Vampire Brides

Welcome to Celebrate Poe - Episode 365 - Vampire Brides

Let’s jump into Bram Stoker’s 1897 Gothic novel - Dracula.  Now the character of Count Dracula draws from  draws from historical figures, folklore, and literary innovation, and is widely believed to be inspired by Vlad III Dracula (Vlad the Impaler), a 15th-century Wallachian prince known for his brutal tactics against Ottoman invaders.  The name "Dracula" derives from Vlad II Dracul, Vlad III’s father, who belonged to the Order of the Dragon (Dracul meaning "dragon" or "devil" in Romanian).

Now Bram Stoker - though we don’t have any solid proof of this - likely encountered the name of Vlad the impaler - the 15th century Wallachian prince known for his brutal tactics against Ottoman invaders - in his research for his novel, but there is no proof that Stoker’s modeled the Count directly on him. Scholars note Stoker’s notes mention neither Vlad nor Transylvanian history in depth. He may have just liked the sound of the name.

In fact, Stoker blended vampire folklore with Gothic tropes, possibly inspired by actors Sir Henry Irving (for Dracula’s aristocratic demeanor) and Jacques Damala. Many scholars believe he lesbian vampire tale Carmilla (1872) also influenced the novel’s tone.

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Transcript

Welcome to Celebrate Poe - Episode 365 - Vampire Brides

Let’s jump into Bram Stoker’s 1897 Gothic novel - Dracula.  Now the character of Count Dracula draws from  draws from historical figures, folklore, and literary innovation, and is widely believed to be inspired by Vlad III Dracula (Vlad the Impaler), a 15th-century Wallachian prince known for his brutal tactics against Ottoman invaders.  The name "Dracula" derives from Vlad II Dracul, Vlad III’s father, who belonged to the Order of the Dragon (Dracul meaning "dragon" or "devil" in Romanian).

Now Bram Stoker - though we don’t have any solid proof of this - likely encountered the name of Vlad the impaler - the 15th century Wallachian prince known for his brutal tactics against Ottoman invaders - in his research for his novel, but there is no proof that Stoker’s modeled the Count directly on him. Scholars note Stoker’s notes mention neither Vlad nor Transylvanian history in depth. He may have just liked the sound of the name.

In fact, Stoker blended vampire folklore with Gothic tropes, possibly inspired by actors Sir Henry Irving (for Dracula’s aristocratic demeanor) and Jacques Damala. Many scholars believe he lesbian vampire tale Carmilla (1872) also influenced the novel’s tone.

Stoker’s meticulous research and planning shaped Dracula’s structure and themes. Originally titled The Un-Dead, the novel was set in Styria (Austria) with a vampire named "Count Wampyr". Stoker later changed the setting to Transylvania after discovering the name "Dracula" in a library. He also found notes regarding traits like aversion to mirrors, sunlight weakness, and transformation into bats. These became staples of vampire fiction.

Stoker structured the novel as a collage of diaries, letters, and news clippings (an epistolary format), to enhance realism - a fact that surprises many readers.  Epistolary means it is written using letters, journals, and articles to create a layered narrative. Documents such as Jonathan Harker’s diary and Dr. Seward’s phonograph logs lend credibility to the supernatural plot.  And voices and perspectives range from Mina’s emotional vulnerability to Van Helsing’s scientific rigor, offering a holistic view of events.
This format allowed multi-perspective storytelling, heightening suspense. The novel intertwines themes of good vs. evil, modernity vs. tradition, and the supernatural with visceral suspense. 

There are often differences between a novel and film adaptations, and Dracula is certainly no exception.  For example, Francis Ford Coppola’s 1992 Bram Stoker’s Dracula explicitly links Dracula to Vlad the Impaler, depicting him as a tragic lover cursed after his wife’s death. Bram Stoker’s novel offers no such origin.The film romanticizes their relationship between Mina and Dracula, while the novel portrays Mina as resisting Dracula’s influence.  Also the novel’s "prim" Lucy becomes sexually voracious in the film.

There is also a major diffference in the ending. The novel concludes with Dracula’s swift staking and disintegration. The film adds a melodramatic death scene where Mina "frees" Dracula’s soul.

