is also the most popular movie that people think of when they envision the vampire. The other Dracula film that is most recent is Bram Stoker’s Dracula that was released in 1992. This Dracula was more modern and had a collection of special effects that are more noticing than the others. Not only was the film different than the others, but Dracula looked more like an animal and creature than Bela Lugosi’s human like Dracula. The movie also twisted the plot from the original novel by having Mina stop the men from killing Dracula so that she can kill him, where in the book the men kill him “But, on the instant, came the
... period where there was a mix of different feeling and ideas coming about. Religion was the core of his tale, and also modeled it. On one side were the humans and on the other Dracula. Through their struggles to defeat the monster they experienced changes in gender roles, which was also present in real time. Women were becoming more free and working. The only way this change happened was because of the trust and the love between family members; that led to good stable home and ultimately success in life. Stoker wrote Dracula later on his career, this way he had more experience and knowledge of life and grew to believe in common universal truth. Dracula was a hit because it had truth and history in it, and it turned the ordinary good beats bad story into a compelling and interesting narrative, and if readers read carefully they could even find themselves in the book.
In the novel Dracula, by Bram Stoker, there is much evidence of foreshadowing and parallels to other myths. Dracula was not the first story featuring a vampire myth, nor was it the last. Some would even argue that it was not the best. However, it was the most original, using foreshadowing and mood to create horrific imagery, mythical parallels to draw upon a source of superstition, and original narrative elements that make this story unique.
In Bram Stoker's "Dracula", Dracula is portrayed as a monster made evident by his gruesome actions. An analysis of Dracula shows that: shows his evil nature in his planning, brutally killing Lucy Westrenstra causing a violent response from Dr. Seward and others, and how his evil ways lead to his downfall. To characterize Dracula in one way, he is a ruthless, cunning monster who uses tricks, torture, and wits to manipulate people to his will. However when he trifled with some courageous people, he had no knowledge that it would be his undoing.
While studying the diabolical figures in the devil, the idea of presenting Dracula came to mind. Dracula represents the devil in many similar ways. Dracula remains as a character in many diabolical movies and films. For instance, Van Helsing provides a good interpret of how Dracula remains noticed in the past and in present day. Although Dracula’s character obtains different views in every movie and film, he plays an important role in Stephen Sommers Van Helsing movie. In the movie, he acts as many different things. Demonstrating both the kind and evil inside, Dracula portrays his character as a mystery. Different views of Dracula throughout the movie include harsh, strong, powerful, evil, the devil, and unstoppable. The studies of Dracula
Bram Stoker took the legend of Vlad Tepes and used it as an idea for Dracula. He was the ruler of an old country called Wallachia. He is most famous for impaling his enemies on sticks around his castle. He taught himself how to miss vital organs in the body, causing the victim to die a slow painful death. This is why people consider him an ancient vampire. What people don’t know about him is that the rich loved him, but the poor hated him. To anyone that didn’t have to seal to make it by he was great. But to the poor people who couldn’t buy food, they were always in fear of him. He was abused as a child, and this is what is thought to have caused his behavior. (Melton 1053)
From Transylvania to Hollywood, vampires have transformed from unfamiliar, mysterious personalities to one of the most dominant monsters in the horror genre today. Vampires are one of the oldest and most noted creatures in mythology, with many variations of them around the world. Although the most famous version is Bram Stoker’s Dracula, many variants have come before and after telling of the same legend with their own added ideas and modifications to relate to their cultures. Today, there is a multitude of literary and film works that convey and resurface peoples’ fear of vampires. As gothic works like Dracula, by Bram Stoker and Scooby-Doo! and the Legend of the Vampire directed by Scott Jeralds share certain traits reflective of the genre;
Dracula by Bram Stoker is an authentic Gothic novel that manages to hit on every Gothic literature aspect. Gothic literature is usually set in an isolated setting and has a dark, mysterious, and evil tone. In this type of literature, there are usually dark castles, palaces, presences of supernatural beings, and religion. The book Dracula is about a Count from Transylvania that goes to London in search of new victims and a group of Victorian citizens who end up defeating him and his evil ways. The use of setting and atmosphere in Dracula is filled with a world full of mystery and fear. Bram Stoker manages to capture the Gothic element with his use of castles, symbols, and isolated setting.
