DRACULA:
A PROJECT
1
INDEX
1. VAMPIRES: AN INTRODUCTION
1.1 Definition
1.2 Appearance and history
1.3 Vampire fiction
1.4 How is a vampire’s body?
1.5 Vampire characteristics
2
INDEX
2. VAMPIRES IN HISTORY
2.1 Elizabeth Bathory
2.2 Peter Kürten
2.3 Vlad the Impaler
3
INDEX
3. VAMPIRES IN CINEMA
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Francis Ford Coppola’s Dracula
3.3 Interview with the vampire
3.4 The Twilight Saga
4
INDEX
4. VAMPIRES IN LITERATURE: BRAM
STOKER’S DRACULA (I)
4.1 Vlad Dracul vs Count Dracula
4.2 Bram Stoker: Life and works
4.3 Summary
5
INDEX
5. OUR READING BOOK: BRAM STOKER’S
DRACULA (II)
5.1 Character study
5.2 Vocabulary
6
GROUP 1:
VAMPIRES, AN
INTRODUCTION
7
VAMPIRES: AN INTRODUCTION
DEFINITION: Vampires are mythological or folkloric
beings who subsist by feeding on the life essence
(generally in the form of blood) of living creatures. In
folkloric tales, vampires often visited loved ones and
caused mischief or deaths in the
neighbourhoods they inhabited
when they were alive.
Vampiren, by Edward Munch
8
VAMPIRES: AN INTRODUCTION
APPEARANCE: They wore shrouds
and were often described as swollen
and with dark face.
This is markedly different from
modern fictional portrayals of gaunt,
pale vampires beginning in the early
19th century.
Vampire make-up
9
VAMPIRES: AN INTRODUCTION
 HISTORY: Vampiric entities have been recorded in many
cultures and the "belief in vampires and bloodsucking demons is
as old as man himself".
However, the term vampire was not popularized until the early
18th century, after an influx of vampire superstition into Western
Europe from areas where vampire legends were frequent, such
as the Balkans and Eastern Europe,.
This increased level of vampire superstition in Europe led to
mass hysteria and in some cases resulted in corpses actually
being staked and people being accused of vampirism
10
VAMPIRES: AN INTRODUCTION
VAMPIRE FICTION:
The charismatic and sophisticated vampire of modern fiction was born in
1819 with the publication of The Vampyre by John Polidori.It was the most
influential vampire work of the early 19th century.
However, it is Bram Stoker's 1897 novel Dracula that is remembered
as the quintessential vampire novel and which provided the basis
of modern vampire fiction. Dracula drew on earlier mythologies of
werewolves and similar imaginary demons and "was to voice the anxieties
of an age", and the "fears of late Victorian patriarchy".
The success of this book spawned a distinctive vampire genre, still popular
in the 21st century, with books, films, video games, and television shows.
The vampire is adominant figure in the horror genre.
11
HOW IS A VAMPIRE’S BODY?







