The researchers get right at the root of the Dracula legend. They contend that Stoker based his character, not only on Vlad Tepes, but on Elizabeth Bathory. Explains that Bathory was the rarest of birds: a female, sexually-motivated, recreational killer.

Who was the woman who inspired Dracula?

Countess Elizabeth Báthory de Ecsed (Hungarian: Báthori Erzsébet, pronounced [ˈbaːtori ˈɛrʒeːbɛt]; Slovak: Alžbeta Bátoriová; 7 August 1560 – 21 August 1614) was a Hungarian noblewoman and alleged serial killer from the Báthory family, who owned land in the Kingdom of Hungary (now Slovakia).

Who was Dracula based on?

Bram Stoker's Dracula, the iconic 1897 tale of a vampire from Transylvania, is often thought to be inspired by a formidable 15th-century governor from present-day Romania named Vlad the Impaler. Vlad the Impaler (or Dracula), Prince of Wallachia.

How is Lucy sexualized in Dracula?

She is a paragon of virtue and innocence, qualities that draw not one but three suitors to her. Lucy differs from her friend in one crucial aspect, however—she is sexualized. Lucy's physical beauty captivates each of her suitors, and she displays a comfort or playfulness about her desirability that Mina never feels.

Who was the queen who killed 600 virgins?

Elizabeth Báthory (born August 7, 1560, Nyírbátor, Hungary—died August 21, 1614, Castle Čachtice, Čachtice, Hungary [now in Slovakia]) was a Hungarian countess who purportedly tortured and murdered hundreds of young women in the 16th and 17th centuries.

The Real Life Countess Dracula | Ladykillers | Real Crime

Who was the real Virgin Queen?

It was expected that Elizabeth would marry and produce an heir; however, despite numerous courtships, she never did, and because of this she is sometimes referred to as the "Virgin Queen".

Who was the Virgin Queen's lover?

The story of Queen Elizabeth I and Robert Dudley has fascinated people for more than 450 years. Their relationship has been explored in books, films and on TV, most recently by Cate Blanchett and Joseph Fiennes in the film Elizabeth, and by Helen Mirren and Jeremy Irons in the series Elizabeth I.

Did Dracula take Lucy's virginity?

In the novel, Lucy was turned; into a vampire; by Dracula for no clear reason at all; but in the tv series, she is turned; into a vampire; by Dracula for betraying her ex-best friend, Mina Murray; by having sex with Mina's then-fiancé, Jonathan Harker. Lucy lost her virginity to Jonathan in "Come to Die".

Why was Dracula obsessed with Mina?

Count Dracula is drawn to Mina because of her purity and innocence. His plan to move to London and make it his new feeding ground places him in a reverse colonial position. He will gradually destroy Victorian norms by turning ladies like Mina into ravenous, lustful creatures like his Transylvanian brides.

How old was Lucy when she died in Dracula?

Lucy Westenra is a fictional character in the 1897 novel Dracula by Bram Stoker. The 19-year-old daughter of a wealthy family, she is Mina Murray's best friend.

Who killed Dracula in real life?

In 1476, while marching to yet another battle with the Ottomans, Vlad and a small vanguard of soldiers were ambushed, and Vlad was killed and beheaded — by most reports, his head was delivered to Mehmed II in Constantinople as a trophy to be displayed above the city's gates.

Who is the real monster in Dracula?

Dracula was a real person, more commonly known in medieval Romania as Vlad III, Prince of Wallachia or Vlad the Impaler. I know, the “impaler” is not a nice nickname, and unfortunately Vlad III did like to impale people and was famous for it.

How was Dracula killed?

After routing the Romani, Harker decapitates Dracula as Quincey stabs him in the heart. Dracula crumbles to dust, freeing Mina from her vampiric curse. Quincey is mortally wounded in the fight against the Romani. He dies from his wounds, at peace with the knowledge that Mina is saved.

How many wives did Dracula have?

As a horror classic, the story of Count Dracula has been told and retold in various short stories, novels, movies, and TV series. Within the story, Count Dracula has three wives who appear periodically throughout the book and are portrayed in the subsequent iterations of the story.

Is Dracula a feminist?

Although some critics claim that Stoker's novel is anti-feminist, due to its favor towards men and hostility against female sexuality and the New Woman, that is simply not the case. If anything it is feminist. The strongest character in the entire novel is a woman; a brave and independent one at that.

Was Dracula written by a woman?

Bram Stoker (born November 8, 1847, Clontarf, County Dublin, Ireland—died April 20, 1912, London, England) was an Irish writer best known as the author of the Gothic horror tale Dracula (1897). Due to illness, Stoker could not stand or walk until he was seven years old.

Was Mina really in love with Dracula?

In several adaptations of the novel, including Francis Ford Coppala's film version, Mina seems to be in love with Dracula, but that is a departure from the book.

What happened to Mina after Dracula died?

In Stoker's original novel, Mina Harker recovers from the vampire's curse upon Dracula's death and lives on to marry Jonathan. However, in some media, Mina is killed at some point in the story, while in others, she becomes a full vampire and keeps her powers after the death of Dracula.

Did Mina fall in love with Dracula?

Not only does Mina utilize her sexual prowess to seduce and stun Van Helsing as he races to destroy Dracula's castle, but her love for Dracula literally gives her the ability to summon storms to block the sun.

Why did Mina and Lucy kiss?

Mina and Lucy are constantly framed together, the delivery of their dialogue is openly flirty, and when Lucy is first hypnotized by Dracula, Mina breaks the spell by kissing her. Lucy also reads as interested in polyamory.

Who did Lucy marry Dracula?

She ultimately chooses Arthur Holmwood to be her husband but dies before she marries him, so they are only ever just engaged. She is an early victim of Dracula in the novel, and he is able to successfully turn her into a vampire. These are all attributes that contribute to Lucy's image as a Victorian woman.

What happens to Lucy's body in Dracula?

Summary: Chapter 13

Seward's diary continues, as he describes Lucy's burial. Before the funeral, Van Helsing covers the coffin and body with garlic and places a crucifix in Lucy's mouth. He tells a confused Seward that after the funeral, they must cut off Lucy's head and take out her heart.

Why did the Virgin Queen not marry?

Concerns about who would succeed Queen Elizabeth I saw Parliament petition her to marry and produce an heir almost immediately. Early on in her reign, Queen Elizabeth I proclaimed that she would not marry because she was 'already bound unto a husband which is the Kingdom of England'.

What happened to Anne Boleyn's daughter?

Elizabeth I was the daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. During her twenties she was imprisoned by her sister, the Catholic Mary I, whom she succeeded in 1558. In her reign Protestantism was re-established and the Spanish Armada was defeated. Elizabeth never married and her rule brought to a close the Tudor dynasty.

Did the Virgin Queen have any children?

Elizabeth did not marry and did not have any children.