Other adaptations, such as the 1977 BBC version, adhere more closely to the book’s plot and lack supernatural romance.  I saw the BBC version, and thought it was EXTREMELY entertaining - almost as though the creators of that version set out to make a really good version that could not possibly be surpassed.

The 1897 novel begins with Solicitor Jonathan Harker traveling to Transylvania to assist Count Dracula with purchasing an estate in England. Trapped in Dracula’s castle, Harker discovers the Count’s vampiric nature, and cannot believe what he sees.

What I saw was the Count’s head coming out from the window. I did not see the face, but I knew the man by the neck and the movement of his back and arms. In any case I could not mistake the hands which I had had so many opportunities of studying. I was at first interested and somewhat amused, for it is wonderful how small a matter will interest and amuse a man when he is a prisoner. 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. At first I could not believe my eyes. I thought it was some trick of the moonlight, some weird effect of shadow; but I kept looking, and it could be no delusion. I saw the fingers and toes grasp the corners of the stones, worn clear of the mortar by the stress of years, and by thus using every projection and inequality move downwards with considerable speed, just as a lizard moves along a wall.
What manner of man is this, or what manner of creature is it in the semblance of man? I feel the dread of this horrible place overpowering me; I am in fear—in awful fear—and there is no escape for me; I am encompassed about with terrors that I dare not think of….

And later Harker encounters Dracula’s three vampire brides.

“Go on! You are first, and we shall follow; yours is the right to begin.” The other added:—
“He is young and strong; there are kisses for us all.” I lay quiet, looking out under my eyelashes in an agony of delightful anticipation. The fair girl advanced and bent over me till I could feel the movement of her breath upon me. Sweet it was in one sense, honey-sweet, and sent the same tingling through the nerves as her voice, but with a bitter underlying the sweet, a bitter offensiveness, as one smells in blood.
I was afraid to raise my eyelids, but looked out and saw perfectly under the lashes. The girl went on her knees, and bent over me, simply gloating. There was a deliberate voluptuousness which was both thrilling and repulsive, and as she arched her neck she actually licked her lips like an animal, till I could see in the moonlight the moisture shining on the scarlet lips and on the red tongue as it lapped the white sharp teeth. Lower and lower went her head as the lips went below the range of my mouth and chin and seemed about to fasten on my throat. Then she paused, and I could hear the churning sound of her tongue as it licked her teeth and lips, and could feel the hot breath on my neck. Then the skin of my throat began to tingle as one’s flesh does when the hand that is to tickle it approaches nearer—nearer. I could feel the soft, shivering touch of the lips on the super-sensitive skin of my throat, and the hard dents of two sharp teeth, just touching and pausing there. I closed my eyes in a languorous ecstasy and waited—waited with beating heart.

Now THAT is really creepy!

Dracula later transports 50 boxes of Transylvanian soil to England via the ship Demeter, whose crew mysteriously vanishes. He begins preying on Lucy Westenra, a friend of Harker’s fiancée, Mina Murray. Lucy’s health deteriorates, and despite blood transfusions led by Dr. John Seward and Professor Abraham Van Helsing, she dies and transforms into a vampire. The group then destroys her undead form to free her soul.

Then Van Helsing, Harker, Mina, Seward, Lucy’s fiancé Arthur Holmwood, and American Quincey Morris form an alliance to hunt Dracula. They discover his reliance on native soil for power and sterilize his coffins using holy wafers. Dracula retaliates by attacking Mina, linking her psychically to him.

Pursuing Dracula to Transylvania, the group splits: Van Helsing destroys Dracula’s vampire brides, while the others ambush his caravan. Harker decapitates Dracula, and Quincey stabs his heart, reducing him to dust. Quincey dies heroically, and Mina is freed from the vampire curse.

Now the novel seems underscore the necessity of blending innovation with tradition - for example - the protagonists use technology (typewriters, blood transfusions) but rely on ancient remedies (crucifixes, garlic) to defeat Dracula, underscoring the necessity of blending innovation with tradition.

And then there is good versus evil. Dracula symbolizes primal evil, corrupting innocence (Lucy, Mina) and defying Christian morality. The heroes’ victory hinges on faith, sacrifice, and unity.

