Count Dracula

This, is done on behalf of a certain friend of mine who requested to know abit more about the "Prince of Darkness: Count Dracula."

First of all, let me ask you what you know about the Count? List down everything you can recall about him,then read on.

The Count: What he is.

Count Dracula is a fictional character made up by Bram Stoker. No. He is not real. His name was inspired by a historical figure from Romanian histories. Vlad Tepes(Vlad the impaler), also known as Vlad Dracula(Vlad the Dragon). Take heed though, Vlad was in no way a vampire. Nor did he believe in their existence.

In actual fact, Vlad was a cruel and strict ruler who deemed any criminal acts within his country punishable by death through impaling. Be those atrocities lying or stealing or murder, you're punished by death on the stake.

Count Dracula is not the first vampire in history. In fact, there are earlier literature of vampires that existed before Bram Stoker's Dracula. Indeed these stories extend to beyond centuries long past.

Dracula, like most other vampires in the olden days, is capable of walking in sunlight. Though it seeps most of his supernatural abilities away, it doesn't kill him. This is only something that began to become a popular aspect of vampire stories after the film Nosferatu came into the scene.

He is more than a vampire. Cunning, gifted with culture and intelligence and a bloodthirstiness directed by a clod-hearted intuition. Posessing both supernatural physical as well as mental sharpness, it is no great wonder that he's caught the fancy of many movie makers as well as storytellers alike.

Indeed, he is a story turned into a legend. He, is the ultimate villain. A snake gifted with a glib lying tongue. A suave demonic monster who feeds upon the souls of man.

But is he really a monster? How could one so human in appearance, so polite in nature be totally evil? Or is he really evil?

These are but some of the many intricacies that make up the Lord of Vampires. There's much more if you wish to find out about this elusive mystical being. Yet, what's more interesting than him, is Vlad Tepes, the man whose name had become the inspiration for this ghastly beast. There could be no more contradictory person. Nor one so complicated. What I've learnt from these two men, is this.

Judge not a book by it's cover. Judge not vampire by his name. Judge not a ruler by his actions. Know why they do what they do. Know why the want what they want. Only then will you understand. Only then will you know them.

This very same understanding, can be applied to people too. Sometimes, people can do things that appear evil or ugly to us. But they may have their reasons for doing such. Do not judge them until you know them.

Read more about Vlad Tepes here