[WorldUrbanLegend] Vampires
Vampires have many different legends and characteristics, but the most important trait is that they drink human blood. Traditional vampires drain the blood from their victims using sharp fangs, killing them or turning them into vampires. Vampires generally operate at night because sunlight weakens their powers. Some vampires can transform into bats or wolves, and they possess great physical strength along with a seductive influence over their victims. They also do not appear in mirrors and cast no shadows.
Bram Stoker’s novel Dracula made the vampire legend famous worldwide. The main character, Count Dracula, is thought to be inspired by a historical figure named Vlad Dracula, who lived in 15th-century Romania. Vlad was known for his extreme cruelty and ruled the region of Wallachia, where he earned the nickname "Vlad the Impaler" for his brutal execution method—impaling his enemies on large wooden stakes. According to legend, Vlad also enjoyed dining among the bodies of his victims and dipping his bread in their blood. While these tales are unconfirmed, many believe Bram Stoker drew inspiration from them to create the character of Count Dracula. However, it is debated whether Stoker directly based Dracula on Vlad. Regardless, the two share several notable similarities.
Vampire superstition flourished in the Middle Ages, particularly during the Black Plague, which devastated entire communities. Victims of the plague often bled from the mouth, which led people to believe they were vampires. Additionally, those suffering from unusual physical or mental illnesses were sometimes labeled as vampires. One disease, porphyria, caused blisters on sun-exposed skin and could be temporarily relieved by ingesting blood, which might have contributed to the vampire myth. Other diseases like rabies or goiter were also blamed for promoting the idea of vampires.
The story of Mercy Brown from the late 19th century in Rhode Island, USA, is one of the most notorious vampire legends. Mercy was part of a family that lost several members to tuberculosis, and the community blamed her for the deaths. At the time, it was not uncommon to exhume the bodies of deceased family members and search for signs of vampirism. When Mercy's body was found to be unusually well-preserved, the townspeople assumed she was a vampire and proceeded to cut out her heart, burn it, and feed the ashes to her sick brother—who later died.
Dracula is indeed based on the real-life figure of Vlad Dracul, though Stoker also incorporated other European folklore. Count Dracula became an iconic figure, representing the classic vampire in popular culture.
In modern times, traditional vampire fears have been dispelled by science, but self-identified vampires still exist. These people drink small amounts of blood or claim to feed off the energy of others. They often conduct their "feeding" rituals in private and may believe they need energy or blood to maintain their health. These modern vampires are part of an underground community that is mostly kept out of public view.
Since Dracula was published, vampires have become a fixture in movies, books, and television shows. The vampire legend continues to capture the imagination of people around the world, both in reality and fiction.
