68874896 the Vampire Book

8/9/2019 68874896 the Vampire Book

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SALLY REGAN

VampireBook

T he


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LONDON, NEW YORK,

MELBOURNE, MUNICH, AND DELHI

Project editor Jenny Finch

Senior art editor Stefan Podhorodecki

Designers Keith Davis, Johnny Pau, Yumiko Tahata

Editorial assistant Jessamy Wood

Managing editor Linda Esposito

Managing art editor Diane Thistlethwaite

Publishing manager Andrew Macintyre

Category publisher Laura Buller

Creative retouching Steve Willis

Picture research Nic Dean

DK picture library Lucy Claxton

Production editor Maria Elia

Senior production controller Angela Graef

Jacket designer Yumiko TahataJacket editor Mariza O’Keeffe

Design development manager Sophia M Tampakopoulos Turner

Consultant Professor Glennis Byron

First published in the United States in 2009 by

DK Publishing, 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014

09 10 11 12 13 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1175774 – 07/09

Copyright © 2009 Dorling Kindersley Limited

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmittedin any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or

otherwise, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner.Published in Great Britain by Dorling Kindersley Limited.

DK books are available at special discounts when purchased in bulk for

sales promotions, premiums, fundraising, or educational use. For details, contact:DK Publishing Special Markets, 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014

[email protected]

A catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress

ISBN: 978-0-7566-5551-8

Design and digital artworking by Stefan Podhorodecki

Hi-res workflow proofed by MDP, UKPrinted and bound by Leo, China

Discover more atwww.dk.com


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WHAT IS A VAMPIRE?Vampire 10

Creation: A Vampire is Born 12Appearance: Slobbering Ghouls

to Sinister Beauties 14

Thirst for Blood 16

Powers: The Dark Gift 18

Shape-Shifting 20

The Life of the Dead 22

Apotropes: To Deliver you from Evil 24

How to Destroy a Vampire 28

MYTHS AND LEGENDSBlood Demons: Spirits from

the Ancient World 32

Fairy Folk of Celtic Lore 34African Tales of Terror 36

Ghouls: Fearsome Flesh Eaters 38

Kali: Hindu Goddess of Destruction 40

Blood-drinking Witches of Southeast Asia 42

Jiangshi: Chinese Hopping Ghosts 44

Flying Fire and Caribbean Crones 46

Gods and Monsters of

South and Central America 48

C ontents

THE RISE OF THE VAMPIRE54 Good vs. Evil: Revenants and

the Christian Church

56 Vampires of Eastern Europe

58 Vampire Hysteria hits Europe

60 The Strange Case of Mercy Brown

62 Gothic Horror: The First Vampire

Literature

64 Bram Stoker and the Most Influential

Horror Story Ever Written

68 Vlad the Impaler: The Real Dracula

70 Elizabeth Bathory: The Blood Countess

THE MODERN MYTH74 A Century of Screen Horror

76 Dark Angels: Vampires Come of Age

78 Child Vampires

80 Vampire Hunters

82 Falling in Love with the Undead

86 Vampires are Forever

88 More to explore

90 Glossary

92 Index and credits


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The name vampire arouses both fear and fascination. Traditionally adead person who leaves their grave at night to suck the blood of theliving, these creatures have taken many forms over the years. However,they all continue to share some basic traits. They thirst for blood and

have unusual powers and strengths. There are perils they must avoid,and signs that give away their deadly secret.

What is a

Vampire?


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ampires are forever. They are theundead:immortals who walk the Earth undetected,

seeking blood to sustain their unnatural existence.Their origins are lost in the mists of time.

From the earliest civilizations, they have

been whispered about inmyth and

legend. They have

appeared in many guises.

Ancient cultures all over

the world feared spirits

and demons that thirsted

forblood and broughtdeath and despair. In many

places, these beings were

strongly associated with

witchcraft and sorcery.Chroniclers in the Middle Ages

wrote of revenants—corpsesrising from their graves to seek blood

and spread misfortune. The folkloreof Eastern Europe called them

strigoi, and belief in theserestless corpses was so strong that panic

would overtake any community that

suspected there was one in their midst.

V

V a m


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As word of these creatures spread, they were

recast in the imagination of 19th-century writers

and called vampires. These mindlessmonsters became the cruelbut charismatic aristocrat

of theGothic novel. Anenigmatic stranger with

slicked-back hair and a

long black cape, he had

superhuman powers and sharp

fangs, and became a favoritemovie villain. But vampires

continue to evolve. Possessing

amazing powers and ethereal

beauty, today’s vampires

walk a different path. They canfight theircraving for human

blood and blend in with human

society. Highly accomplished, yet

tormented and aloof, they hold a

powerful appeal for those who guess

their secret. Their legend may be as

old as fear itself, but vampirescontinue to fascinate and thrill us to this day.

This is their story…

p i r e


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Creation There are three main ways of becoming a vampire—by birth, by death, or by bite. In folklore, the waythat a person entered the world, and the way that theylived, died, and were buried, made thedifference between eternal rest oreternal roaming. Today, it is thebite that counts.

A VAMPIRE IS BORN

SEALED WITH A KISSThe modern method of vampire creation isthe classic act of a vampire biting into hisvictim to feed. As he draws blood, the biteturns the victim into one of his own kind.Typically, the vampire bites into an area of the

body where a main artery is near the surface—usually the neck or wrist—though in tales offolklore, it could also be on the thorax or abovethe heart. Two small puncture marks are the onlyevidence of the vampire’s visit, but victims willsoon notice telltale signs of their fate. Their breathstarts to smell, they look pale, recoil from religiousartifacts, and become more active at night. Mostvictims waste away, until they die and are rebornas a new vampire. Sometimes the vampire’s

bite merely kills his victim, unless the victimalso tastes the vampire’s blood in return.


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DAMNED BEFORE BIRTHA baby may seem too innocent to be labeled a vampireeven before it has drawn its first breath, but in the folkloreof many parts of the world, pregnancy was fraught withdanger. If the mother saw a black cat, ate too much salt, orwas looked at by a witch, her baby was at risk of becoming

a vampire. There were also other factors to worry amother. If the baby was born the illegitimate childof an illegitimate child, the seventh son of aseventh son, or with teeth, too much hair, ora caul (membrane) over its head, it wasalmost certainly destined for vampirismafter death. A baby conceived or bornon certain holy days would also causeits parents great anxiety.

UNCERTAIN DEATHA person’s life, death, and manner of burial were crucialfactors in determining vampire status in many parts of theworld. Anyone committing suicide was doomed, since manyreligions viewed this as an unforgivable sin. Murderers,robbers, and other criminals were also seen as vulnerable to

vampiric resurrection. Many cultures took the manner oflaying a person to rest very seriously. If burial took place tooquickly, or without the proper rituals, this was a cause forconcern. In Romania, burying a person face up, or not deepenough, could result in them becoming a vampire.


