Let's unveil 8 facts we bet you (probably didn't know) about Dracula.
Bram Stoker's iconic novel essentially created the vampire genre as we know it. Without it, the landscape of literature and pop culture would undoubtedly have been very different—we might not have had Twilight, that's for sure. Here are 8 facts about Dracula we bet you didn't know!
1. Dracula has never been out of print
Published in 1897, Dracula has never been out of print. This indicates its popularity, as booksellers have consistently requested new print runs of Dracula because they have kept selling out their stock for over 120 years.
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This demand is comparable to the Bible, ironic, eh?
2. Bram Stoker was inspired by Whitby
Stoker was introduced to Whitby by a good friend in 1890 after he became exhausted from work. It's obvious how impactful Whitby, especially Whitby Abbey, is to the story of Dracula.
There are bits and pieces of Whitby found throughout Stoker's novel, including the 199 steps leading up to the Abbey. Dracula runs up the steps after his ship is wrecked on Tate Hill Sands in the form of a dog.
Local legends inhabit the fabric of the story of Dracula in Whitby. From the grounding of the Demeter at Tate Hill Sands to the first attack of Dracula on Lucy on the ‘suicide seat’. Whitby is indeed the birthplace of Dracula.
3. Dracula's character was inspired by the 15th-century Romanian prince Vlad the Impaler
During the trip to Whitby on Friday, 8 August 1890. Stoker visited the public lending library on the Harbourside (now the Quayside fish and chip restaurant).
He read An Account of the Principalities of Wallachia and Moldova by William Wilkinson. Wilkinson’s history mentioned a 15th-century prince named Vlad Tepes (also known as Vlad the Impaler), who was said to have impaled his enemies on wooden stakes.
Bram Stoker had just discovered the star of his book. He was known as Dracula – the ‘son of the dragon’. In the Wallachian language, Dracula interestingly means Devil. The Wallachians at that time used to give this as a surname to cruel people.
4. Despite popular belief, Dracula was not the first vampire in literature
Vampires are first mentioned in English literature in Robert Southey's epic poem Thalaba the Destroyer (1801).
In this poem, the main character, Thalaba's deceased beloved, Oneiza, transforms into a vampire, though this event is of minor significance to the overall story. The vampire archetype can be traced back to ancient folklore and mythology.
5. Dracula has been portrayed in over 500 films
As of August 2015, Bram Stoker's Count Dracula has appeared in a total of 538 films (including cinema releases and TV films), surpassing any other literary character.
This makes him considerably more prominent than his closest literary counterpart, Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes, who had made 299 appearances by the same date.
6. Whitby Abbey holds the world record for the number of people dressed as vampires in one place!
To mark 125 years since Bram Stoker's novel Dracula was published in 1897, English Heritage asked Whitby and the world to help break a Guinness World Record.
A total of 1,369 people attended Whitby Abbey dressed as vampires. Breaking the previous record of 1,039 set in 2011 at Doswell in Virginia, USA.
It was a fantastic way to celebrate Bram Stoker's novel Dracula.
7. Dracula is still loved and celebrated in Whitby today
Whitby will forever be associated with Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Thankfully, the town's residents have found numerous ways to keep the connection alive.
There are remnants of the fictional character everywhere you look (they may not always be evident, though, so look closely!).
8. You can visit the Dracula experience
If you have a spare hour while in Whitby and a solid heart, participate in the Dracula Experience.
Here, you get to skulk around pitch-black tunnels while being ‘attacked’ by the local ghouls and ghosts. Scary yet a lot of fun, this experience isn’t for the fainthearted.
Have you read the Dracula novel yet?
Maybe Whitby will inspire you to write, too!
Regular visitor to Whitby when I was a kid living in local area. We went back a couple of years ago. A bit tacky now but the place still has a great feeling, travelled from South coast, long journey but worth it.