Halloween Representations of Dracula

Marley Seger

Tricks, Treats, and Midnight Feasts

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                As most of us have come to recognize the stereotypical image of Dracula and vampires, the characteristics have become diluted, switched, or even forgotten in time. Bram Stoker creates the vision of a tall, thin, and pale man with long facial hair, sharp white fangs, red lips and hellish red eyes. He is a man who hates garlic, sunlight, items of the sacrament, silver, and rude manners. Pop culture's influence on Dracula gave a few twists and turns to the character over the years. Halloween representations of Dracula are traced back to the original description of Bram Stoker's monster, but other adaptations of the vampire and influence of the media have warped the way we represent the count Dracula today.

Media Influence

                In an article published by Anca Garcia, she states, "the theme of the vampire and of his Transylvanian castle has been over-circulated and recycled in various areas of pop culture – from movies to graphic novels, from music videos to anime, from Halloween costumes to toy figurines" (2). This fact of information is rather true. Since the original creation, Dracula's characteristics included a change from extremely hairy to hairless, sunlight turning him to dust or causing his skin to sparkle, and the addition of a cape. The original version depicted him as more humanistic so that it were easier for him to hide in plain sight. Updated characters such as the Cullens from Twilight, Nosferatu, and those in The Vampire Diaries all possess their own unique traits, but the core representations of the 19th century Dracula are still evident. 

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Origins

                  According to a book written by Nicholas Rogers, many Christian holidays come from pagan origins, and Halloween is no exception. Halloween, or All Hallows Eve, falls on the 31st of October every year. This day is known as the only day that the dead can "walk" among the living. As we know this is impossible, it all goes back to ancient times and November 1st, which is All Saints Day. This day is the celebration of those who have passed on, and the living help them prepare for their next life by creating shrines full of items the deceased has treasured during this lifetime. Rogers states, "[s]ome folklorists have detected its origins in the Roman feast of Pomona, the goddess of fruits and seeds, or in the festival of the dead called Parentalia. More typically, it has been linked to the Celtic festival of Samhain or Samuin (pronounced sow-an or sow-in), meaning summer's end" (4). With ancient folk roots, it is clear how mythological creature such as vampires, goblins, ghouls, and demons became affiliated. The Book goes onto say that the months after summer were "also a period of supernatural intensity, when the forces of darkness and decay were said to be abroad, spilling out from the sidh, the ancient mounds or barrows of the countryside. To ward off these spirits, the Irish built huge, symbolically regenerative bonfires and invoked the help of the gods through animal and perhaps even human sacrifice" (4). Dark undertones have always been associated with Halloween. Dracula being the consumer of blood and human flesh, fit right in with this devilish holiday.

Origins of Dracula and Vampires

                 We are all familiar with Bram Stoker's version of Dracula and the vampire, but we can trace back the fabrication of this monster even further. The very first publication of a vampire novel was in 1819 by John Polidori called, The Vampyre. Sadly, this novel never gained the credit it deserved and was quickly overshadowed by Bram Stoker's Dracula (5).

Early tales of the vampire were due to medical mysteries and a "vampire craze" in Europe during the late 18th and 19th century. Technology and medicine weren't nearly as advanced, so doctors would often credit certain illnesses to have supernatural causes, such as vamiprism. This was "a universal fear of the unknown and a synthesis of attitudes towards the dualism of life and death" (5). Due to this fear, people were eager to jump to conclusions about what the cause could be. Folktales and legends quickly came to surface about a strong, fast, and cannibalistic breed who roams at night and never during the day. The romanticism of the vampire and the ultimate fear of the unknown helped develop the vampire legend. Fitting in perfectly with Halloween witches, werewolves, and the undead, Dracula and the vampire found a permanent home to be celebrated and remembered each year and for centuries to come.

References

1. Ory, Deborah. Teen Scream Pumpkin. Woman's Day.                                                                               https://www.womansday.com/home/crafts-projects/g950/funny-pumpkin-carving-               ideas/?slide=4. Accessed 4 April 2020.

2. Andriescu Garcia, Anca. "Dracula - Hybridity and Metafiction." Acta Universitatis                          Sapientiae, Philologica, vol 10, no. 1, 2018, pp. 54-55. Andruss Online                                          Library, http://eds.b.ebscohost.com/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=4&sid=0bd03f41-b1c7-                 451c-a90c-3ec77c785d1e%40sessionmgr103. Accessed 4 April 2020.

3. Silva, Marilyn. Twilight Edward. Pinterest.                                                                                                    https://www.pinterest.com/pin/38632509277121787/. Accessed 4 April 2020.

4. Rogers, Nicholas. Halloween : From Pagan Ritual to Party Night. E-book, Oxford                           University Press, 2002.

5. Brodman, Barbara. The Universal Vampire: Origins and Evolution of a Legend. E-                         book, Madison : Fairleigh Dickinson University Press, 2013.