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A p pearance

Vampires of old were putrid beasts—ugly, decaying corpsescovered in dirt from the grave. But, refined by the imaginations ofnovelists and filmmakers, vampires grew increasingly human,

until in the 20th century they emerged as a kind of superhuman—unnaturally beautiful and fatally appealing.

SLOBBERING GHOULS TO SINISTER BEAUTIES

A NOVEL IDEA

The fiction of the 19th centurypainted a different picture: suddenlyvampires got class. With sunkencheeks, flowing hair, long darkfingernails, and white fangs, theywere aristocratic gentlemen with skinlike marble and a hungry look. Withhis diabolical smile and piercing gaze,the vampire was still a figure of terror,but now he was taking his place in

human society and using charm to snarehis victims.

DEAD UGLYIn the folklore of Eastern Europe, which is thoughtto be the origin of the modern vampire myth,blood-drinking undead beings were described asshort, fat, and sweaty, with pointed ears, ratliketeeth, and rancid, stinking breath. Their bloated,rotting bodies would be dressed in rags andsmeared with filth from the grave. Blood wouldprobably trickle from their mouths. More likezombies from a horror movie, their return

from death had stripped these revenants ofall their recognizably human qualities.


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GOLDEN OLDIESporting a dark suit and a longblack cape that opened out like abat’s wings, the vampire became astaple of horror movies in the 20thcentury. Usually an icy nobleman witha thick foreign accent, his fangs werelonger, and his eyes cold and glassy,turning red with anger. Though thiswell-worn archetype may now seemcorny, to audiences at the time thesecharacters had huge appeal, and in thestories they often used charisma to beguilevictims of the opposite sex.

TODAY’S VAMPIREToday’s vampire could hardly be more differentfrom the mindless ghouls of old. Modernvampires disguise their superhuman abilities tofit seamlessly into human society and look justlike us—except for being flawless in every way.There are few clues to their true nature, thoughtheir eyes change color when they lust for

blood. Those same eyes may betray theirangst at an inner struggle over the life they’vebeen blessed or cursed with.


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T hirs t Vampires are blood-drinking creatures whose very existencedepends on satisfying their thirst. Without a ready supply ofblood, they will perish. The deep, physical craving for this crimsonliquid is the one characteristic that all vampires share.

ESSENCE OF LIFE

Since ancient times, people have recognizedblood as the very essence of life. Egyptianprinces bathed in blood to revive their mentalpowers, ancient Romans drank the blood ofgladiators, believing that it passed on thepotency of these fierce fighters, and theAztecs of Central America worshipped theirSun god with offerings of blood. The idea thatblood was needed in order to sustain lifemade it natural to assume that “living

spirits”—the undead—would also need bloodand would take it from the living.

THE THIRSTThe vampire’s insatiable desire for blood isknown as “the thirst”. All vampires need todrink fresh blood to sustain their unnaturalexistence. Without it, they age, weaken, andlose their powers. Starved for too long, a

vampire would eventually suffer a kind of livingdeath—conscious, but too weak to function.The vampire’s need for blood is oftendescribed as being like a powerful addiction—the physical cravings for the salty, metallicsubstance and the feeling of strength that itprovides are almost impossible to resist.

FEEDING FRENZY

Historically, vampires were linked to frenziedkilling sprees. Their need for blood explainedto early populations why their cattle weredying and why so many people perished inoutbreaks of disease. To ingest a victim’sblood, the vampire makes an incision with hisrazor-sharp fangs at a point on the bodywhere a blood vessel is close to the surface.After feeding, vampires gain strength, andsome even grow younger. With some restraint,

a vampire can return to the same victim timeand again before he or she finally dies.

MODERN TASTESHuman blood gives the vampire the moststrength. The blood of rats, pets, cattle, orany other animal would be enough to keepa vampire alive but would not satisfy theircraving. In the modern era, some vampires

have developed a conscience and a desireto live peacefully in human society. Byshunning human blood and denying theircraving, they battle against their very nature.By choice, these tormented souls try tomake do with animal blood, but it is apoor substitute.

FOR BLOOD


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P owers THE DARK GIFT Though doomed to spend eternity killingfor blood, vampires are endowed with arange of extraordinary powers. Sometimescalled “the dark gift”, each vampire’s setof special abilities is different, but there

are some skills that all vampires share.

IMMORTALITYMost vampires are immortal—they do not age

and die as humans do. Many are also resistant to

conventional weapons and the ravages of disease.

On the rare occasion that a vampire is wounded,

he or she heals very quickly and feels no pain.

CREATINGNEW VAMPIRES

Some vampires can create more of their kind simply

by feeding—their victim dies a mortal death but is

reborn as one of the undead. If the creator vampire

desires it, the new vampire will be enslaved, and only

freed if the master is weakened or destroyed.

SUPERHUMANA vampire possesses physical strength that no

human can equal. Their sheer might, paired with

the fact that they never tire, makes them

extremely difficult to match in physical combat.

Time means increased power—vampires get

even stronger as they age.

STRENGTH


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LIGHTNING SPEED

Vampires move with supreme grace and agility.Sometimes they move too fast for the human eye toregister, seeming to appear out of nowhere. They candefy gravity by climbing up or down the steepest wallsor by leaping vertically from a standing start. Some

vampires can even fly.

M IN D

PO W E RS

Using the hypnoticpower of their eyes,some vampires cancontrol the thoughtsof humans andanimals, compellingthem to do their

bidding. Some vampires

can mind read, while others use telekinesisto move objects by willpower alone.

ENHANCED SENSESVampires are equipped with an acute sense of hearing,smell, and sight. Their hearing is as sharp as a wolf’s—even in the noisiest of cities. An enhanced sense ofsmell allows them to track their prey, but it also makesstrong odors repellent. Super-sensitive eyes allow themto see clearly in total darkness.

Control of the elements is a usefultrick—a fleeing vampire can summon a

storm to cover her tracks. Other magical abilitiesinclude the power to cast spells, turn base metalsinto gold, and shape-shift into other forms.

MAGICAL ABILITIES


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A

b a t s w o o p s d o w n f r o m

o v e

r h e a d .

A

w o l f

l u r k s i n t h e s h a d o w s ,

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w i t h m e n a c e .

T h e

v a m p i r e c

a n p h y s i c a l l y c h a n g e

i n t o m a n y s h a p e s ,

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a r e h i s f a

v o r i t e f o r m s .

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b a t s

h a v e a s i n i s t e r a p p e a r a n c e

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n i g h t .

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o f a d o g .

r e o t

n e ,

s


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V a m p i r e s c a n a l s o

m o r p h i n t o

m i c

e ,

r a t s ,

o r a n y o t h e r

a n i m a

l t h a t w i l l

h e l p

t h e m

e s c a p e

d e s t r u c t i o n .

