7 Facts About Bram Stoker's 'Dracula' 1. It's possible 'Dracula' was based on a nightmare. Legend has it, Stoker dreamt of “a vampire king rising from the tomb," following a meal of what may have been spoiled crab. 2. Vampires and 'Frankenstein' have a shared history. A ghost story contest proposed by Lord Byron led to Mary Shelly's 'Frankenstein' and the first English language vampire story, 'The Vampyre.' 3. Stoker may have based Dracula on a terrible boss. Stoker was the manager of the famous Shakespearean actor, Henry Irving. Irving had a reputation of being charming, handsome and a "mental" vampire. 4. Romanian Prince Vlad "The Impaler" was likely an influence. The Prince was infamous for impaling his enemies. His nickname, Dracula, means "devil" in the Wallachian language. 5. 'Dracula' was written in the wake of the Jack the Ripper murders. The serial murders dominated the London headlines in 1888, just two years before Stoker began writing 'Dracula.' 6. Dracula's castle had Scottish roots. As the author never visited Transylvania, the Slains Castle in Scotland is widely considered to be the inspiration for Stoker's creation in Dracula. 7. 'Dracula' was almost titled 'The Undead.' Stoker used the working title, 'The Dead Undead,' shortening it to 'The Undead,' before deciding on 'Dracula' just before publishing.
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