Holy objects (crucifixes, communion wafers) repel vampires, framing the conflict as a spiritual battle. Lucy’s posthumous redemption through staking highlights salvation themes.

So you have a novel with vivid characters -

Count Dracula is a centuries-old vampire seeking to spread his influence, embodying corruption and ancient superstition.

Van Helsing is a  Dutch genius who merges scientific rigor with folklore knowledge to lead the fight.

Mina Harker is a resilient, intellectually gifted woman whose purity and loyalty prove vital to defeating Dracula.
Lucy Westenra is Dracula’s first victim, whose transformation and death catalyze the protagonists’ mission.

And the novel as a whole is an exploration of Victorian anxieties—sexuality, immigration, and scientific progress—all this cementing its status as a cultural touchstone. Its themes of enduring evil and moral resilience remain resonant, inspiring countless adaptations.

Dracula’s enduring legacy stems from Stoker’s fusion of history, folklore, and innovative narrative techniques. While film adaptations often take creative liberties, the novel remains a cornerstone of Gothic horror, anchored by its rich intertextuality and psychological depth.

One thing that may have really influenced the writing of the novel Dracula were notes that Bram Stoker took recording a vampire’s supposed aversion to mirrors, sunlight weakness, and transformation into bats. These became staples of vampire fiction.

Now Bram Stoker's personal life significantly influenced the creation of Dracula, blending his experiences, relationships, and cultural background into the novel's Gothic themes and characters. 

Stoker was a sickly child, bedridden for much of his early years with an undiagnosed illness. His mother, Charlotte Blake Stoker, entertained him with tales of Irish folklore and supernatural legends, including stories of famine and the "living dead" during the Great Irish Famine. These experiences likely shaped his fascination with death, blood, and the macabre themes central to Dracula.

Stoker later worked as the personal assistant to Sir Henry Irving, a renowned actor-manager of the Lyceum Theatre in London. Irving's commanding personality and dramatic presence are often cited as inspirations for Count Dracula’s aristocratic demeanor and manipulative nature. Barbara Belford even suggests a possible homoerotic subtext in their relationship, reflecting Stoker's complex admiration for Irving.

Stoker’s travels to Whitby, England, in 1890 played a pivotal role in shaping Dracula. He drew inspiration from Whitby Abbey’s ruins, local legends, and historical research conducted at the town library. Additionally, his exposure to Hungarian writer Ármin Vámbéry’s accounts of Eastern European folklore deepened his understanding of vampire myths.

Stoker’s Irish heritage also left an indelible mark on the novel. Stories of blood-sucking creatures like Abhartach, a Celtic chieftain believed to rise from the grave to drink blood, may have informed his depiction of Dracula. The practice of bloodletting during his childhood treatment further reinforced his thematic focus on blood.

Stoker reportedly had a vivid nightmare about blood-sucking creatures after eating dressed crab in London in 1890. This dream spurred him to write Dracula. Additionally, he was influenced by contemporary Gothic writers like Mary Shelley and Sheridan Le Fanu (Carmilla), whose works explored supernatural themes.

Bram Stoker's Dracula intricately weaves the clash between modernity and tradition into its core theme of good versus evil, using this tension to deepen the moral and existential stakes of the narrative. 

Representing tradition gone corrupt, Dracula embodies pre-modern superstition and primal hunger. His Transylvanian castle and reliance on folklore (e.g., shapeshifting, control of wolves) contrast sharply with London’s industrialized society. Yet, his invasion of England symbolizes how ancient evils persist despite technological progress.

Van Helsing’s group embodies Victorian virtues—duty, rationality, and self-sacrifice. Their moral resolve is tested as they confront Dracula’s corruption. For example: Mina Harker combines modern intellect (using shorthand and typewriters) with unwavering moral purity, resisting Dracula’s influence through faith.

Quincey Morris dies heroically, symbolizing the ultimate sacrifice for the greater good.

The Count’s predation on Lucy and Mina reflects selfishness and a rejection of societal norms. His manipulation of Renfield and destruction of innocence highlight his role as a force of existential corruption.