S o m e

c u l t u r

e s b e l i e v e t h a t w h e n a v a m p

i r e i s d e s t r o y e d ,

n o

b u g s

m u s t b e a l l o w e d

t o

e s c a p e

f r o m

t h e b o d y ,

l e s t

t h e v a m p i r e s u r v i v e i n a d i f f e r e n t

f o r m .

A n d

i t

i s

n o t o n l y

a n i m a l s

t o w

a t c h

o u t f o r .

E v e n

t h e

g r e e n f o g r o l l i n g a c r o s s t h e

l a w n m a y b e c a u s e

f o r

d i s q u i e t .

V a m p i r e s c a n

d i s p e r s e

i n t o

d u s t ,

m i s t ,

o r v a p o r i n o r d e r t o s l i p t h r o u g h

k e y h o l e s o r c r a c k s

i n d o o r s .


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THE


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LifeDead

THE

OF THE

The vampire’s way of life has changed a great deal over the centuries.No longer restricted to emerging at night from dirty coffins to

terrorize cattle and villagers, the options are now more varied. Thereis the chance to use impressive powers, mix with humans, and evenenjoy their company. Some vampire traits, however, never change.

A t


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n fl — h r r — en

ir .. I ,,r f .. r

a r h tt i , s i roy e .

Apotropes Folklore tells of many charms and tricks to ward offvampires. Apotropes are objects or substances,such as garlic, that work to repel evil. Other

tactics, like the scattering of seeds, usea knowledge of the vampire’s weaknessesto stop him in his tracks.

TO DELIVER YOU FROM EVIL

s a r i n g il oll ,, v r l

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n c o s e or at .

tt t


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“figt

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m

de y oa gs y.” Beyond Good and Evil , Friedrich Nietzsche

HOW TO

D


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Vampires may seem indestructible, with theirastonishing supernatural abilities. But with a cool

head, the well-equipped hunter can end an evilvampire’s undead life for good.

A VAMPIRE

HOW TOD estroy


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Many folktales around the world tell of the restless dead—souls doomed towalk the Earth seeking blood to sustain their existence. In the past, deathwasn’t necessarily seen as the end of life, but as the beginning of a newexistence. This was a comfort to those left behind, but it also left a lingeringdoubt as to what the dead might get up to. As well as reanimated corpses,

many other supernatural blood drinkers are found in myths and legends.From ghouls and ghosts, to witches and fairies, these unearthly creaturesall terrorized the living, bringing with them sickness and death.

Myths andLegends

s g o d d e s s , b e c o m e e g a n t o s t o p t h e a v e h e r b l o o d . t e d a n d e d a s a


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B l o o d

D e m o n s

B e l i e f i n m y t h i c a l b l o o d - d r i n k i n g c r e a t u r e

s g o e s

b a c k a t l e a s t 5 , 0 0 0

y e a r s t o t h e p e o p l e s o f

a n c i e n t M e s o p o t a m i a .

T h e a n c i e n t E g y p t i a n s ,

G r e e k s ,

a n d R o m a n s a l s o h a d m y t h s o f d e m o n i c

f e m a l e s w h o p r e y e d o n h u m a n l i f e f o r c e .

S

P I R I T S F R O

M T H E A N C I E N T W O R L D

32

L I

L I T H

I n

a n c i e n t M e s o p o t a m i a , L i l i t h

w a s

a

w i n g e d

s p i r i t

o f v e n g e a n c e , a

s t o r m

d e

m o n

w h o

b r o u g h t

p l a g u

e

a n d

d e

s t r u c t i o n a n d c o u l d d r a i n m e n ’ s l i v e s

w i t h a k i s s . S h e w a s l a t e r a d o p t e d i n t o

e a r l y H e b r e w

t r a d i t i o n a s t h e fi r s t w i f e

o f

A d a m . I n s o m e s t o r i e s , s h e

r e f u s e s

t o

s u b m i t

t o

A d a m

a n d

fl e

e s

t h e

G a

r d e n

o f E d e n

t o

r o a m

t h e

w o r l d ,

s u c k i n g t h e b l o o d o f i n f a n t s .

S E K H M E T

A n

a n c i e n t E g y p t i a n

w a r g

S e k h m e t w a s

s a i d

t o

h a v e

d r u n k

o n

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b l o o d

a n d

b

d e s t r o y

a l l o f h u m a n i t y . T o

s

s l a u g h t e r ,

t h e S

u n

g o d

R a

g a

r e d - c o l o r e d

b e

e r t o

i m i t a t e

S e k h m e t t h e n b

e c a m e i n t o x i c a

w a s

p a c i fi e d . S

h e

i s

p o r t r a y e

w o m a n w i t h a l i o n ’ s h e a d .

E K I M M U

T h e E k i m m u i s f o u n d

i n t h e m y t h o l o g y

o f A s s y r i a , a

s t a t e

e s t a b l i s h e d

i n

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a r o u n d

2 , 0 0 0

B C E . T h e

s p i r i t

o f a d e a d

p e r s

o n u n a b l e t o

fi n d

p e a c e , i t s

n a m e

m e

a n s

“ t h a t w h i c h

w a s

s n a t c h e d

a w a y ”

. I t

i s

d e s c r i b e d

a s a p e r s o n w h o d i e d

u n c a r e d f o r a n d

w a s n o t g i v e n a p r o p

e r b u r i a l .

h a d

t h e

o f a b i r d .

k i n g

t h e

a m e d

f o r

ri x c o m e s

o w l ” .


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L A M I A

I n

a n c i e n t G r e e c e

a n d

R o m e , L a m i a

w a

s

a

f e a r e d

d e m o n . O r i g i n a l l y

a

p r i n c e s s w h o s e c h i l d r e n w e r e k

i l l e d

b y

a r i v a l , g r i e f t u r n e d h e r i n t o

a m

o n s t e r .

H a

l f - w o m a n ,

h a l f - s n a k e ,

s h e

t o o k

b l o

o d t h i r s t y

r e v e n g e

b y

e a t i n g

s m a l l

c h i l d r e n a n d

s u c k i n g m e n ’ s b l o o d . S h e

h a d

t h e

a b i l i t y t o

r e m o v e

h e r e y e s t o

r e s

t t h e m , a n d t h e n p l a c e t h e m b

a c k i n

t h e

i r

s o c k e t s .