EYES: Vampire’s pupils expand very much and they can see at night.
The sun blinds vampires.
EARS: Vampires have big ears. They can find their way through
sounds, just like bats!
TEETH: Vampire’s canine teeth are very, very long to bite their
victim’s neck.
SKIN: very light and thin. They are very sensitive to sun radiation.
NAILS: They are hard and they keep growing. They let vampires break
the skin of their victims and drink their blood quickly.
LUNGS: Vampires don’t breathe. They get oxygen from their victim’s
blood.
MUSCLES: their muscular fibres are very elastic. They are very strong,
too.
12
VAMPIRE CHARACTERISTICS
 Vampires can convert into
insects, bats,rats or wolves.
The most mentioned in popular
culture is the bat form.
 They don’t reflect in mirrors, they don’t have a shadow, maybe
because they don’t have a soul.
13
VAMPIRE CHARACTERISTICS
•Vampires’ demonic nature makes them hate christian
symbols. That’s why they run away when someone uses
a christian cross or holy water. They can’t go across
consecrated land such as churches.
•They hate garlic and they are vulnerable to sunlight.
14
VAMPIRE CHARACTERISTICS
• They are indestructible using common means and they
are extremely strong and fast, but they weaken next to
water currents
• They have a natural affinity with magic, especially
with black magic and necromancy.
• They feed on their victims’ blood.
15
ARE YOU READY?
AHHHHHH!
This is
Christopher
Lee
as Dracula
16
GROUP 2:
VAMPIRES IN HISTORY
17
VAMPIRES IN HISTORY
Some people drank blood for pleasure or
with magical purposes.
ELIZABETH BATHORY drank
blood in the 17th century
to keep eternal youth.
18
VAMPIRES IN HISTORY
PETER KÜRTEN (1883-1931), the vampire of
Dusseldorf, drank animal or human blood
and he felt great
pleasure.
19
THE REAL DRACULA
PRINCE VLAD DRACULA
“The Impaler”
Vlad Dracula, later named Vlad
the Impaler after his favourite
form of torture, was a 15th century
Romanian prince who ruled with an
iron fist.
This infamous ruler controlled his
subjects with such violence that
he is now referred to as the
bloodiest ruler in history.
20
THE REAL DRACULA: VLAD THE IMPALER
Vlad was born in Transylvania in 1430 or
1431. His father, the warrior Vlad Dracul,
was a member of a secret society of knights
called the order of the Dragon. This society
was formed to fight and defeat the Turks, as
well as secure the throne of Wallachia
(a town located in present-day Romania).
Young Vlad was nicknamed Dracula after his
father. In Romanian, Dracul translates to
‘dragon’ or ‘devil,’ and the ‘a’ stands for
‘son
of.’ So Dracula literally translates to
‘son of
the dragon’ or ‘son of the devil.’
21
THE REAL DRACULA: VLAD THE IMPALER
In 1444 Dracul was travelling with Dracula and his
youngest son across the Danube River when they
were captured by the Turks. Dracula was imprisoned
for four years. These years are thought to be the
beginning of Vlad Dracula’s violent nature. It wasn’t
long before Dracul was assassinated and Dracula’s
brother was buried alive by the Ruler of Hungary,
Jamos Hunyadi. Fearful for his life, Dracula joined
Hunyadi who taught him cunning and severe military
tactics that would soon secure Dracula the throne of
Wallachia.
22
THE REAL DRACULA: VLAD THE IMPALER
As Prince, Vlad Dracula continued to battle the Turks. Those taken
hostage were impaled (a large pole was driven through their body).
But it was not only Dracula’s enemies who suffered. Many
townspeople were also subject to his wrath.
Woodcut of Vlad surrounded by his victims
23
THE REAL DRACULA: VLAD THE IMPALER
One story tells of Dracula noticing a peasant man
who was wearing a shirt that was too short. When
Dracula asked the man’s wife why the man was
improperly dressed,she said she was too busy
cooking and cleaning to sew. She was immediately
impaled. Graciously, Dracula chose a new wife for
the man. He made sure to show the new wife what
had happened to the old so that she would not make
the same mistake.
24
THE REAL DRACULA: VLAD THE IMPALER
Dracula died in battle in 1476. He was promptly
decapitated by order of the Turkish sultan.
His head was then sent to the sultan who
displayed it, fittingly, on a stake for all
to see. He is buried in front of the altar
of the Church of Snagov Monastery.
25
THE REAL DRACULA: VLAD THE IMPALER
Although gone, rumors of Vlad Dracula and his relentless temper
spread throughout Europe. Stories of his villainy were published,
read, and reread and it was these stories that led Bram Stoker to
create the infamous Count Dracula we know today.
The BRAN CASTLE, near Brasov is
said to be one of Dracula’s residences.
It can be visited by tourists.
Do you want to have a look?
DRACULA’S CASTLE
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GROUP 3:
VAMPIRES IN CINEMA
27
VAMPIRES IN CINEMA
28
VAMPIRE FILMS
Nosferatu, directed by F. W. Murnau
and featuring the first film portrayal of
Dracula. Although names and
characters were intended to mimic
Dracula's, Murnau could not obtain
permission from Stoker's widow, and had
to alter many aspects of the film.
Universal's Dracula (1931), starring Bela Lugosi as the count
was the first talking film to portray Dracula.
29
VAMPIRE FILMS
 The successful 1958 Dracula starring Lee was followed by
seven sequels. Lee returned as Dracula in all but two of these
and became well known in the role.
 Later films showed more diversity in plotline, with some
focusing on the vampire-hunter such as Blade.
 Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Buffy, released in 1992,
foreshadowed a vampiric presence on television, with
adaptation to a long-running hit TV series of the same name.
 Still others showed the vampire as protagonist such 1994's
Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles and its
indirect sequel Queen of the Damned. Bram Stoker's Dracula
was a noteworthy 1992 film which became the then highest
grossing vampire film ever. This increase of interest in vampiric
plotlines led to the vampire being depicted in movies such as
Van Helsing,
30
FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA’S
BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA
It is a 1992 horror-romance thriller
directed by F. F. Coppola, based on