Dracula, the 1931 film directed by Tod Browning is loosely based upon the novel of the same name. Therefore both share similar characteristics but are distinct. The differences between the novel and film occur due to the cinematic choices made as well as the fact that the film is based off of not only the novel Dracula but also the 1924 play Dracula. One major decision made by Browning was to alter the role of Johnathan Harker. In the novel Johnathan is the solicitor who meets with Dracula in Transylvania and narrowly escapes the “veritable prison” and is a changed man due to his experiences there (25).
The “Otherness” Dracula possesses reinforces our own norms and beliefs through his transgression that separates him from society and the polarity to Western norms and ideals makes him an effective device for extorting revulsion and horror. Stoker’s novel employs Gothic tradition, providing “the principle embodiments and evocations of cultural anxieties” from which the very Gothic mood and horror is produced, establishing the baseline used to distinguish the modern vampires, as part of vampire mythology within the Gothic (Botting Aftergothic 280). Differences Between Dracula and Twilight The similarities between the two novels are namely Gothic imagery and theme, but the Gothic mood predominates in Dracula over Twilight and it is this difference that makes Twilight not belong in the vampire canon. Horror is the element that Dracula possesses that Edward does not, and it is crucial in the interplay between transgression and limit.
Comparing the 1931 version of Dracula, starring Bela Lugosi, with Frances Ford Coppola's Bram Stoker's Dracula 1993 version yields some similarities. Both films are of the same genre: Horror. Both films are set around the same time period. Also, both deal with a vampire coming to England and causing disruptions in people's lives. Beyond these few similarities are numerous contrasts.
From the whispers of townsfolk spreading legends and tales of what goes bump in the night to the successful novels, plays and film adaptations, the story of the vampire has remained timeless and admired. One of the main writers responsible for this fame and glory is Bram Stoker with his rendition Dracula, written in 1897. Dracula follows the accounts of Jonathan Harker, Mina Murray, Dr. John Seward, Lucy Westenra, and Dr. Van Helsing, through their journal entries and letters, newspaper articles, and memos. Bram’s vision for Dracula is both terrifying and captivating as the reader follows a small group of men and women led by Dr. Van Helsing through their attempt to retaliate against Count Dracula’s efforts to spread his undead chaos and blood lust across England.
To date, the closest adaptation of the original novel is Francis Ford Coppola’s Bram Stoker’s Dracula. The basic overview of the story has the departure of Jonathan Harker from his fiancée Mina Murray in London, visiting Transylvania where he has an encounter with the evil Dracula. In England we are introduced to the characters of Lucy, a socialite, and her three suitors. Through terror Jonathan escapes back home, while Dracula arrives in London where he attacks Lucy, Mina’s friend, and Mina herself. Dr. Van Helsing arrives as help with the unknown, and in the end a climatic battle in the Transylvanian Castle Dracula takes place. Dracula is an epistolary novel that consists of journal entries, letters, telegram, phonographic recordings of Dr. Seward, and excerpts from newspaper articles, meaning it was written from a number of perspectives. The film has done its best to this and is witnessed through a variety of viewpoints.
Over the years people have given new out looks on the original vampire, Dracula. He was a tall non-attractive looking man who would never come out during the day. Hollywood however has made new vampire stories such as Twilight, True Blood, and The Vampire Diaries/The Originals that have new ideas of a vampire. These novels/books all have differences, but some still have key characteristics of the original vampire.
Dracula, by Bram Stoker, is a classic tale of Gothicism. Traditionally, gothic tales only carried single theme of horror. Through Dracula, Stoker breaks this single theme barrier. The theme throughout Dracula is clearly displayed through the characters as they step from ignorance to realization in this tale of horror.
Dracula, the most famous vampire of all time, which readers were first introduced to by Irish author Bram Stoker in 1897 with his novel Dracula, which tells the story of the mysterious person named Count Dracula (Stoker). The book is an outstanding masterpiece of work, which is why it has been a prototype for various movie releases over the decades. Whenever a film director decides to make a movie on behalf of a novel the hope is that the characters concur from the novel to the movie, which leads to the exploration of the resemblances and modifications between the characters in Dracula the novel by Bram Stoker and Bram Stoker’s Dracula 1992 movie directed by Francis Ford Coppola.