S T R I X

F r o m

a n c i e n t R o m e , t h e

S t r i x

f a c e o f a w o m a n

a n d t h e b o d y o

I t

r o a m e d

t h e

d a r k n e s s

d r i n k

b l o o d

o f s l e e p e

r s a n d

w a s b l a

s p r e a d i n g d i s e a s

e . T h e n a m e S t r

f r o m t

h e L a t i n w

o r d m e a n i n g “ o

M O R M O

T h e

G r e e k

d e i t y H e c a t e , g o d d e s s

o f

m a g i c

a n d

c r o s s r o a d

s , h a d

c o m p a n i o n s

f r o m

t h e

u n d e r w

o r l d

c a l l e d

t h e

M o r m o l y k i a i .

T h e s e

s h a d o w y

b e i n g s

p r e y e d o n t h e y o u n g

a n d f r a i l . T h e y w e r e

n a m e d a f t e r a w o m a n

c a l l e d M o r m o w h o

l o s t h e r o w n

c h i l d r e n

a n d

t o o k

h e r

v e n g e a n c e o n o t h e r i n f a n t s .


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f


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AfricanOn the African continent, blood-drinking and

flesh-eating creatures come in many different guises.Most are not undead, but living souls who dwellunrecognized in their unfortunate communities.

ADZEIn southeastern Ghana, people of theEwe tribe believed sorcerers livingamong them were hosts to a vampirespirit known as the Adze. Resemblinga firefly, it would drink coconut waterand palm oil, but most of all it soughtthe blood of young children. If caught,it would quickly revert to human form.

TALES OF TERROR

OBAYIFOA witchlike person who lived secretlyamong the Ashanti people of Ghana,

the Obayifo becomes a glowing ballduring the hours of darkness, whenshe seeks the blood of children. A badharvest would also be blamed on theObayifo—she is obsessed with foodand likes sucking the juice out of fruitand vegetables.

ASANBOSAMThis creature was said to live deep inthe forests of southern Ghana. It lookedalmost human but had hooks on itslegs and ferocious iron teeth. Danglingfrom trees, it would snatch up passers-by, who were usually hunters, to feast

on their blood. In some regions, theAsanbosam attacked sleeping villagersby biting them on the thumb.

IMPUNDULU


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IMPUNDULUThe Zulu and Xhosa tribes of SouthAfrica believed in a creature called theImpundulu, or “lightning bird”. This

giant black-and-white beast is said tosummon thunder and lightning with itswings and talons. It was usually theservant of a witch, who would use itsunquenchable thirst for blood todestroy her enemies.

ZOMBIESThese terrifying creatures are incrediblystrong and rip their victims apart before

consuming their flesh. They are foundin Voodoo—a religion that developedon the Caribbean island of Haiti and isbased on the spiritual beliefs of westAfrican peoples. In Voodoo tradition,zombies are corpses that have beenreanimated by priests to becomemindless servants, doomed to toilforever under the will of their master.

SOUL EATERSFolklore of the Hausa tribe of westAfrica tells of witches called soul eaters,who preyed on their victims’ life force.The soul eater could shape-shift intoanimals so peculiar looking that theywould startle any onlooker to the point

where their soul would leap out of theirbody and be gobbled up. The soullessvictim would then waste away.


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O u t o f t h e A

r a b i a n D e s e r t c a m e m o n s t e r s c a l l e d g h o u l s .

T h e s e d i a b o l i c a

l s p i r i t s h a d a n i n s a t i a b l e a p p e t i t e f o r b l o o d a n d

fl e s h . N

o c t u r n a l ,

w i t h r e g e n e r a t i v e p

o w e r s t h a t m a d e t h

e m d i ffi c u l t

t o k i l l , t h e y s h a r e d m a n y t r a i t s w i t h v a m p i r e s . A p e r s o n w a s t h o u g h t

t o b e c o m e a g h o u l a f t e r d e a t h a s a

r e s u l t o f l i v i n g a w i c k e d l i f e .

D E S E R T D E M O N

G h o u l s w e r e s a i d t o b e t h e o f f s p r i n g o f I b l i s ,

t h e I s l a m i c e q u i v a l e n t

o f S a

t a n — t h e i r n a m e

c o m e s f r o m a n A r a b i c w o r d m

e a n i n g “ d e m o n ” .

I n f o l k t a l e s f r o m t h e A r a b i a n

P e n i n s u l a , g h o u l s

r a n g e d f r o m

m i n d l e s s b e a s t s t o t h o s e t h a t

p a s s e d

a s

h u m a n s

d u r i n g

t h e

d a y , l i v i n g

s e e m i n g l y n o r m a l l

i v e s b u t c o

m i n g o u t a

t n i g h t

t o h u n t . A l l w e r e s a i d t o h a

v e t h e a b i l i t y t o

s h a p e - s h i f t

i n t o a n y f o r m , e s p e c i a l l y f a v o r i n g

s c a v e n g e r s s u c h a s t h e h y e n a

. S t r o n g a n d f a s t ,

t h e y e x p e r i e n c e d n o p a i n , d

i d

n o t a g e , a

n d d i d

n o t r e q u i r e a i r t o b r e a t h e . T h e o n l y w a y t o k i l l

t h e m w a s w i t h a s h a r p b l o w

t o t h e h e a d .

W E A R Y T R A V E L E R S

T r a v e l e r s p l a n n i n g t o c r o s s t h e v a s t

e x p a n s e

o f t h e A r a b i a n D e s e r t n e e d e

d t o b e w a r y o f

g h o u l s . T

h e s e e v i l s p i r i t s c o u l d m a t e r i a l i z e o u t

o f n o w h e r e a n d c o m m a n d t h

e m i n d s o f t h e i r

v i c t i m s , l

u r i n g w e a r y m e n a w a

y f r o m t h e s a f e t y

o f t h e i r

g r o u p . T h e y

w o u l d

t h e n

a t t a c k

f e r o c i o u s l y w i t h t o o t h a n d c l a w . G r e a t l y f e a r e d ,

g h o u l s w e r e o f t e n a s s o c i a t e d

w i t h t h e s p r e a d

o f d i s e a s e — s o m e

b e l i e v e d

t h a t

e v e n

t h e

t o u c h o f a g h o u l c

o u l d b e d e a d l y .

G h o u

l s

F

E A R S O M E F L E S

H E A T E R S


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G R A V E Y A R D

S H I F T

T r a d i t i o n a l l y , g h o u l s w e r e s a i d t o l i v e u n d e r g r o u n d

o r i n c r e e k s a n d

d i t c h e s . T

h e y p r e f e r e d t o e a t

f r e s h m e a t , e s p e

c i a l l y t h a t

o f c h i l d r e n ,

b u t i f

t h i s w a s i n s h o r t s

u p p l y , t h e y w o u l d g a t h e r i n

c e m e t e r i e s t o f e a

s t o

n c o r p s e s .


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40 41

The Hindu deity Kali is the goddess of destruction and pestilence and is famedfor her taste for blood. She inspires fear but is also honored as representing

time and change. She is just one of many blood drinkers in Indian mythology.

