Count Dracula, Vlad the Impaler and Elizabeth Bathory

Dracula is a novel that was written by Bram Stoker in 1897. Stoker's most famous character, Count Dracula is known all over the world and has spawned numerous films.The story begins with Dracula making plans with a legal law firm in England, so that Dracula could move to England. The legal law firms sends Johathan Harker, on their behalf, to do the business arrangements with the Count. Harker travels to Transylvania and goes to Dracula's castle high up in the Carpathian Mountains. The crumbling castle is located in a remote and dark place. Jonathan Harker meets Count Dracula, and is shown to his room, and is given some food and drink. Count Dracula does not drink. Harker is warned by Dracula that he is not to leave his room at night. One night Harker decides to leave his room, in spite of the Count's warning, and he meets up with three women in the castle. The three women are vampires, as well, and try to bite Harker, but Count Dracula arrives in time to save Jonathan Harker at the last moment from the three women vampires. The three women are Dracula's wives.

Dracula moves to England taking boxes of earth with him from his native land. Dracula and the boxes of earth are carried over to England in a ship named the "Demeter." While the ship is en route to England, there are many strange happenings taking place. The ship's crew are found to be missing and the captain is found tied to the ship's helm. The crew of the ship are feared dead, and it is strange; there is no sight of them. Dracula is successful in moving to England. Dr. Seward has a mental patient named Renfield, and Renfield is known to be extremely insane. Renfield is an inmate in the sanatorium run by Dr. Seward. Renfield has had a contact with Dracula. Renfield is a weakling and is easily taken over by Dracula. Renfield has strange desires to eat bugs, spiders, birds, and other creatures for their life-blood. Renfield believes that he must eat these things in an ascending order, so that he might absorb their life-force into himself.

After Dracula has settled in England, he meets Mina (Wilhelmina) and Lucy Westenra, and has a great interest in both Mina and her friend Lucy, but especially Mina. Dracula has a contact with Lucy alone. Lucy begins to waste away, and no one can figure out what is wrong with her. Dr. Seward calls his old professor, Abraham Van Helsing, who he knew in Amsterdam for help. Van Helsing comes to England to help Lucy, but it is too late, and Lucy dies and is buried. A lady in white is seen by some young children, and the lady is beckoning them to come to her. It is Lucy. Van Helsing is starting to think that there may be a vampire about, but does not say so at first, but waits. Lucy is discovered to be a vampire, and Van Helsing and the others go to her tomb and drive a stake through her heart and, then, cut her head off. They make sure that Lucy stays dead, so that she does not rise up again. Dracula has a contact with Mina next. Dracula has more contacts with Mina. Mina almost loses her life, and almost becomes a vampire, as well, but she is saved in the nick of time. Van Helsing and the others must find Dracula's body, so that they can destroy him. Dracula is found in one of his boxes of native earth from Transylvania, and they are able to drive a stack through his heart and, then, he is finally destroyed and the world is saved.

The novel "Dracula" has inspired theatrical performances and many films, ever since it was written by Bram Stoker in 1897. Dracula is one of the most famous books ever written. Many famous actors have played the role of the count in the theatre and on the silver screen. The most famous actors are: Bela Lugosi and Christopher Lee. Bela Lugosi played the count in the theatre version, and in the 1931 classic film titled: "Dracula." Count Dracula had magnetism and charm. Women were attracted to Dracula in the 1931 film. Dracula could be a gentleman and easily charmed the ladies. The ladies did not find out that he was a vampire until later. Dracula could be romantic, and had old world charm. Christopher Lee played the count in the Hammer Films in England.

Vlad Dracula was a Romanian Prince, who was, also, known as Vlad the Impaler. Vlad the Impaler was thought to have been the inspiration for the character of Dracula in the book written by Bram Stoker. Vlad III (Vlad the Impaler) was the son of Vlad Dracul. He tortured many of his victims in many different ways, but his favorite way was to torture and impale his victims on stakes. He lived and ruled in Romania in the 1400s. The name Dracul means dragon in Romanian, and Dracula means "Son of the dragon." Elizabeth Bathory is thought to be another inspiration for the novel. She was arrested and walled up in her castle until her death. She is believed to of had up to 600 or more victims. She lured young girls to her castle, promising the girls good paying jobs. Instead she murdered the girls for their blood. Elizabeth Bathory supposedly bathed in the blood of the young girls, who were virgins, because she believed that bathing in the blood of her victims would keep her skin looking young and healthy. Bathory finally got caught when she tried to lure a nobleman's daughter to her castle, intending to kill her, as well, as she killed her other young victims, who were not daughters of important noblemen. Elizabeth Bathory was related to Vlad the Impaler. Vlad the Impaler was her great-uncle.