Count Dracula Vs. Vlad The Impaler 

Introduction

History is sometimes told through stories, and this is a fact; however, these stories are not always a hundred percent loyal to what really happened. This relationship between "history" and "story" forms the basis for this essay, as I have decided to explore one of the topics given: "From history to story: Vlad the Impaler vs. Count Dracula."

Count Dracula vs. Vlad the Impaler

I chose this topic because I love history and am very curious about historical characters such as Prince Vlad Tepes, whom some critics consider to be one of the inspirations for Bram Stoker's Dracula. It is not certain if Stoker really based his character on Vlad Tepes, but I believe there are some passages in his book that suggest a similarity between Count Dracula and Prince Vlad.

Vlad III Dracula, the Prince of Wallachia, also known as Vlad Tepes or Vlad the Impaler, was born in Transylvania, now part of Romania. He was one of the sons of the nobleman Vlad II Dracul, the ruler of the Wallachian region and a member of the Order of the Dragon. This is why Vlad the Impaler is called Dracula: it means the son of Dracul. These are the first similarities I have found between the historical character and the fictional one. In the novel, it is mentioned that Jonathan Harker is traveling to Transylvania to meet Count Dracula, the lord of the land:

"...made a search among the books and maps of the library regarding Transylvania; it had struck me that some foreknowledge of the country could hardly fail to have some importance in dealing with a noble of that country" (Stoker, 1897).

This is not a clear reference to Vlad Tepes, but I think it is not a coincidence that both Dracula and Vlad are from the same country and region. Additionally, the portrayal of Count Dracula as a powerful and fearsome figure could reflect the historical reputation of Vlad the Impaler. However, there remains the possibility that Bram Stoker simply wanted to set his novel in a distant and mysterious land far from Ireland.

The Name "Dracula"

The main reason I believe the author based his book's character (or at least took some inspiration to create it) is the name of the novel itself and the character's name: Dracula. Why did Stoker choose to name one of the principal characters "Dracula"? As I mentioned earlier, Vlad the Impaler's father was known as "Vlad Dracul," which translates into English as "Vlad the Dragon." The Romanian word "drac" means "dragon," and sometimes it also means "the devil" or "Satan," while "ul" is the article. Furthermore, the suffix "ulema" (the Romanian name of Vlad Tepes is Vlad III Dracula) means "the son of."

It is important to note that the reason Vlad Tepes' father was known as Vlad Dracul is because he was a member of the Order of the Dragon, an organization created by the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. The main purpose of the Order was to defend the empire against the Ottoman Turks and defeat them. This historical context adds another layer of intrigue to the connection between the historical Vlad and Stoker's fictional Dracula, suggesting that the name was chosen deliberately to evoke the fearsome and noble legacy of the real-life figure.

By exploring the historical background of Vlad the Impaler and the literary creation of Count Dracula, one can see how history and story are intertwined. While we cannot definitively say that Stoker based Dracula on Vlad, the similarities in name, origin, and legacy provide compelling evidence that history played a significant role in shaping this iconic fictional character.

References

Stoker, B. (1897). Dracula. Archibald Constable and Company.