K ali HINDU GODDESS OF DESTRUCTION

GODDESS OF DESTRUCTIONOften depicted as a woman with four arms, fangs, anda long tongue, Kali is a terrifying figure. In one hand sheclutches a sword, while with another she holds the headof a slain giant. Around her neck she wears a necklace

of skulls. She is often depicted standing on Shiva, hercompanion deity. The story goes that Kali was fightingthe demon Raktavija, but every drop of his blood thatspilled on the battlefield turned into a new demon, untilthe battlefield was filled with thousands of them. Todefeat Raktavija, Kali sucked the blood straight from hisbody and devoured the demons. Drunk on her success,Kali got carried away and started destroying everythingin sight, so Shiva threw himself beneath her feet inorder to stop the destruction.

MYTH TO RELIGIONKali is just one of many bloodthirsty creatures inIndian mythology, originating in the magic andsuperstition of ancient traditions. Hinduism—whichdeveloped in the Indus Valley (in modern-day Pakistan)and spread across India around 1000 BCE—was tolerantand accepting of these long-held folk beliefs andenabled them to spread thoughout the land. Somecreatures, like Kali, were incorporated into the religionand became ferocious gods. Others live on in folktraditions.

GRAVEYARD GHOULSIndian tradition tells of many flesh-eating ghouls thatlurk in burial grounds. In Hindu mythology, Vetalas (alsoknown as Baital) are spirits that live in recentlydeceased corpses. At night they search for the blood

of sleeping, drunk, or mad women. They look like oldwomen, deformed by discolored skin and poisonedfingernails. Bhutas are wandering souls that also live ingraveyards. They are thought to be the spirits of deadpeople who did not receive proper funeral rites. Theycan shape-shift into bats and attack the living to causedisease. Rakshasas are man-eating spirits, firstdescribed in the Atharva Veda (a Hindu religious text).They appear in many guises, usually as a half-human,half-animal creature covered in blood.

FEMALE FRIGHTSFemales who seek vengeance from beyond the graveproliferate in Indian mythology. The Churel wasbelieved to be a woman who had died in pregnancyduring the important Divali festival. She returns tosuck the blood of her relatives. The Churel is agruesome sight, with feet pointing backward and aprotruding black tongue. Another fearsome femalewas the Masani. Inhabiting burial grounds, this spiritwas black in appearance, due to the ash from herfuneral pyre. She hunted at night, attacking anyonewho passed by. Though there are many ghoulishspirits in Indian mythology, some are not entirely evil.The Pisacha, for example, are demons that eat corpses,but they can also restore the sick to health if enticed.

BLOODDRINKING


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Across southeast Asia, blood-drinking creaturesare strongly associated with black magic. Darktales abound of beautiful but bloodthirsty witchesand sorcerer’s slaves.

OF SOUTHEAST ASIA

Witches


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Ji hi


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SPLIT SOULAccording to Chinese belief, each person has twosouls: the higher soul, or hun , and the lower soul, orp’o . After death, the hun ascends to join the spirit

world. But if a person lived a bad life, their p’o wouldremain earthbound, trapped in the body, which wouldbe reanimated as a jiangshi. Liars, cheats, and thosewho committed suicide were particularly vulnerable.What happened after death was also significant,however. A blameless person who was not given aproper funeral could become a jiangshi, and an animalleaping over the corpse could also condemn theunfortunate soul to join the ranks of the undead. Theutmost care had to be taken when preparing thebody for burial, lest the deceased’s spirit was sullied:even leaning over a body was considered risky.

BOUND TO HOPThe name “hopping ghost” stems from the Chinesetradition of burying the dead in special garments thattied the legs together. The creature, having risen fromthe dead in its funeral garb, would then have to hop

to move around. Another explanation is that the deadwere often transported from the towns where theyworked back to the place of their birth. Carriedupright on bamboo stretchers, the corpses appearedto be bobbing up and down.

FEROCIOUS FIENDThe jiangshi’s appearance ranged from humanlike togruesome, with a long black tongue and eyeballshanging out of their sockets. Jiangshi were said to be

blind, foul-smelling, and entirely covered with longgreen or white hair. Their incredibly long eyebrowscould be used to lasso their victims, who would thenbe ripped limb from limb and devoured.

VANQUISHING A VAMPIREMany folk tales and legends featured the jiangshi—usually, unsuspecting travelers would disturb thecreature’s rest and meet a horrible fate. There wereways to keep the creature at bay, though. Loudnoises, such as thunder, could kill them. Straw andchicken blood would repel them, garlic burned theirskin, and piles of sticky rice would snare them. Theyliked to count, so red peas were a useful distraction.Many stories featured a mythical figure called ZhongKui, who battled the fearsome jiangshi. Cheated outof first place in his civil service exams, he was saidto have committed suicide in front of the Imperial

Palace. The emperor honored him with an imperialburial, and out of gratitude Zhong Kui ’s spirit promisedto rid the world of ghosts and demons with hismagic sword. His fierce image is often painted onChinese houses as a talisman of good luck.

Jian g shi CHINESE HOPPING GHOSTS Covered in hair, with razor-sharp talons and daggerlike teeth,these lost souls are often called Chinese vampires. Named jiangshi,or “hopping ghosts”, they would attack at night, leaping from theirgraves to suck the life force from their hapless victims.


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l i i


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F lying

F ire

The islands of the Caribbean have many myths of creatures that

feed on blood, but the most common is the legend of the vampirewitch. During the day, she lives unnoticed in the community, butat night, she transforms to wreak terror on her neighbors.

AND CARIBBEAN CRONES

SKINLESS HAGIn Jamaica, she is known as Ol’higue, or

“old suck”. During the day, Ol’higue lookslike a frail old woman, but at night thisseemingly harmless spinster sheds her skinand turns into a flying ball of fire on thelookout for blood, particularly that of newbornbabies. Once she has located her prey, thehideous creature shifts back into an oldwoman, but without her skin, and sucks thebaby’s blood. If anyone in the communitysuspected a woman was such a creature,

the children would cry “ole higue” at her andmake chalk marks on her door. A trap wouldbe set beside the cot of potential victims—a simple heap of rice grains and the scentof a spice called asafoetida. Together theseitems could cast a spell on the witch,compelling her to count each grain of rice. Ifdawn broke before she could return to herskin, the enraged locals would pounce onher and beat her to death.

PACT WITH THE DEVILGrenada’s version of the monster is calledthe Lagaroo or Loogaroo. The Lagaroo is inleague with the Devil. She can perform magic,but only if she pays the Devil in blood every

night. She is forced to seek the blood ofothers, because if she gave her own she

would die. She looks like a sweet old grandmain daylight hours, but at night she sheds herskin—usually leaving it under a “Devil Tree”,a silk cotton tree—to become a flying ball offlame that haunts the night. After she hascollected enough blood, she can return to herskin and change back into human form. Ifher skin is taken away from the Devil Tree sothat she cannot find it, she will perish.

