Dracula
7: The real Dracula
OK, so there wasn't an actual Dracula who went around feasting on succulent Victorian women. But the character was directly modelled on one of the greatest figures of the day.The man in question was Henry Irving, the most famous and acclaimed actor of his time (think Laurence Olivier crossed with George Clooney). A powerful and foreboding figure, Irving employed Bram Stoker as a theatre manager and was the ultimate bullying boss. His mannerisms and physical appearance went into the Count, and scholars believe the relationship between Dracula and his grovelling assistant Renfield was based on Stoker's own subservient friendship with Irving.
8: The Vlad connection
It’s a common misconception that Dracula was inspired by the notorious cruelty of Romanian prince and warrior Vlad the Impaler, aka Vlad Dracula.In fact, Stoker had very little knowledge of Vlad's bloodthirsty reign and had already started writing the book when he came across the name Dracula in a history book and decided to pinch it because it means Son of the Devil (or Dragon) in Romanian.
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