The key difference between vampire and Dracula is that vampire is a blood-sucking creature and Dracula is a fictional character in the gothic novel ‘Dracula’.
Vampires are mythological creatures from folklore. They are undead creatures who drink the blood of humans. Dracula is a fictional character based on vampires. Both these are common in horror stories.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Vampire
3. What is Dracula
4. Vampire vs Dracula in Tabular Form
5. Summary
Who is a Vampire?
Vampires are blood-sucking mythological creatures from folklore. They are famous for drinking blood and are believed to roam the earth at night, looking for a close family for them to suck blood. They suck the blood of their prey using their fangs, and in the process, those prey die and turn into vampires. Moreover, vampires are said to hunt and roam when it is dark since they are powerless during daylight.
In European folklore, vampires are depicted as mortal beings that visit their loved ones and cause deaths in the area where they lived when they were alive. Their appearance was ruddy or dark, which is a contrast to the present portrayal of them being pale. They are believed to have supernatural powers like amazing strength and the ability to hypnotize their victims. These creatures are also known for their sensuality. Some vampires are also said to be able to fly by turning into a bat sometimes. It is also believed that they cast no shadows, and their reflection cannot be seen in a mirror. Therefore, they are presented as creatures with special characteristics. Most of the time, these creatures are connected to castles and are considered aristocrats. It is believed that they could be kept away by garlic, mustard seeds, wild rose, hawthorn, crucifix, holy water and rosary. Folklore also says that they avoid religious places and running water. People believed that the only method to destroy a vampire is by staking through the heart.
Who is Dracula?
Dracula is a character in Bram Stoker’s epistolary gothic novel ‘Dracula’ published in 1897. This horror novel has introduced many subsequent vampire fantasies. The protagonist of the novel, Jonathan Harker, travels to Transylvania and stays at Count Dracula or Vlad’s castle, who is a noble, but later turns out to be a vampire. Vlad’s father is known as‘ Dracula’, which stands for ‘Dragon or Devil’, which means he is related to Dragon’s order. ‘Dracula’ in Romanian means ‘son of Dracul’; thus, Vlad inherited this name. Dracula is a living being, and blood is not a must for his survival. When Dracula wants blood, he targets the general public or his enemies.
The novel, Dracula, is considered one of the most symbolic works in English Literature, and many of the characters in the book are famous and has entered the popular culture. The book has been adapted for films more than 30 times, which is a confirmation of its popularity.
Difference Between Vampire and Dracula
The key difference between vampire and Dracula is that vampire is a blood-sucking undead creature whereas Dracula is a character from a gothic novel. Vampires lived on blood, and they were powerless in daylight; therefore, they hunted only when it is dark.
The following table summarizes the differences between vampire and Dracula.
Summary – Vampire vs Dracula
Vampires are blood-sucking undead creatures who hunted their close families for blood. They survive on blood and hunt all kinds of mammals for blood. Dracula is a fictional character from Bram Stoker’s gothic novel ‘Dracula’. Dracula only drinks human blood, and blood isn’t a must for their survival. The character of Dracula is based on vampires, whereas vampires were originated in folklore and mythical beliefs. Thus, this is the key difference between vampire and Dracula.
Reference:
1. “Was Dracula a Real Person?” History.com, A&E Television Network.
2. “Vampire.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation.
Image Courtesy:
1. “3782984” (CC0) via Pixabay
2. “Count Dracula (2750067999)” By Helgi Halldórsson from Reykjavík, Iceland – Count Dracula (CC BY-SA 2.0) via Commons Wikimedia