Van Helsing’s methods epitomize the novel’s thematic balance:He uses blood transfusions and medical knowledge, reflecting Victorian trust in progress. He reverts to folklore (stakes, holy symbols) when science fails, acknowledging the limits of modernity. His leadership unites the group, framing their quest as a spiritual crusade against evil.  And As a Catholic, Van Helsing’s faith empowers him to wield religious symbols effectively, contrasting with Protestant characters’ initial skepticism.

On the other hand, Dracula has his own distinct powers. His immortality, shapeshifting, and control over nature defy scientific explanation, forcing the protagonists to confront a reality beyond their rational worldview.

Lucy’s death despite blood transfusions and Seward’s initial disbelief in vampires underscore modernity’s inadequacy against ancient evils. Only by embracing the supernatural (e.g., hypnotism, folklore) do the heroes gain the upper hand.

Religious Symbols as physically repel Dracula, linking divine power to tangible victory over evil. Their efficacy depends on the wielder’s faith, as seen when Mina’s Star of David burns Dracula.

The novel frames vampirism as a perversion of Christian communion (blood as life) and eternal damnation. Lucy’s posthumous peace after being staked mirrors Christian redemption.

In other words, Stoker’s Dracula positions good and evil as timeless forces, magnified by the tension between progress and tradition. The protagonists’ victory hinges on harmonizing modern ingenuity with ancient wisdom, while religious symbols and moral resolve anchor their fight. The novel ultimately argues that evil, though eternal, can be vanquished through unity, faith, and the synthesis of old and new—a message resonant in any era confronting its own existential threats.

Bram Stoker's Dracula intricately weaves the clash between modernity and tradition into the core theme of good versus evil, using this tension to deepen the moral and existential stakes of the narrative. 

Representing tradition gone corrupt, Dracula embodies pre-modern superstition and primal hunger. His Transylvanian castle and reliance on folklore (e.g., shapeshifting, control of wolves) contrast sharply with London’s industrialized society. Yet, his invasion of England symbolizes how ancient evils persist despite technological progress.

The protagonists employ modern innovations like blood transfusions, phonographs, and typewriters to document their fight. However, these fail against Dracula’s supernatural power. Only hybridizing modernity with tradition—crucifixes, garlic, and communion wafers—allows them to prevail. This duality underscores that neither science nor faith alone can defeat evil; their synthesis is essential.

Now Van Helsing’s group embodies Victorian virtues—duty, rationality, and self-sacrifice. Their moral resolve is tested as they confront Dracula’s corruption. For example: Mina Harker combines modern intellect (using shorthand and typewriters) with unwavering moral purity, resisting Dracula’s influence through faith.  But Dracula’s manipulation of Renfield and destruction of innocence highlight his role as a force of existential corruption.

Then there is the character Van Helsing to epitomize the novel’s thematic balance.  For example, he uses blood transfusions and medical knowledge, reflecting Victorian trust in progress. Van Helsing also reverts to folklore (stakes, holy symbols) when science fails, acknowledging the limits of modernity. His leadership unites the group, framing their quest as a spiritual crusade against evil.  And as a Roman Catholic, Van Helsing’s faith empowers him to wield religious symbols effectively, contrasting with Protestant characters’ initial skepticism.


Dracula’s defeat at Carfax Abbey—a reclaimed Gothic space—symbolizes the triumph of sacred tradition over profane corruption.

In summary, Stoker’s Dracula positions good and evil as timeless forces, magnified by the tension between progress and tradition. The protagonists’ victory hinges on harmonizing modern ingenuity with ancient wisdom, while religious symbols and moral resolve anchor their fight. The novel ultimately argues that evil, though eternal, can be vanquished through unity, faith, and selfless love.

Join Celebrate Poe for episode 366 about my favorite character in Dracula - Would You Like Some Sugar with Your Flies?

Sources include: Coy Hall - The Horrors of History: Vampires, Sources include: Vampires: A Handbook of History & Lore of the Undead by Agnes Hollyhock, Vampire Forensics: Uncovering the Origins of an Enduring Legend by Mark Collins Jenkins, and In Search of Dracula: The History of Dracula and Vampires by Radu Florescu and Raymond T. McNally. 

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