Showing results for "Dracula" in Politics & Social Sciences

In the 10 episodes of The Real History of Dracula, folklorists Dr. Sara Cleto and Dr. Brittany Warman, of The Carterhaugh School of Folklore and the Fantastic, will shine a light into the dark recesses of our cultural obsession with vampires. Using folklore, literature, history, television, film, and more, Sara and Brittany will show you how—and why—vampires are a potent metaphor for what matters most about the human condition.

The primal image of the black-caped vampire Dracula has become an indelible fixture of the modern imagination. It's recognition factor rivals, in its own perverse way, the familiarity of Santa Claus. In this critically acclaimed excursion through the life of a cultural icon, David Skal maps out the archetypal vampire's relentless trajectory from Victorian literary oddity to movie idol to cultural commodity, digging through the populist veneer to reveal what the prince of darkness says about us all.

The 15th century Romanian Prince Vlad III Dracula, also known as Vlad the Impaler, is one of the most fascinating personalities of medieval history. Already during his own lifetime, his true story became obscured by a veil of myths. As a result, he has been portrayed both as a bloody tyrant - who degenerated down throughout the centuries into the fictional vampire of the same name created by Bram Stoker at the end of the 19th century - and as a national and Christian hero who bravely fought to defend his native land and all of Europe against the invading Turkish infidels.

The Hellmouth has swallowed the world leaving me in a perma-state of anxiety, paranoia, and insomnia. I started listening to audiobooks to help keep my mind from spiraling while trying to sleep. I chose books that I'd never read or didn't remember reading. I was very surprised to find that the classics that I thought I knew were different - and much better - than I thought. I wanted to just express my fascination and joy about that one chapter at a time.

In this episode, join us as we dive into Mary Shelley's lesser-known masterpiece, Dracula. Most commonly associated with Bram Stoker, Dracula actually holds roots in the imaginative mind of the iconic Mary Shelley. We explore the origins of this gothic tale, unravel its intricate plot, analyze the characters and their motivations, and discuss the captivating themes introduced in this first part of our series. Whether you're a fan of classic literature, a devoted follower of Mary Shelley's work, or simply curious about the foundations of one of the greatest vampire stories ever written, this ...

Ladies, gentlemen, and creatures of the night, gather 'round as we sink our teeth into the life story of everyone's favorite bloodsucker, the one, the only, Count Dracula! Grab your garlic necklaces and hold onto your wooden stakes, because this tale is about to get batty! Our story begins in the misty mountains of Transylvania, where, on a dark and stormy night in 1431 (because of course it was), a baby boy was born to the Drăculești family. They named him Vlad, which roughly translates to "Son of the Dragon" or "Son of the Devil." Talk about setting expectations high! Little did they know ...

Not too many people realize that the story of Dracula was based on a really sadistic ruler in Romania. Vlad the Impaler, or Vlad the Third, was a merciless despot who tried to make an example out of his opponents by impaling them and displaying them in public. He also enjoyed bathing in dead people’s blood and did some other gross, inhumane things. He was the terror of Eastern Europe for many years.