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The Real History of Dracula

What can vampires teach us about being human?
The Real History of Dracula is rated 4.8 out of 5 by 12.
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Rated 3 out of 5 by from Could have used more Book I appreciate the angle they approach the story of Dracula from, focusing more on a wider cultural aspect of vampires and how Dracula plays into that. And I did learn quite a bit, including how Irish folklore may have affected Bram Stoker, and also how Polidori wrote The Vampyr, which I didn't know. However, I was honestly hoping there would be a lot more focus on the actual book, and the relatively fleeting time they spend on it feels kind of uninspired, like saying how it's "long and hard to follow." And dismissing things like Quincy's death as just a British vs America thing as opposed to looking at how dying in the service of a woman is seen as the perfect romantic death for Victorian's made me wish for less time on film studies and more time for what the context of Stoker's book actually was.
Date published: 2023-06-01
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Mesmerizing and Informative This is a great course for those who love gothic literature and those who seek to get a taste of the history behind the man, the myth, the legend. This is definitely something you can sink your teeth into. The instructors are enchanting and bring life to a generally lifeless topic.
Date published: 2023-05-25
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great wealth of knowledge I enjoyed both lecturers. Great subject! I really like some of the out of the box subjects Wondrium has been adding.
Date published: 2023-05-16
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Educational and absolutely enchanting! Dr. Warman & Dr. Cleto of The Carterhaugh School of Folklore and the Fantastic are knowledgeable and highly entertaining. This course is thoroughly well-researched and covers a broad scope of vampire folklore from both historical and contemporary sources. Having written an essay on Coleridge's depiction of the sublime through vampire symbolism and an essay comparing/contrasting Dracula's Lucy with Jane Eyre's Bertha, I was previously well-versed in vampire literature. Even with my prior knowledge, there were still multiple ideas presented in this course that were new to me. This course packs a wealth of information into the ten episodes. Dr. Cleto and Dr. Warman are treasure troves of scholarship! Seriously, do NOT miss this amazing course.
Date published: 2023-05-15
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Scary good course! I love anything done by Dr. Sara Cleto and Dr. Brittany Warman, so I was delighted to find their course on Dracula and vampires. Anything they present is so well researched, thoughtfully presented, thorough, and fun. They are very enthusiastic about their topic, and dig into it from new angles, such as the exploration of vampires and their connection to fairy tales. The guidebook that is included is a super bonus. This course is both scholarly and delightful and I 100 % recommend it!
Date published: 2023-05-05
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Solid, Well Researched Information This is an amazing series! It is the series I've always wanted, but could never find. The research is top notch and brings together information that is not usually included in 'run of the mill' Dracula histories. Well worth every minute! Also, I love when a historical series leaves me running to purchase books and watch films that are mentioned. THAT is the sign of a fantastic viewing experience! Sara and Brittany rock!
Date published: 2023-04-30
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Excellently researched and highly entertaining! I have already watched this course twice. The enthusiasm for the subject, that is shown by the two presenters, is contagious and the (at times humorous) interplay between them adds to the overall charm. I learned new things and had fun remembering what I already knew. Great job!
Date published: 2023-04-30
Rated 5 out of 5 by from The Real History of Dracula So far very good. Carterhaugh? Tam Lin! No one is going to sneak that past a Fairport Convention fan. Actuall, that site appears well worth a look.
Date published: 2023-04-28
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Overview

There are few fictional characters who have entrenched themselves so thoroughly in the popular imagination as Count Dracula. In the 10 episodes of The Real History of Dracula, folklorists Dr. Sara Cleto and Dr. Brittany Warman, of The Carterhaugh School of Folklore and the Fantastic, will shine a light into the dark recesses of our cultural obsession with vampires. Using folklore, literature, history, television, film, and more, Sara and Brittany will show you how—and why—vampires are a potent metaphor for what matters most about the human condition.

About

Brittany Warman
Brittany Warman

Vampires are a way to bridge things that scare us—or that we’re not fully comfortable with—with what we desire.

INSTITUTION

The Carterhaugh School of Folklore and the Fantastic

Sara Cleto and Brittany Warman are folklorists, teachers, and writers who cofounded The Carterhaugh School of Folklore and the Fantastic, where they show creative souls how to reenchant their lives through folklore and fairy tales. They both earned PhDs in English and Folklore from The Ohio State University. They have authored more than four dozen publications and lectured at venues such as the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian Institution, and the Maryland Renaissance Festival. The Carterhaugh School won the Dorothy Howard Prize from the American Folklore Society.

