This document provides biographical details about Vlad Dracula, known as Vlad the Impaler, who inspired Bram Stoker's famous vampire character Count Dracula. It describes Vlad's upbringing in Transylvania and his battles against the Ottoman Empire, during which he used brutal torture methods like impalement. It also briefly compares the historical Vlad to the fictional Count Dracula, noting how Stoker took inspiration from Vlad but created a new character for his novel.

1. Compulsory activities
for those pupils who
have failed the tests
THESE ACTIVITIES MUST BE
HANDED ON HAND Y MADE BY
HAND
CLOSING DATE 17TH OF JUNE
2,012
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2. Vlad was born in
Transylvania in 1430 or 1431.
His father, the warrior Vlad
Dracul,was a member of a
secret society of knights called
the order of the Dragon. This
society was formed to fight and
defeat the Turks, as well as
secure the throne of Wallachia
(a town located in present-day
Romania).
Young Vlad was
nicknamed Dracula after his
father. In Romanian, Dracul
translates to „dragon‟ or
„devil,‟ and the „a‟ stands for
„son of.‟ So Dracula literally
translatesto „son of the
dragon‟ or „son of the devil.‟
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3. In 1444 Dracul was travelling with
Dracula and his
youngest son across the Danube River
when they
were captured by the Turks. Dracula was
imprisoned
for four years. These years are thought
to be the
beginning of Vlad Dracula‟s violent
nature. It wasn‟t
long before Dracul was assassinated and
Dracula‟s
brother was buried alive by the Ruler of
Hungary,
Jamos Hunyadi. Fearful for his
life, Dracula joined
Hunyadi who taught him cunning and
severe military
tactics that would soon secure Dracula
the throne of Wallachia.
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4. As Prince, Vlad Dracula
continued to battle the
Turks. Those taken
hostage were impaled
(a large pole was driven
through their body). But
it was not only
Dracula‟s enemies who
suffered. Many
townspeople were also
subject to his wrath.
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5. One story tells of Dracula noticing a
peasant man who was wearing a shirt
that was too short. When Dracula asked
the man’s wife why the man
wasimproperly dressed,she said she
was too busycooking and cleaning to
sew. She was immediatelyimpaled.
Graciously, Dracula chose a new wife for
the man. He made sure to show the new
wife what had happened to the old so
that she would not makethe same
mistake.
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6. Dracula died in battle
in 1476. He was
promptly decapitated
by order of the Turkish
sultan. His head was
then sent to the sultan
who displayed
it, fittingly, on a stake
for all to see.
He is buried in front
of the altar
of the Church of
Snagov Monastery.
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7. THE REAL DRACULA: VLAD THE IMPALER
Although gone, rumors of Vlad Dracula and his relentless temper
spread throughout Europe. Stories of his villainy were published,
read, and reread and it was these stories that led Bram Stoker to
create the infamous Count Dracula we know today.
The BRAN CASTLE, near Brasov is
said to be one of Dracula’s residences.
It can be visited by tourists.
Do you want to have a look?
DRACULA‟S CASTLE
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8. VAMPIRES IN CINEMA
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9. COMPARISON:
VLAD VS COUNT DRACULA
VLAD DRACUL COUNT DRACULA
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10. COMPARISON:
VLAD VS COUNT DRACULA
Stoker used Vlad only as a source of
inspiration. In his novel, Dracula is not prince
Vlad the Impaler, but a Transylvanian count
living in a mysterious castle where he lured his
victims. His story takes place in the Bistritza
area, and the castle lies near the Carpathian
Mountains. As Stoker had never visited
Transylvania, most places and happenings were
pure fiction.
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11. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
BRAM STOKER: LIFE
He was born in Dublin in 1847.
After finishing university there
he worked for the government.
He married a Dublin girl. Stoker
was very interested in the theatre and in 1878 he
moved to London, where he became the manager of a
famous actor. Together they ran the sucessful Lyceum
Theatre in London. He died in 1912.
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12. BRAM STOKER
BRAM STOKER: WORKS
His novel Dracula was published in 1897.
There have been stories about vampires in
Eastern Europe for a very long time. Stoker,
who worked on his noveL for four years,
probably knew about these stories. He said
that the Dracula story came to him in a
nightmare one night after a large dinner of
crab meat.
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13. BRAM STOKER
BRAM STOKER: CONCLUSION
Stoker is often called “the least-known author
of the best-Known book”. He wrote many
other books, but it is because of Dracula that
we remember him today.
There have been many films about Count
Dracula and the book, which has never been
out of print, is as popular today as it was a
hundred years ago.
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14. BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA
SYNOPSIS
In the mountains of Transylvania
there stands a castle . It is the
home of Count Dracula - a
dark, lonely place and at night
the wolves howl around the walls.
In the year 1875 Jonathan Harker
comes from England to do business
with the Count. But Jonathan does
not feel comfortable at Dracula’s
castle. Strange things happen at
night and very soon he begins to
feel afraid. And he is right to be
afraid, because Count Dracula is 14
one of the Un-Dead - a vampire

15. DRACULA: A SUMMARY
In the spring of 1875, Jonathan
Harker travels to Transylvania, on
a business visit to the home of
Count Dracula . Jonathan does not
really want to go because in a few
months’ he
While time is is gettingin
he staying married
Castle
to his beautiful Mina and he does
Dracula , he
not want diary. And every day he has
keeps a to leave her.
more
and more terrible things to write.
Why
does he see Count Dracula only at
night?
Why can’t he see the Count in the
mirror?
And who are the three beautiful
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women, with their red mouths and

16. At home in
England , Mina is
staying with her
friend Lucy in a
town by the sea.
She waits for
Jonathan’s
letters, but they
Mina is come, and
do not not afraid
for Mina is afraid.
herself, of
course,or for her friend
Perhaps Jonathan
Lucy. What or in
is ill, danger can
there possibly be for
danger…
two young women in a
quiet English seaside
town?
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19. 19

20. MIRROR: a piece of glass where you can
see yourself. espejo
PROFESSOR: an important teacher at
university. profesor
SERVANT: someone who works in another
person’s home. sirviente
THOUGHT: something that you think.
pensamiento
TOMB: a small stone building under or
above the ground for a
dead person. tumba
VAMPIRE: the body of a dead person that
comes alive at night and drinks the
blood of living people.vampiro
WOLF: a wild animal that looks like a dog.
lobo
WOUND: a place on the body where
something or somebody as cut or hurt
you. herida
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21. ADJECTIVES:
FRIGHTENED: very afraid. asustado
HOLY: special because it is from the church.
sagrado
HORRIBLE: very bad, terrible, making you
very afraid or unhappy.
LOVELY: nice, beautiful. Bonito, agradable
PALE: with little colour in the face. pálido
SHARP: with an edge that cuts easily (e.g. A
sharp knife). afilado
WEAK: not strong. débil
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