1

DRACULA:A PROJECT

2

INDEX1. VAMPIRES: AN INTRODUCTION

1.1 Definition1.2 Appearance and history 1.3 Vampire fiction1.4 How is a vampire’s body?1.5 Vampire characteristics

3

INDEX2. VAMPIRES IN HISTORY

2.1 Elizabeth Bathory2.2 Peter Kürten2.3 Vlad the Impaler

4

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

5

INDEX4. 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

6

INDEX5. OUR READING BOOK: BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA (II)

5.1 Character study5.2 Vocabulary

7

GROUP 1:

VAMPIRES, AN INTRODUCTION

8

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

9

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

10

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

11

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.

12

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.

13

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.

14

VAMPIRE CHARACTERISTICS

•Vampires’ demonic nature makes them hate christian symbols. That’s why they run away when someone usesa christian cross or holy water. They can’t go across consecrated land such as churches. •They hate garlic and they are vulnerable to sunlight.

15

VAMPIRE CHARACTERISTICS

• They are indestructible using common means and theyare 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.

16

ARE YOU READY?

AHHHHHH!

This isChristopher Lee as Dracula

17

GROUP 2:

VAMPIRES IN HISTORY

18

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.

19

VAMPIRES IN HISTORYPETER KÜRTEN (1883-1931), the vampire of

Dusseldorf, drank animal or human blood

and he felt great pleasure.

20

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.

THE REAL DRACULA

21

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.’

THE REAL DRACULA: VLAD THE IMPALER

22

In 1444 Dracul was travelling with Dracula and his youngest son across the Danube River when they were captured by the Turks. Dracula was imprisonedfor 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 joinedHunyadi who taught him cunning and severe military tactics that would soon secure Dracula the throne of Wallachia.

THE REAL DRACULA: VLAD THE IMPALER

23

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. Manytownspeople were also subject to his wrath.

Woodcut of Vlad surrounded by his victims

THE REAL DRACULA: VLAD THE IMPALER

24

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 wasimproperly dressed,she said she was too busy

cooking and cleaning to sew. She was immediatelyimpaled. 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.

THE REAL DRACULA: VLAD THE IMPALER

25

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.

THE REAL DRACULA: VLAD THE IMPALER

26

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

THE REAL DRACULA: VLAD THE IMPALER

27

GROUP 3:

VAMPIRES IN CINEMA

28

VAMPIRES IN CINEMA

29

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.

30

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,

31

FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA’S BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA

It is a 1992 horror-romance thrillerdirected by F. F. Coppola, based onthe novel Dracula by Bram Stoker. It stars G.Oldman as Count Dracula, W. Ryder as Mina Harker,A. Hopkins as Professor VanHelsing, Keanu Reeves as Jonathan Harker and Sadie Frost as Lucy Westenra.

32

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. The closing theme "Love Song for a Vampire” was written and performed by A. Lennox.

Para ver esta película, debedisponer de QuickTime™ y de

un descompresor .

See film

33

INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE

Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles is a 1994film, based on the 1976 novel Interview with the Vampire by

AnneRice. 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 claimsto be a vampire and tells the story of his past.

See film

34

THE TWILIGHT SAGATWILIGHT 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 teenagerBella 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

35

THE TWILIGHT SAGANEW MOON is a 2009 film based onStephenie 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 starsKristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, andTaylor Lautner, reprising their roles asBella Swan, Edward Cullen, and Jacob Black, respectively.

See film

36

GROUP 4

VAMPIRES IN LITERATURE:

BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA (I)

37

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.

38

BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA

Stoker read the stories about Dracula printedIn the 15th-16th centuries. He was surprised by his acts of cruelty and decided to make himhis character. He also read some books aboutTransylvania and thought that this "exotic”land would be a proper setting for Dracula. Dracula’s qualities: he is immortal. He has gotsupernatural powers and he drinks humanblood!