the novel Dracula by Bram Stoker.
It stars G.Oldman as Count Dracula,
W. Ryder as Mina Harker,
A. Hopkins as Professor Van
Helsing, Keanu Reeves as
Jonathan Harker and Sadie Frost
as Lucy Westenra.
31
FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA’S
BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA
It had a positive critical reception and was a box office hit.
It also had a significant cultural impact, spawning a video
game, a board game, a comic book adaptation, collectible
cards and some action figures
and model sets.
Para ver esta película, debe
disponer de QuickTime™ y de
un descompresor .
See film
The closing theme "Love Song
for a Vampire” was written
and performed by A. Lennox.
32
INTERVIEW WITH THE
VAMPIRE
Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles is a 1994
film, based on the 1976 novel Interview with the Vampire by Anne
Rice. It was directed by Neil Jordan, and stars T. Cruise, B. Pitt,
A. Banderas and K. Dunst.
In modern-day San Francisco,
reporter Daniel Malloy interviews
a man named Louis who claims
to be a vampire and tells the
story of his past.
See film
33
THE TWILIGHT SAGA
TWILIGHT is a 2008 romantic-fantasy film.
It is the first film in The Twilight Saga series,
directed by Catherine Hardwicke and based
on the novel of the same name by Stephenie
Meyer. It focuses on the development of a
personal relationship between human teenager
Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) and vampire
Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson), and the
subsequent efforts of Cullen and his family
to keep Swan safe from a separate group of
hostile vampires.
See film
34
THE TWILIGHT SAGA
NEW MOON is a 2009 film based on
Stephenie Meyer's 2006 novel New Moon.
It is the 2nd film in The Twilight Saga series
and is the sequel to 2008's Twilight, also
based on Meyer's previous novel.
Directed by Chris Weitz, the film stars
Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, and
Taylor Lautner, reprising their roles as
Bella Swan, Edward Cullen, and Jacob
Black, respectively.
See film
35
GROUP 4
VAMPIRES IN LITERATURE:
BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA (I)
36
VAMPIRES IN LITERATURE:
BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA
The most famous vampire in
literature appeared in 1897.
That year the Irish writer
BRAM STOKER published
his novel Dracula. It made
Vlad the Impaler famous
worldwide.
37
BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA
Stoker read the stories about Dracula printed
In the 15th-16th centuries. He was surprised
by his acts of cruelty and decided to make him
his character. He also read some books about
Transylvania and thought that this "exotic”
land would be a proper setting for Dracula.
Dracula’s qualities: he is immortal. He has got
supernatural powers and he drinks human
blood!
38
COMPARISON:
VLAD VS COUNT DRACULA
VLAD DRACUL
COUNT DRACULA
39
COMPARISON:
VLAD VS COUNT DRACULA
Stoker used Vlad only as a source of
inspiration. In his novel, Dracula is not prince
Vlad the Impaler, but a Transylvanian count
living in a mysterious castle where he lured his
victims. His story takes place in the Bistritza
area, and the castle lies near the Carpathian
Mountains. As Stoker had never visited
Transylvania, most places and happenings were
pure fiction.
40
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
BRAM STOKER: LIFE
He was born in Dublin in 1847.
After finishing university there
he worked for the government.
He married a Dublin girl. Stoker
was very interested in the theatre and in 1878 he
moved to London, where he became the manager of a
famous actor. Together they ran the sucessful Lyceum
Theatre in London. He died in 1912.
41
BRAM STOKER
BRAM STOKER: WORKS
His novel Dracula was published in 1897.
There have been stories about vampires in
Eastern Europe for a very long time. Stoker,
who worked on his noveL for four years,
probably knew about these stories. He said
that the Dracula story came to him in a
nightmare one night after a large dinner of
crab meat.
42
BRAM STOKER
BRAM STOKER: CONCLUSION
Stoker is often called “the least-known author
of the best-Known book”. He wrote many
other books, but it is because of Dracula that
we remember him today.
There have been many films about Count
Dracula and the book, which has never been
out of print, is as popular today as it was a
hundred years ago.
43
BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA
SYNOPSIS
In the mountains of Transylvania there stands a castle . It is
the home of Count Dracula - a dark, lonely place and at night
the wolves howl around the walls.
In the year 1875 Jonathan Harker comes from England to
do business with the Count. But Jonathan does not feel
comfortable at Dracula’s castle. Strange things happen at night
and very soon he begins to feel afraid. And he is right to be
afraid, because Count Dracula is
one of the Un-Dead - a
vampire that drinks the blood of living people…
44
DRACULA: A SUMMARY
In the spring of 1875, Jonathan Harker
travels to Transylvania, on a business
visit to the home of Count Dracula .
Jonathan does not really want to go
because in a few months’ time he is
getting married to his beautiful Mina and
he does not want to leave her.
45
DRACULA: A SUMMARY
While he is staying in Castle Dracula , he
keeps a diary. And every day he has more
and more terrible things to write. Why
does he see Count Dracula only at night?
Why can’t he see the Count in the mirror?
And who are the three beautiful women, with
their red mouths and long sharp teeth that
come to his room at night?
Listen to Jonathan’s diary
2. ”I am in danger”
46
DRACULA: A SUMMARY
At home in England , Mina is staying
with her friend Lucy in a town by the
sea. She waits for Jonathan’s letters,
but they do not come, and Mina is
afraid. Perhaps Jonathan is ill, or in
danger…
47
DRACULA: A SUMMARY
Mina is not afraid for herself, of course,
or for her friend Lucy. What danger can
there possibly be for two young women
in a quiet English seaside town?
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GROUP 5
VAMPIRES IN LITERATURE:
BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA
(II)
49
CHARACTER STUDY

