Endrődi Csaba Levente (PIW73X) – Dracula and Lord Ruthven comparison

There are many differences between Polidori’s Lord Ruthven and Bram Stroker’s (or rather
Coppola’s) Dracula. I feel like Stroker developed the vampire myth and it shows the
characteristics of the modern day vampire. Dracula is the vampire and not just a vampire, he
is the most famous vampire of all time.
Dracula’s vampire shifts shapes, he is trapped in an old body, when he thirsts blood, he is an
attractive young man, when he is well fed, he is a monster when he hunts.
Dracula does not have a reflection in the mirror.
His shadow doesn’t follow his movements.
He is only interested in young ladies and not in gamblers, drunks, etc.
He doesn’t find pleasure in ruining other people.
We know more about his past. We only get a glimpse of his past, but that’s more than
Ruthven’s past.
We know that he was once human, we get a look at his backstory, that he was a great warrior.
He hates the Catholic Church because he feels betrayed by it.
We know he has weaknesses, unlike Lord Ruthven.
Revenge does not motivate him, he does not want to kill the Pope and his followers.
He does not use weapons, unlike Ruthven, who uses a dagger to kill his victims.
They both need blood to stay alive.
They prefer to seduce young ladies, they think of them as prey.
They both have servants, who are loyal to them.
Dracula has more supernatural powers than Rutvhen, for example he is able to manipulate
people.
Lord Ruthven is depicted as an emotionless being, Dracula shows human emotions, because
he was once a mortal.
Dracula has one specific love, his late wife, Ruthven does not and did not have anyone special
in his life, at least no one that we know about.
Dracula is proud of his family, we do not know if Ruthven has a family in the first place.
Dracula is able to pass on the curse, and create more vampires, whereas Lord Ruthven does
not create more vampires, he just needs blood to stay alive, and his victims do not turn into
vampires.
Dracula is defeatable, Lord Ruthven is not. We do not know, if he has any weaknesses, he
outsmarts everyone, he is stronger than others, so there is no chance someone would kill him.
Dracula does not ruin people for fun, he kills people because he cannot control himself, he
kills a whole ship crew, which was not a necessary step for him.