Dracula

Briefly, because the fictional name of Dracula comes from a real historical character, called Drăculea.

Originally, Drăculea was the nickname of the 15th century Romanian ruler Vlad III Țepeș (eng. Vlad 'The Impaler'). As a protector of Christianity and a guardian of freedom, he fought muslim invasion, being a very strategic element in safeguarding European integrity and culture. As history describes him, he was very cruel to those rich boyars enslaving the normal people and he is said to have reduced robbery and theft to zero, by publicly impaling the thieves, aggressors and rapers. During his reign, no one dared stealing the golden goblets provided in public areas for people to drink from the wells. He was very against bribbery and used to drain money from the rich to help the poor.

Based on his strong personality, Bram Stoker wrote a fictional book centuries later, describing a count called 'Dracula' that was a seductive bloodthirsty vampire, very hard to kill and impossible to stop.

In less words, Bram Stoker was inspired by Romanian ruler Vlad III Țepeș that was called Drăculea. That's why the character in his fictional book is called Dracula.

Vlad III, known as Vlad the Impaler was Prince of Walachia (now a part of modern Romania.) He was the 'model' for Bram Stoker's book, Dracula.

He was one of the few princes to renew Walachia's resistance to the Turks. He ruled during the second half of the 15th century and was

vicious in combat and his techniques of 'intimidation.'

That's where the legend of Dracula and his impalings comes from.

The story of Dracula was partly based on European folklore and partly based on unrelated historical events. The author of 'Dracula', Bram Stoker, spent several years researching European folklore and stories of vampires (Dracula was not the first Vampire book) and became interested in the word dracul. This word, from the Megleno-Romanian language, means 'devil' but also used to mean 'dragon'.

The fictional (made-up) character of Dracula was based just in name on a man that lived in what is now Romania in Eastern Europe between 1431 and 1476. His name was Vlad Dracula.

Vlad's father held the title of Dracul (no 'a' at the end) because he was a member of a secret fraternal order of knights called The Order of the Dragon. So as Vlad was his son, he received the name Dracula (Son of the Order of the Dragon).

Vlad Dracula is most famously known as 'Vlad the Impaler'. He was called this because this was his preferred method of executing people (by leaving them to die slowly impaled on steaks).

Historians argue that Bram Stoker in fact knew little of the historic Vlad III except for his nickname. In his book Stoker includes no details about Vlad III's reign and does not mention his use of impalement.

Bram Stoker was originally going to call his vampire "Count Wampyr" but changed it to "Count Dracula" basically because he liked the word/name Dracula. The original Vlad Dracula was not a Count, nor was he a vampire. In writing Dracula, Stoker may also have drawn on Gaelic fairy stories about blood-drinking women.

The mannerisms of Dracula are thought to have come from a man called Henry Irving, a stage actor in the Victorian era at a theater where Stoker worked. Stoker apparently modeled Dracula's dramatic sweeping gestures and gentlemanly mannerisms on those he had observed in Irving.

Early belief in vampires has thought to have come from people at the time not fully understanding the process of a body decomposing after death and so trying to rationalize this by creating the figure of the vampire to explain it.

R.M. Renfield: An inmate in Dr. Seward's insane asylum. He is seduced by Dracula, who he hails as his 'Master.' Renfield is almost sane and is painfully aware of his lapses into insanity. When he is at his best, he is polite and intelligent and he tries to do the right thing. When he is at his worst, he eats insects for their souls and is completely vulnerable to Dracula's will. It is he who allows the Count into Seward's home.

Mr. Swales: An old fisherman from Whitby. He is superstitious and vulgar, but also a little wise.

Sister Agatha: A nurse and a nun; she takes care of Jonathan Harker during his illness in Budapest.

Mrs. Westenra: Lucy's mother. Kind and insightful; ailing with a weak heart.

Thomas Bilder: A zookeeper who watches the wolves in the Zoological Gardens. He has British working-class mannerisms and sense of humor.

Peter Hawkins: Jonathan's boss and mentor. He is very generous and has great faith in Jonathan, both as a solicitor and as a person.

Wolves/rats: Creatures of the night who do Dracula's bidding.

Gypsies/Slovaks: Peasants who work for Dracula in Transylvania.

Vampire women: Three undead women who live in Dracula's castle. They attempt to seduce and feed upon Jonathan during his first visit to Transylvania. They later attempt to incorporate Mina into their sorority. They are killed by Van Helsing.

Geordie: A man who committed suicide and is buried under Mina and Lucy's favorite bench.

Lord Godalming (Father): Arthur Holmwood's father. He is not to be confused with Arthur himself, who inherits the title of Lord Godalming.

Russian Captain: The brave Captain of the Demeter, the unfortunate ship that had the bad luck of transporting Dracula to England.