COUNT DRACULA - A centuries-old vampire and Transylvanian nobleman,
Count Dracula inhabits a crumbling castle in the Carpathian Mountains.
Beneath a veneer of aristocratic charm, the count possesses a dark and evil
soul. He can assume the form of an animal, control the weather, and he is
stronger than twenty men. His powers are limited, however—for instance, he
cannot enter a victim’s home unless invited, cannot cross water unless carried,
and is rendered powerless by daylight.
Read an in-depth analysis of Count Dracula.
50
CHARACTER STUDY

JONATHAN HARKER - A solicitor, or lawyer, whose firm sends him to
Transylvania to conclude a real estate transaction with Dracula. Young and
naïve, Harker quickly finds himself a prisoner in the castle and barely escapes
with his life. He demonstrates a fierce curiosity to discover the true nature of
his captor and a strong will to escape. Later, after becoming convinced that the
count has moved to London, Harker emerges as a brave and fearless fighter.
51
CHARACTER STUDY

MINA MURRAY - Jonathan Harker’s fiancée. Mina is a practical young
woman who works as a schoolmistress. Eventually victimized by Dracula
herself, Mina is also the best friend of the count’s first victim in the novel,
Lucy Westenra. Mina is in many ways the heroine of the novel, embodying
purity, innocence, and Christian faith—virtues she maintains despite her
suffering at the vampire’s hands. She is intelligent and resourceful, and her
research leads Van Helsing’s men to Castle Dracula.
Read an in-depth analysis of Mina Murray.
52
CHARACTER STUDY

LUCY WESTENRA - Mina’s best friend and an attractive, vivacious young
woman. The first character in the novel to fall under Dracula’s spell, Lucy
becomes a vampire, which compromises her much-praised chastity and virtue,
and banishes her soul from the promise of eternal rest. Determined that such
an end is unfit for an English lady of Lucy’s caliber, Van Helsing’s crew hunts
down the demon she has become and kills it, following the rituals of vampire
slaying, and thus restoring Lucy’s soul to her body and to heaven.

