"I know there is no such a person as Dracula. You know there is no such a person as Dracula" But Does Dracula Know It...

“You know the character, of course, You’ve Seen him throughout your life—in cartoons, on cereal boxes, in countless movies and TV shows, and later teaming up with other creature-feature stars like Frankenstein and the Wolf Man, squaring off against the good guys from Sherlock Holmes to Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” James Mustich

Hi 1000 Bookies!!! Our next visit in the 1000 Books to Read Before You Die begins at the turn of the last century in the woods of Transylvania, and then the estates of Victorian England.  For this Halloween season, I chose to read the classic novel, Dracula by Bram Stoker.  Because of this great story, a little known minor historical figure gained immortality…at least culturally.  Count Dracula has attained the highest level of recognition in the literary hall of fame with the likes of Sherlock Holmes, Ebenezer Scrooge, and Tom Sawyer. However, according to literary critic, Brooke Allen, “Upon its publication in 1897, Bram Stoker’s Dracula was seen as nothing more than a slightly cheesy thriller, if an unusually successful one”.  

This Gothic horror story and its titular character has captured the world’s imagination.  It would seem that every hero in our popular culture has battled Count Dracula--from Fred Flintstone & Barney Rubble to Sherlock Holmes, from Bud Abbott & Lou Costello to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, from Scooby Doo to Indiana Jones—these fights have been entertaining the public for close to 100 years.  If you want to get to a higher level of recognition in popular culture, you needed to fight an immortal icon such as Count Dracula. Its almost like WWE wrestling, when the young, up and coming star is “put over” battling an older star.  Dracula has also been made into good guy in some cases—the Count from Sesame Street, Grandpa on The Munsters and of course Count Chocula breakfast cereal. I have always enjoyed the fight between good and evil.  So, I decided to read the novel behind this cultural icon.  

My first impression of the novel was how little Count Dracula actually appears.  Dracula is presented in the beginning with his interactions with Jonathan Harker, but once the Count leaves for England he does not appear for a while.  While the reader discovers his machinations, the Count doesn't reappear till the last quarter of the novel.  This struck me as intriguing since the movies are built around the Count as the main character.  Thus the movies and the novel diverge. Dracula morphs into different shapes including a wolf, the mist and of course a vampire bat--which the reader comes in contact with in the book.  

The greatest horror writer, Stephen King, once said that Dracula was essentially a Buddy adventure and I would agree with that assessment.  The story revolves around 5 men on an quest to destroy Count Dracula.  Count Dracula seduces and ultimately murders a woman loved by three men, Ms. Lucy Westerna.  Then Dracula turns his attention on Mrs. Mina Harker.  Dr. John Seward, Arthur Holmwood, Quincey Morris, Dr. Abraham Van Helsing and Jonathan Harker team up to catch and destroy. 

The one part of the story I did not understand was the character of Renfield.  The author uses Renfield as an acolyte of Dracula's, helping him arrive into the insane asylum to get to Mina.  There is obviously a back story to the Dracula-Renfield relationship which is left out of the novel.  Also Renfield eats bugs, mice and birds but why is not explained as well.  I kept wondering, why wouldn't Dracula make him a full vampire to assist him.  

Stoker based the Count on Vlad III Tepes, an real life character in history. Vlad Dracula today is a national hero in Wallachia and  Transylvania in Romania and Hungary.  The historic Vlad fought the invading Turks of the Ottoman Empire and stood up for Chrisindom.  He butchered many Turks by impaling them on stakes, thus his nickname of Vlad the Impaler.  The question remains if Vlad was also a cannibal—drinking the blood of his enemies.  While he was a hero, the fact remains that Vlad also murdered many of his own people as well as the Turks.  At points Vlad Dracula was a Saint in his Orthodox Church but then at one point he was excommunicated and condemned by the Church in Rome.  Interestingly, the Roman Catholic Church is always portrayed as Dracula’s major antagonist. 

I would suggest that the movies are the main catalyst of the myth and the legend of Dracula becoming very popular.  From Bela Lugosi to Luke Evans, from Gary Oldman to Leslie Nielson, from Frank Langella to Christopher Lee, many actors have portrayed the Count.  Bela Lugosi was the most famous portraying him in several movies.  Lugosi was long identified with the character.  One reason for his success was he came out of that area.  Bela Lugosi was even buried in his Dracula Cape when he died...so they say.  

My favorite Dracula movie is by far Abbott and Costello meet Frankenstein, which I would watch with my Grandfather.  The comedy duo meets Dracula (Bela Lugosi), Frankenstein and the Wolfman in a slapstick comedy. Watching the movie was one of the last and only memories of my grandfather, who passed away shortly thereafter.  

I recommend picking up a copy of Dracula by Bram Stoker and enjoy the ride.  

Keep Reading My Friends!!!