SALT HER SKINTrinidad’s vampire witch is called a Soucouyant.This old woman also sheds her skin at nightand travels as a bright ball of light, searchingout sleeping victims. Two little bite marks leftside by side on the skin are a telltale sign ofa nocturnal visit by a Soucouyant. If you knowthe identity of the crone, the solution issimple. After she leaves her house at night,

her skin must be taken and rubbed with saltand pepper. The agony this causes leads herto cease her evil doings. Otherwise, the onlyrecourse is to beat the flying flame violentlywith sticks. The next morning a womanlooking battered and bruised would berevealed as the Soucouyant.


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MonstersGODS AND


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Monsters For the ancient peoples of South and CentralAmerica, blood-drinking creatures held greatpower. For some, these strange beings

were the remnants of evil spirits whowere hostile to mankind. For others,they were important deities,to be feared andworshipped.

OF SOUTH AND CENTRAL AMERICA

CIHUATETEOThe Aztecs of Mexico believed in a vampire spiritcalled Cihuateteo. A woman who had died inchildbirth, she returned after death to plague theliving, especially infants. People would leave herofferings of blood in the hope that she wouldspare their children.

ASEMAThe Asema of Surinam was a kind of “livingvampire”, an old man or woman who could takeoff its skin and become a ball of light at night.After it found its sleeping victim, it would revertto human form to feed on his or her blood.


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JARACACAThe Jaracaca of Brazilian mythology does drink

blood, but it prefers human milk. Taking on the

form of a snake, it slides through the jungle

unobserved and stalks nursing mothers. Its spit

and venom cause insanity, so it is greatly feared.

LOBISHOMENTiny in stature, the Lobishomen of Brazilian

folklore resembled a bald-headed monkey. A kind

of blood-sucking werewolf, it was hunch-backedwith bloodless lips, yellow skin, and black teeth.

Padded feet helped it creep up quietly on the

women it would attack.

CAMAZOTZThe Maya of Central America worshipped a deity

called Camazotz. He had the body of a man and

the head and wings of a bat and presided over

the cycle of crops. Powerful and malignant, he

was thirsty for blood and lurked in caves.

PISHTACONative to Peru, the Pishtaco does

not immediately feed off blood. First

it gorges on fat, and only when sateddoes it move on to drink blood. This

creature operated at night and could

take on the form of a vampire bat.


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“hl

hse

oulao,a s

tr.”


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a oh

h o nt

r l

ue

The Vampire: His Kith and Kin, Montague Summers


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The vampire that we are familiar with first took shape in the folklore ofEastern Europe. Isolated village communities blamed the spread ofdisease and crop failure on the undead, who they believed rose fromtheir graves to suck the blood of the living. Stories of hysterical

villagers digging up and staking bodies began to spread west, sparkingthe imagination of writers and poets. In the fiction of the 19th century,the slobbering ghoul of myth was transformed into the cruel Count—amonster with a more human face, but with an intent just as evil.

Vampire

Rise of the

d l


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PAGAN BELIEFSFolk belief in the vengeful dead had

existed in Europe long before the Christian

Church came to prominence, and it was

often linked to witchcraft and sorcery. In

the Middle Ages, many peasants still held

to these pagan ideas. The Church wanted

to end paganism and witchcraft andbegan to absorb elements of these

beliefs, explaining them instead as the

work of Satan.

G ood vs. E vil In Medieval Europe, death and disease were often attributedto revenants—the dead who rise from their graves. As the ChristianChurch gained in strength, it explained these undead creatures asthe work of the Devil. By incorporating them into Christian teachingsabout sin and the afterlife, the Church strengthened beliefs in therestless dead and emphasized the triumph of good over evil.

REVENANTS AND THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH

POWER OF THE CROSS


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WILLIAM OF NEWBURGHStories of revenants were committedto print by many Christian chroniclers.One of these was William of Newburgh,a 12th-century English churchman andhistorian. In his History of EnglishAffairs, he included accounts of peoplereturning from the dead to plague

their neighbors.

SACRED RITESThe Christian faith involves bloodrituals of its own. When Christianscelebrate the Eucharist, or HolyCommunion, they eat bread and drinkwine that represent the body and bloodof Jesus Christ. This commemorates

the Last Supper and is thought tobestow God’s grace upon believers.

POWER OF THE CROSSThe Church believed it alone had

the power to rid communities ofrevenants. Priests were uniquelyplaced to fight these minions ofthe Devil. The crucifix, symbolizingthe Christian faith and theresurrection of Jesus Christ, andholy water, blessed by a priest,were all that were needed to forceout evil.


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V a m p i r e

s

I n t h e 1 6 t h a n d 1 7 t h

c e n t u r i e s ,

t h e c o u n

t r i e s o f E a s t e r n E u r o p e w e r e r i f e

w i t h

m y t h s

o f b l o o d -

d r i n k i n g

r e v e n a n t s .

T h e s e

h o r r i fi

c

r e a n i m a t e d

c o r p s e s l a t e r c a m e t o b e k n o w n a s v a

m p i r e s .

I n R o m a n i a

a n d S l o v a k i a ,

b e l i e f i n t h e m

w a s

s o s t r o n g

t h a t g r a v e s w e r e d e s e c r a t

e d a n d b o d i e s

s t a k e d i n a n e ff o r t

t o r o o t t h e m o

u t . O

F E A S T E R N E U R O P E

56

H w h y a p e r s o n w o u l d

s e v e n t h s o n b o r n t o

o o m e d t o a n a f t e r l i f e

w i t h t e e t h o r a c a u l

i m i l a r l y f a t e d . O t h e r s

w e r e t h o s e w i t h r e d

d e s , a n d t h o s e w h o


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T H E R E S T L E S S D E A D

I n t h e r

u r a l c

o m m u n i t i e s o f R o m a n i a

a n d S l o v a k i a , p

e o p l e

h e l d s

t r o n g

b e l i e f s

a b o u t

t h e w

a l k i n g

d e a d . W h e n

m i s f o r t u n e , d i s e a s e , o r f o o d s h o r t a g e s s t r u c k , t h e s e

w e r e o

f t e n a t t r i b u t e d t o t h e d e c e a

s e d w h o , u n a b l e t o

r e s t i n

t h e i r g r a v e s , h

a d r i s e n u p t o i n fl i c t e

v i l o n t h e i r

n e i g h b o r s . K n o w n v a r i o u s l y a s s t r i g

o i a n d m o r o i , t h e s e

c r e a t u r e s w e r e s a i d t o p r o w l a t n

i g h

t a n d f e e d o n b l o o d .

