THE HISTORY OF DRACULA

The following chapter traces the history of Dracula—the man, the monster, and the myth. The sections have been organized chronologically in order to first give the reader a historical portrait of Vlad III Dracula, the now-infamous Wallachian prince who reigned with an iron fist during the Middle Ages. The second section traces the history of the vampire in literature and culture prior to the publication of Bram Stoker’s famous novel Dracula in 1897. The third section traces the major themes of Stoker’s novel, and the fourth section provides an overview of the novel’s history of adaptation beginning with early-twentieth-century film. Throughout these sections, a clear chronology of the Dracula legend emerges. However, what should also become apparent is that the Dracula legend is not as chronologically sound as many might think. Contrary to popular belief, the historical Vlad Dracula was not the primary source of inspiration for Stoker’s novel. Moreover, most of the twentieth-century adaptations of the Dracula legend pay no attention to the historical Dracula, despite the fact that the medieval ruler achieved a worldwide fame during the twentieth century that would have been impossible during the Middle Ages.

The overview of the Dracula legend provided here asks readers to consider the role of adaptation and historical storytelling in solidifying cultural narratives. In short, the following chapter poses the following question: to what extent does adaptation imbue a person, an event, or a story with immortality? Although Vlad Dracula was a notable historical figure, he would have never been included in this current volume of Icons of the Middle Ages had Stoker not borrowed his name in the late nineteenth century for his sensational vampire novel. Moreover, Stoker’s novel would not be famous today if twentieth-century films, comics, and novels had not popularized his story and kept it relevant to modern audiences. Each retelling has imbued the legend of Dracula with immortality. We can understand Dracula’s cultural power and immortality only by looking at each of these aspects of the Dracula legend in relation to one another.