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Dracula and Religious Significance

Instead of using wine that has been blessed and transformed in Christ's blood, he drinks actual human blood to sustain his physical life but really has no soul left. Dracula saying "blood is the life" is comparing himself to Jesus at the last supper. Also the fact that when the blood is drank, the vampire become undead which is like the idea of resurrection of the dead from the apocalypse. Drinking of blood was believed to contaminate the Holy Land and the very order of creation itself (Beal 131). Contamination also takes place from the transferring of blood from a monstrous body to a human body, another sin like the angels mating with human women and creating giants.
             Dracula also portrays the ruining of the institution of marriages. The many women he has prayed on have been married and through their "transfusion of blood" created a sort of sexual union which is adultery for the women (135). Even when Lucy realizes what has happened she says she is unclean and secludes herself from her husband (133). Dracula is also a good example of the other-ness. He is sort of like the evil twin of God, which makes him a portrayal of a vampire, Satan and even God as well. His name itself comes from the word devil. He gets his name from Prince Vlad of Wallachia who was famous for impaling enemies on stakes. His family crest is the Order of the Dragon or dracul so many called him Vlad the Son of Dracul. The word dracul can be translated into "the devil" (125). This relates him to a long line of dragons that caused much torment, an awful ruler and the devil himself. .
             Beal also compares Dracula to the Greek god Dionysus. He was also called the "eater of raw flesh." Just like Dracula, his home is in the forest and mountains; this is the same in mythology as in Christianity. Both are associated with changing the established social and sexual norms. He seduces women to get away from their familial duties just as Dracula lures his women away from their husbands.


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