L i t t l e m

o r e t h a n r e a n i m a t e d c o r p s e s , t

h e y w e r e b l o a t e d

a n d s w

o l l e n w i t h r e d d i s h s k i n a n d

s t a r i n g e y e s .

O n c e

h u m a n , i n d e a t h t h e s e p e o p l e h a

d b e c o m e h i d e o u s -

l o o k i n g

m o n s t e r s . W h e n s o m e o n e

w a s s u s p e c t e d o f

b e i n g a v a m p i r e ,

l o c a l s w o u l d d i g

u p t h e b o d y .

I f t h e

c o r p s e

s e e m e d s u s p i c i o u s l y f r e s h - l o

o k i n g , o r t h e r e w e r e

t r i c k l e s

o f b l o o d a t t

h e m o u t h a n d

n o s e , t h i s w a s t a k e n

a s c o n fi r m a t i o n . F

r i g h t e n e d v i l l a g e r s

w o u l d t h r u s t a

s t a k e

t h r o u g h t h e b o d y o r r e m o v e t h e h e

a r t a n d b u r n i t .

57

P R E

V E N T I O N B E T T E R T H

A N C U R E

I n R o

m a n i a , a r e l a t i v e o f t h e d e c e

a s e d w o u l d c a r r y w i n e

a n d

b r e a d t o t h e g r a v e t o a p p

e a s e t h e c o r p s e a n d

p r e v e n t v a m p i r i c a c t i v i t y . S l o v a k i a

n s w o u l d s e n d e l d e r l y

w o m

e n t o t h e c e m e t e r y t o s t i c k

fi v e h a w t h o r n p e g s o r

o l d k n i v e s i n t o t h e g r a v e , o n e a t

t h e p o s i t i o n o f t h e

d e c e

a s e d ’ s c h e s t a n d t h e o t h e r f o

u r a

t e a c h l i m b — t o p i n

d o w n a v a m p i r e a t t e m p t i n g t o

r i s e f r o m

t h e g r a v e .

W e i g

h i n g t h e e y e s d o w n w i t h c

o i n s ,

t y i n g t h e m o u t h

c l o s e d , o r s t u f fi n g t h e m o u t h w i t h g a r l i c w e r e a l s o

c o m m o n p r a c t i c e s . I f t h i s f a i l e d

, t h e p e a s a n t s w o u l d

s e n d

f o r a d h a m p i r . S

a i d t o b e h a l f - v a m p i r e , h

a l f - h u m a n ,

d h a m

p i r s w e r e u n i q u e l y c a p a b l e o

f c o m b a t t i n g v a m p i r e s

a n d w o u l d u s e s t a k e s , d

e c a p i t a t i o

n , g

a r l i c , h o l y s y m b o l s ,

a n d fi r e t o d e s t r o y t h e m o n s t e r .

F A

T E W O R S E T H A N D E

A T H

T h

e r e w e r e m a n y t h e o r i e s a s

t o w

b e

c o m e a v a m p i r e . I

n R o m a n i a , t h e s

a s e v e n t h s o n w a s t h o u g h t t

o b

e d o

a s

o n e o f t h e u n d e a d . B a b i e s b o r n

( m

e m b r a n e ) o v e r t h e i r h e a d s w e r e s i

w h

o w e r e t h o u g h t t

o b e s u s c e p

t i b l e

h a i r

a n d b l u e e y e s ,

c r i m i n a l s , s u i c i d

d i d

n o t r e c e i v e a p r o p e r f u n e r a

l .

VAMPIRE

Hysteria


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Vampire legends were everywhere in Eastern Europe,but the outside world only began to take an interest whenthe stories were officially investigated and reported innewspapers. The gruesome tales soon spread, andEurope went vampire crazy.

HITS EUROPEHysteria


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GOODLADY

DUCAYNE M E BRADDON1896

CARMILLA

SHERIDAN LE FANU1872

VARNEYTHE VAMPIRE OR, THE FEAST OF BLOOD

JAMES MALCOLM RYMER1840

THE BRIDEOF THE

ISLES J R PLANCHÉ1820

THEVAMPYRE;

A TALE JOHN POLIDORI1819


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Gothic Horror THE FIRST VAMPIRE LITERATURE

The vampire stories that emerged from Eastern Europe inthe 18th century fed the rumor mills in Paris and London. But itwasn’t until the early 19th century that vampires first

appeared in fiction, satisfying the public’s appetite for Gothichorror. No longer bloated corpses, these vampires werearistocratic, pale, and romantic.

A VAMPYRIC TALEThe first vampire novel was dreamed up in 1816 during aghost-writing session near Lake Geneva, Switzerland, betweenwriter Mary Shelley and Romantic poet Lord Byron. Shelleycame up with Frankenstein , which became another classic ofthe horror genre, while Byron began a tale of an aristocrat whodies in Turkey and promises to return from the dead. Byronnever finished the work, but his physician, Dr. John Polidori,did. Published in 1819, The Vampyre featured Lord Ruthven, anobleman with a thirst for blood and more than a trace ofByron’s own dashing but dangerous persona.

RUTHVEN TREADS THE BOARDSPolidori’s tale was adapted for the stage in 1820 byJ. R. Planché as The Vampire, or The Bride of the Isles . Amongthe many embellishments of the story, the setting wastransferred to Scotland and Lord Ruthven appeared on stagein a kilt and tam-o’-shanter. A specially built trapdoor, stillknown in the theater as a “vampire trap”, allowed the vampireto rise up from his tomb through the stage floor, terrifying an

audience unused to such technical tricks.

THE NEVERENDING STORYThe next landmark vampire story was a serialized publicationthat ran to 868 pages, divided into 220 chapters. Issued in luridcolors, it told of the distinctly repetitive adventures of Sir FrancisVarney. In each chapter, Varney tries to seduce an innocent girl,before the locals realize he is a vampire and go after him.Eventually, Varney commits suicide by jumping into a volcano.

The first literary vampire to have fangs, Varney was

also the first to shape-shift into a wolf, have hypnotic powersand superhuman strength, and be virtually indestructible.

FEMME FATALEIn 1872, Irish writer Sheridan Le Fanu offered a new take on thegenre by making his lead character female. Carmilla appears tobe young but is actually a 200-year-old aristocrat. She befriendsa young girl named Laura, who slowly wastes away. Family and

friends finally put two and two together, and after locatingCarmilla’s tomb, they strike her head from her body and stakeher through the heart. Possessed of amazing strength, Carmillacan shape-shift, stalking her prey in the form of a black cat. Ina twist that soon became familiar in vampire fiction, Le Fanu’slead character was at once horrifying and intensely desirable.

