Reading Dracula in Transylvania

Of course I thought of Dracula when I saw the wedding would take place in Transylvania.

Wouldn’t you?

I knew nothing about Transylvania other than Dracula–but had a passing familiarity with the story–vampire, Bela Lugosi and a castle.

Dracula appeared in my favorite Abbot and Costello Film: Abbot and Costello meet the Wolfman.

I knew about coffins and silver stakes and the fear vampires have of crosses and mirrors.

I knew they could not see the light of day.

That was about it.

I’d watched the campy Dark Shadows as a teenager and wondered why the story was so slow. Boring!

Oh, and I’d had teenage girls in the house during the dreadful Twilight years.

(It just occurred to me, perhaps Stephanie Meyer named her heroine Bella after Mr. Lugosi? I hadn’t thought of that before.)

Reading Bram Stoker‘s Book

Since I was headed to that part of the world, I decided it was time to actually read Bram Stoker’s book, Dracula, and get the real story.

I like to read books set in the place I’m visiting, particularly as in this case, if I get an opportunity to visit some of the actual sites.

I loaded it onto the ebook device and downloaded it to the app on my I-touch. Free!

My daughter-in-law accompanied me on this trip.

(How could she pass up an opportunity to spend a week in Transylvania with her mother-in-law and two dozen strangers? I gave her three days on either side in Edinburgh and London!)

My husband, staying home, read Dracula at the same time.

In Country

I didn’t start reading the book until I was in Romania.

It starts in a straightforward manner describing the Carpathian Mountains through which we traveled on the train from Bucharest to Brasov.

Brasov, the capital of Transylvania, is where we stayed.

It’s the traditional homeland of Vlad the Impaler, on whom the book was based.

Pictures of Vlad, known as Dracula for “son of the Dragon,” turn up everywhere in Brasov–as tourist trinkets.

A vicious, bloodthirsty ruler, Vlad slaughtered tens of thousands of people often by impaling them.

(Few people shed tears when he died in 1486 and someone sent his head to Constantinople as a trophy.)

Some “artistic” depictions of Dracula sold in the shops were gruesome and bloody–the stuff of Halloween nightmares.

As I read the book, frightening scenes showed up in my dreams.

I didn’t like them.

Reaction to the Book

The further I read, the more uncomfortable I felt with Dracula. The storyline troubled me.

I recognized some Christian aspects, but rather than comforting me, they left me uneasy.

My husband and I discussed the book over Skype. He had read further in the book and it bothered him, too.

When I told him of my misgivings–the spiritual aspects of this novel in particular–he told me to quit. “It’s only going to get worse and I don’t think I’m going to finish it.”

So I did, quit reading it mid-chapter.

In the six years since, I’ve never bothered to wonder about Dracula again.

Reflections over time

I’ve taught Bible study for many years. Lately, I’ve tried to fill my mind with the advice of Philippians 4:8:

“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.”

By avoiding horror stories, even ones based on historic events in places I visited, gruesome dreams don’t trouble me at night.

It’s important to note God can use all circumstances to His good in our lives.

I’m so thankful I went to Transylvania.

My daughter-in-law and I are good friends.

I enjoyed connecting with my godson and his family.

Brasov, Transylvania holds fun memories for me.

None of them have anything to do with reading Dracula.

Tweetables and pinnable  

Reading Dracula in Transylvania. Click to Tweet

Why bother reading Dracula, even in Transylvania? Click to Tweet

You don’t have to read the local legend, even if it is Dracula. Click to Tweet