By This Expert

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The Real History of Dracula
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Sara Cleto
Sara Cleto

Dracula and other vampire stories are touchstones—ways to talk about big concepts like sex, race, globalization, disease, and death while pretending you’re talking about something totally different.

INSTITUTION

The Carterhaugh School of Folklore and the Fantastic

Sara Cleto and Brittany Warman are folklorists, teachers, and writers who cofounded The Carterhaugh School of Folklore and the Fantastic, where they show creative souls how to reenchant their lives through folklore and fairy tales. They both earned PhDs in English and Folklore from The Ohio State University. They have authored more than four dozen publications and lectured at venues such as the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian Institution, and the Maryland Renaissance Festival. The Carterhaugh School won the Dorothy Howard Prize from the American Folklore Society.

By This Expert

853
The Real History of Dracula
853
The Real History of Dracula

Trailer

Why Dracula Frightens and Seduces Us

01: Why Dracula Frightens and Seduces Us

Meet your experts, Sara and Brittany, and explore Dracula in popular culture, as well as the roots of the vampire in European folklore that preceded Bram Stoker’s creation. Close with a consideration of why the vampire is such a seductive yet terrifying monster and why it continues to have such a powerful presence in contemporary media.

27 min
Surprises from Bram Stoker’s Dracula

02: Surprises from Bram Stoker’s Dracula

Dracula was first published in 1897 and was only moderately successful in the beginning. As you will see, over time, the novel changed the way we think about vampires and what they represent. Explore the creation of the novel, examine its plot and structure, and consider how it became such an integral part of Western culture and media.

26 min
Vampires and Bloodlust before Dracula

03: Vampires and Bloodlust before Dracula

Examine the folkloric, literary, and historical sources that influenced Stoker’s creation of Dracula, including figures like Vlad the Impaler, the demon Lilith, Jack the Ripper, and others. Take a closer look at the Irish and Eastern European folklore traditions that likely inspired Stoker’s conception of the vampire.

25 min
How Dracula Became a Count

04: How Dracula Became a Count

Prior to Dracula, most vampires were considered little more than overgrown leeches; so why did Stoker make his vampire an elegant, sophisticated count? Look back to the year 1816. Trace the origins of the prototype for the aristocratic, Byronic vampire that was born in John Polidori’s short story The Vampyre.

28 min
Vampire Romance On-Screen

05: Vampire Romance On-Screen

One of the major contributing factors for the popularity of vampires, and Dracula in particular, is Dracula’s proximity to the birth of the film industry in the early 20th century. Consider the way the vampire has become more attractive and romantic in modern renditions and what these stories say about both our desires and our anxieties.

28 min
Why Dracula and Disease Travel Together

06: Why Dracula and Disease Travel Together

Vampires are not just monsters that can kill you—they are monsters you could become. As you will see, this association with contagion or infection taps into very specific anxieties about death, disease, endangering the community, and more. You will also see how Dracula and other vampire narratives have affected the real-world discourse of disease.

29 min
The Vampiric Threat from Abroad

07: The Vampiric Threat from Abroad

Dracula is part of a tradition of the “imperial Gothic,” a sub-genre of the late Victorian period that often presented the fear of foreign invasion or loss of power through the lens of the supernatural. And consider: How do more recent vampire stories challenge the racist fears and imperial anxieties of their predecessors?

26 min
How to Kill a Vampire

08: How to Kill a Vampire

Where did the typical weapons used against vampires—wooden stakes, garlic, and crosses—develop from? And why have the methods to fight vampires changed so much over time? Consider the traditions and superstitions that have been associated with vampires and see how Bram Stoker brought various sources together in his definitive vampire story.

25 min
Once Upon a Vampire

09: Once Upon a Vampire

Vampires have found their way into numerous genres beyond horror and supernatural thrillers. Follow the vampire into the fairy tale and see what kind of shadow his presence casts there. Trace the parallels between vampire stories and several different versions of the famous fairy tales “Bluebeard” and “Snow White.”

25 min
The Vampires among Us

10: The Vampires among Us

Close the course with a look at the impact of the vampire in the real world. From the harmless hobbies of legend tourism, vampire balls, and roleplaying games to the much darker realm of “vampire” serial killers, the allure of the vampire has crossed over from fiction into reality in a range of ways.

30 min

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