GOOD LADY, BAD BLOODLETTINGMary Elizabeth Braddon’s short story Good Lady Ducayne ,

published in 1896, brought the vampire tale right up to date.Young Bella Rolleston, who needs a job but has no qualifications,is hired as a companion to the amiable Lady Ducayne. Heremployer’s previous companions have mysteriously wastedaway and died, while the ancient lady seems to thrive. On avisit to Italy, Bella, too, begins to weaken. Fortunately, her friendStafford realizes that Lady Ducayne has been siphoning off theyoung girls’ blood to keep her alive, using the new medicalprocess of transfusion to transfer their blood into her ownveins in an attempt to become young and beautiful again.


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B

ram Stoker was born in Ireland in 1847.He was a sickly child, and his imaginationwas fired up by the gruesome folk taleshis mother would tell at his bedside to

amuse him. As an adult, he moved to Londonand became the business manager of the famousLyceum Theatre. To the outside world, he was a jovial man, but inside he was preoccupied with

disturbing thoughts. It is said that anightmare of being attacked bythree vampiric women gave him

the idea for a novel...

Stoker had already written afew horror stories, but thiswas to be very different.He spent years reading

everything he could on vampires—from folk myths to

novels such as The Vampyre and Carmilla. Hetraveled to the English seaside town of Whitby,

where he talked to local fishermen aboutshipwrecks. In Whitby’s library, he found a bookon the old Romanian state of Wallachia, whichmentioned the Carpathian Mountains and thebloody history of Vlad the Impaler. All the whilehe was surrounded by theatricality, working atthe Lyceum with the famous Victorian actor, SirHenry Irving, whose physical characteristics andmannerisms inspired Stoker’s central character.

Dracula was finally published in June 1897. Toldthrough a series of letters and diary entries, thestory revolved around Count Dracula, abeautifully dressed aristocrat who lives in agloomy castle. He is a creature from the past,more than 400 years old, who claims to be adescendent of Attila the Hun. Drawing onEastern European myths, Stoker made hisblood-drinking villain repelled by garlic andreligious artifacts, able to shape-shift, onlycapable of entering a house when invited, and vulnerable to a stake through the heart. From

his own imagination, Stoker endowed hiscreation with enormous strength and the abilityto crawl up walls.

When the book was first released, it received amixed response. Some reviewers found itdistasteful, and Stoker made little money fromit in his lifetime. But with its transition tothe stage, and subsequently film, the

book became a huge success. Bythe 1940s, it had sold more than amillion copies, and since then ithas never been out of print. Bymaking the myth morebelievable to a modernaudience, Bram Stokercatapulted the vampire to awhole new level of fame.

BRAM STOKER AND THE MOST

INFLUENTIAL HORROR STORY EVER WRITTEN

London’s Lyceum Theatre

Bram asa boy

DRACULA: THE STORY IN BRIEF


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Bram Stoker’s novel opens with the journey of young lawyer Jonathan Harker, who has been sentto visit the mysterious Count Draculaat his castle in remote Transylvania.While helping him finalize thepurchase of a house in England, Jonathan is at first charmed by theCount. However, he soon finds that he

is imprisoned in the creepy castle andthat his host is, in fact, a vampire.

With the young lawyer incarcerated,Dracula sets off for England onboard a ship called the Demeter . Onthe journey, all the crew perish in unexplainedcircumstances and the ship runs aground on theEnglish coast at Whitby, Yorkshire, where

Jonathan’s fiancée Mina Murray and her friendLucy Westenra happen to be staying. Lucy fallsprey to the vampire and, on her return toLondon, begins to waste away. Her fiancé, Arthur Holmwood, and two former suitors,

Dr Seward and QuinceyMorris, are determined to

save her and callon the assistanceof Professor VanHelsing. When Lucydies, Van Helsing realizesthat she has become a vampire and

helps the men put an end to her.

In Dr Seward’s asylum, locatednear Carfax Abbey, Dracula’s newhome, the inmate Renfield begins toact in increasingly strange ways.

Van Helsing, Mina, Jonathan (who has escapedfrom Transylvania), Arthur, Quincey, and Sewardcome together to hunt for the vampire. But the

malevolent Count has made Mina his next victim.The men pursue Dracula back to Transylvania,where in a final battle they stab him through theheart and decapitate him – killing him once andfor all and freeing Mina from his clutches.

__________________________________________ ___________________________________________ . ___________________________________________ _________________________________________

Count Dracula: A nobleman and powerful vampire.

Jonathan Harker: A young lawyer from London, he is

sent to Transylvania to advise Dracula on a property deal.

Mina Murray: Jonathan’s fiancée, later his wife.

Lucy Westenra: Mina’s best friend. She falls under

Dracula’s spell and becomes one of the undead.

professor Abraham Van Helsing: A Dutch scientist

and vampire expert, he leads the fight against Dracula.

Dr. John Seward: The doctor who runs the asylum that

becomes the headquarters for the vampire-fighting team.

Arthur Holmwood: Becomes Lucy’s fiancé and finances

the vampire hunt.

Quincey P. Morris: A rich young American. He is in love

with Lucy and is committed to the fight against Dracula.

R. M. Renfield: An inmate in Dr. Seward’s insane asylum.

He hails Dracula as his “Master”.

List of key characters

Carfax Abbey, where Dracula sets up home

The evilCount


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Dracula, Bram Stoker

ImpalerVLAD THE


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Impaler Ruler of the mountainous principality of Wallachia, aregion of modern-day Romania, Vlad Dracula was abloody tyrant who struck fear into the hearts of hisown people. Bram Stoker used his name for his famousfictional villain, though many believe the novel owesVlad’s violent legend even more.

VLAD THE BADBorn in 1431, Vlad Dracula had a turbulent upbringing,spending much of his boyhood as a hostage of theOttoman Empire. He came to the throne in 1448, buthis reign was interrupted twice before his death in1476. He is regarded as one of the cruelest rulers inhistory, coming to be known as Vlad Tepes (pronouncedtse-pesh), which means “the impaler”.

THE REAL DRACULA

MURDEROUS PRINCEDuring his reign, Vlad massacred anyone who got in

his way, including women, children, and the sick. As

his nickname suggests, his favorite method of dealing

with his enemies was to impale them on blunt wooden

stakes. It is said that he killed thousands in this way.


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TWO SIDES TO THE TALEDespite these bloody tales, Vlad is remembered as a

national hero in Romania. He defended his territory

against the onslaught of foreign powers and, while

bloodthirsty, was said to have been a just ruler. During

his reign Wallachia, was almost crime-free as his

subjects knew they would pay a terrible price for any

misdemeanors. According to one legend, Vlad left a

golden cup by a fountain in a public square. Many

used it, but it was never stolen.

Bathor ELIZABETH


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y THE BLOOD COUNTESSIn the 1600s, tales emerged of amurderous Hungarian aristocrat.For years, Countess ElizabethBathory maintained theappearance of normality,while inside her castleshe w

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