Read an in-depth analysis of Lucy Westenra.
53
CHARACTER STUDY

VAN HELSING - A Dutch professor, described by his former pupil Dr.
Seward as “a philosopher and metaphysician, and one of the most advanced
scientists of his day.” Called upon to cure the ailing Lucy Westenra, Van
Helsing’s contributions are essential in the fight against Dracula. Unlike his
comrades, Van Helsing is not blinded by the limitations of Western medicine:
he knows that he faces a force that cannot be treated with traditional science
and reason. Knowledgeable about vampire folklore, Van Helsing becomes
Dracula’s chief antagonist and the leader of the group that hunts Dracula down
and destroys him.
Read an in-depth analysis of Van Helsing.
54
CHARACTER STUDY

JOHN SEWARD - A talented young doctor, formerly Van Helsing’s pupil. Seward is
the administrator of an insane asylum not far from Dracula’s English home. Throughout
the novel, Seward conducts ambitious interviews with one of his patients, Renfield, in
order to understand better the nature of life-consuming psychosis. Although Lucy turns
down Seward’s marriage proposal, his love for her remains, and he dedicates himself to
her care when she suddenly takes ill. After her death, he remains dedicated to fighting
the count.
55
CHARACTER STUDY

ARTHUR HOLMWOOD - Lucy’s fiancé and a friend of her other suitors. Arthur is the
son of Lord Godalming and inherits that title upon his father’s death. In the course of his
fight against Dracula’s dark powers, Arthur does whatever circumstances demand: he is
the first to offer Lucy a blood transfusion, and he agrees to kill her demonic form.
56
VOCABULARY
 VERBS:
BECOME: to change and begin to be something new. Convertirse
BELIEVE: to think that something is true.creer
HOWL: to make a loud, crying sound. aullar
KISS: to touch someone with your mouth to show love.besar
SHAVE: to cut the hair off the face. afeitarse
SHIVER: to shake with cold or fear. temblar
57
VOCABULARY
 NOUNS
CARRIAGE: a kind of “car” pulled by horses, for carrying people.
carruaje
CART: a kind of open “car” pulled by horses, for carrying people
or things. carro
CASTLE: a big strong building that can keep enemies out. castillo
CHURCHYARD: a place by a church where dead people lie under
the ground. cementerio
CLOAK: a big, loose coat with no sleeves for the arms. capa
COACH: a large kind of “car” pulled by horses, for carrying
people. carruaje
COFFIN: a box in which a dead person lies. ataud
58
VOCABULARY
COUNT: a title for a nobleman in some countries. conde
CURTAIN: a piece of cloth that covers a window. cortina
EARTH: dirt from the ground. tierra
FEAR: you feel this way when you are afraid. miedo
GARLIC: a plant with white flowers and a strong taste and smell which is
used in cooking. ajo
HAMMER: a heavy tool used for hitting things (e.g. Nails into a wall).
martillo
HATE: very strong dislike, opposite of “love”. odio
HEART: the organ inside your chest that pushes the blood roung the body.
corazón
HELL: the place where bad people go after they are dead.infierno
ICE: water that is hard because iti is frozen (very cold). hielo
59
VOCABULARY
MIRROR: a piece of glass where you can see yourself. espejo
PROFESSOR: an important teacher at university. profesor
SERVANT: someone who works in another person’s home. sirviente
THOUGHT: something that you think. pensamiento
TOMB: a small stone building under or above the ground for a
dead person. tumba
VAMPIRE: the body of a dead person that comes alive at night and
drinks the blood of living people.vampiro
WOLF: a wild animal that looks like a dog. lobo
WOUND: a place on the body where something or somebody as
cut or hurt you. herida
60
VOCABULARY
ADJECTIVES:
FRIGHTENED: very afraid. asustado
HOLY: special because it is from the church. sagrado
HORRIBLE: very bad, terrible, making you very afraid or unhappy.
LOVELY: nice, beautiful. Bonito, agradable
PALE: with little colour in the face. pálido
SHARP: with an edge that cuts easily (e.g. A sharp knife). afilado
WEAK: not strong. débil
61