39

COMPARISON:VLAD VS COUNT DRACULA

VLAD DRACUL COUNT DRACULA

40

COMPARISON:VLAD VS COUNT DRACULA

Stoker used Vlad only as a source ofinspiration. In his novel, Dracula is not

princeVlad the Impaler, but a Transylvanian countliving in a mysterious castle where he lured

hisvictims. His story takes place in the Bistritzaarea, and the castle lies near the Carpathian

Mountains. As Stoker had never visitedTransylvania, most places and happenings were

pure fiction.

41

ABOUT THE AUTHORBRAM STOKER: LIFEHe was born in Dublin in 1847. After finishing university there he worked for the government. He married a Dublin girl. Stokerwas 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.

42

BRAM STOKERBRAM STOKER: WORKSHis 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 saidthat the Dracula story came to him in anightmare one night after a large dinner ofcrab meat.

43

BRAM STOKERBRAM STOKER: CONCLUSIONStoker is often called “the least-known author

of the best-Known book”. He wrote manyother books, but it is because of Dracula that

we remember him today.There have been many films about CountDracula and the book, which has never beenout of print, is as popular today as it was ahundred years ago.

44

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…

45

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.

46

DRACULA: A SUMMARYWhile he is staying in Castle Dracula , hekeeps a diary. And every day he has more and more terrible things to write. Whydoes 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”

47

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…

48

DRACULA: A SUMMARY

Mina is not afraid for herself, of course,or for her friend Lucy. What danger canthere possibly be for two young womenin a quiet English seaside town?

49

GROUP 5

VAMPIRES IN LITERATURE:BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA (II)

50

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.

51

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.

52

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.

53

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.

54

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.

55

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.

56

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.

57

VOCABULARYVERBS:BECOME: to change and begin to be something new.

ConvertirseBELIEVE: to think that something is true.creerHOWL: to make a loud, crying sound. aullarKISS: to touch someone with your mouth to show

love.besarSHAVE: to cut the hair off the face. afeitarseSHIVER: to shake with cold or fear. temblar

58

VOCABULARYNOUNSCARRIAGE: a kind of “car” pulled by horses, for

carrying people. carruajeCART: a kind of open “car” pulled by horses, for

carrying people or things. carroCASTLE: a big strong building that can keep enemies

out. castilloCHURCHYARD: a place by a church where dead people lie

under the ground. cementerioCLOAK: a big, loose coat with no sleeves for the arms.

capaCOACH: a large kind of “car” pulled by horses, for

carrying people. carruajeCOFFIN: a box in which a dead person lies. ataud

59

VOCABULARYCOUNT: a title for a nobleman in some countries. condeCURTAIN: a piece of cloth that covers a window. cortinaEARTH: dirt from the ground. tierraFEAR: you feel this way when you are afraid. miedoGARLIC: a plant with white flowers and a strong taste and

smell which is used in cooking. ajoHAMMER: a heavy tool used for hitting things (e.g. Nails

into a wall). martilloHATE: very strong dislike, opposite of “love”. odioHEART: the organ inside your chest that pushes the blood

roung the body. corazónHELL: the place where bad people go after they are

dead.infiernoICE: water that is hard because iti is frozen (very cold).

hielo

60

VOCABULARYMIRROR: a piece of glass where you can see yourself.

espejoPROFESSOR: an important teacher at university. profesorSERVANT: someone who works in another person’s home.

sirvienteTHOUGHT: something that you think. pensamientoTOMB: a small stone building under or above the ground

for adead person. tumbaVAMPIRE: the body of a dead person that comes alive at

night and drinks the blood of living people.vampiroWOLF: a wild animal that looks like a dog. loboWOUND: a place on the body where something or somebody

as cut or hurt you. herida

61

VOCABULARY

ADJECTIVES:FRIGHTENED: very afraid. asustadoHOLY: special because it is from the church.

sagradoHORRIBLE: very bad, terrible, making you very

afraid or unhappy.LOVELY: nice, beautiful. Bonito, agradablePALE: with little colour in the face. pálidoSHARP: with an edge that cuts easily (e.g. A sharp

knife). afiladoWEAK: not strong. débil