"But, on the instant, came the sweep and flash of Jonathan’s great knife. I shrieked as I saw it shear through the throat; whilst at the same moment Mr. Morris’s bowie knife plunged into the heart. It was like a miracle; but before our very eyes, and almost in the drawing of a breath, the whole body crumble into dust and passed from our sight."
This is the scene in the novel when Dracula is finally killed, or is he? Vampires are meant to be easily customized to fit the writer's needs; therefore, there are several ways to kill a vampire. Here is a helpful video on the subject.
This is the scene in the novel when Dracula is finally killed, or is he? Vampires are meant to be easily customized to fit the writer's needs; therefore, there are several ways to kill a vampire. Here is a helpful video on the subject.
As you can see, there are many ways to kill a vampire (as long as you have a good sword dealer). Nevertheless, the way that Dracula died in Stoker's novel is a little shaky on these subjects.
First, Jonathan slit Dracula's throat. What if the cut did not go deep enough to kill him? The idea is to cut the head clean off. Then, Mr. Morris stabs him in the heart with a knife, but what kind of knife. If the knife was made out of silver, there is still a chance yet for Count Dracula to raise from the dead and harrass even more people.
According to monstropedia.org, there are approximately thirteen ways to kill a vampire- staking, decapitation, burning, excision of the heart, dismemberment, piercing with a sword, immersion in water, stealing the left sock, drenching in holy water and garlic, injection with holy water, bottling the vampire, wolves, and shooting with a consecrated bullet.
Staking is one we all know. One takes a hammer and nails it into the vampire's heart. This was originally used to pin it to the coffin, so it could not escape. It would be best to avoid any kind of spurting blood.
Decapitiation is supposidly a sure-fire way to kill one because it cannot regenerate without a head or a heart. Preferably done with a gravedigger's shovel, because of its connections to death, or with a sexton's spade, because of its connections with God. After that, one must put garlic into the mouth to sever the connection between the spirit and the remaining body.
Fire is God's manifestation of power, so to burn a vampire would completely erradicate it. Just make sure to stick around until all of it is burned. It is easier to cut up the body first; however, watch out for any kind of animal or insect that comes out of the flames for this could be part of the vampire rebirthing.
Excision of the heart is more difficult because vampires are supposed to have two hearts. The other heart holds the demonic evil and must be burned or boiled in wine or holy water. In the case of Mercy Brown in Exeter, Rhode Island, the ashes were then spooned back into the cavety. Remember, as long as the head or the heart are gone, the vampire cannot come back to life.
Dismemberment is just relieving the vampire from its limbs, so it cannot rise out of the grave.
Piercing with a sword requires a blessed sword and a perfect aim into the heart.
Immersion in water is best when done with moving water. Water is important because of its cleansing properties, but the body must be properly dispposed of once finished.
Stealing the left sock is probably one of the more unique ways found. Vampires are extremely tidy and need to have everything in its place, including both of its socks. If you take the sock and fill it with rocks then throw it into the river, the vampire will search after it and drown in the process.
Drenching in holy water and garlic oil will kill a vampire as well, but this requires many gallons of both to be successful because one must dump it into the coffin to fill it.
Injection with holy water or holy oil into the heart will cause it to burn from the inside.
Bottling the vampire requires the most skill and a dark magic. One must corner a vampire first and confront it with a crusifix, and as the vampire is turning into mist, one must literally bottle him up and dispose of the bottle.
Wolves are controled by vampires, all but one. The white wolf is loyal to humans and feared by vampires. They are able to sense the undead and can help hunt them. One type of vampire is only able to be killed by a white wolf. Once the wolf has his leg, the vampire retreats to his grave, embarrased, and never to be seen again.
Shooting with a consecrated bullet will work. Apparently, it does not have to be silver, but if it is not consencrated, the execusion will not work.
Having said this. One can determine that there is a ginormous possibility that Count Dracula is still alive. If neither of the weapons used by the crew of light were blessed and Mr. Morris' knife did not go all the way through and Jonathan did not cut the head completely off, then the most famous vampire in all of literature is still out there...
First, Jonathan slit Dracula's throat. What if the cut did not go deep enough to kill him? The idea is to cut the head clean off. Then, Mr. Morris stabs him in the heart with a knife, but what kind of knife. If the knife was made out of silver, there is still a chance yet for Count Dracula to raise from the dead and harrass even more people.
According to monstropedia.org, there are approximately thirteen ways to kill a vampire- staking, decapitation, burning, excision of the heart, dismemberment, piercing with a sword, immersion in water, stealing the left sock, drenching in holy water and garlic, injection with holy water, bottling the vampire, wolves, and shooting with a consecrated bullet.
Staking is one we all know. One takes a hammer and nails it into the vampire's heart. This was originally used to pin it to the coffin, so it could not escape. It would be best to avoid any kind of spurting blood.
Decapitiation is supposidly a sure-fire way to kill one because it cannot regenerate without a head or a heart. Preferably done with a gravedigger's shovel, because of its connections to death, or with a sexton's spade, because of its connections with God. After that, one must put garlic into the mouth to sever the connection between the spirit and the remaining body.
Fire is God's manifestation of power, so to burn a vampire would completely erradicate it. Just make sure to stick around until all of it is burned. It is easier to cut up the body first; however, watch out for any kind of animal or insect that comes out of the flames for this could be part of the vampire rebirthing.
Excision of the heart is more difficult because vampires are supposed to have two hearts. The other heart holds the demonic evil and must be burned or boiled in wine or holy water. In the case of Mercy Brown in Exeter, Rhode Island, the ashes were then spooned back into the cavety. Remember, as long as the head or the heart are gone, the vampire cannot come back to life.
Dismemberment is just relieving the vampire from its limbs, so it cannot rise out of the grave.
Piercing with a sword requires a blessed sword and a perfect aim into the heart.
Immersion in water is best when done with moving water. Water is important because of its cleansing properties, but the body must be properly dispposed of once finished.
Stealing the left sock is probably one of the more unique ways found. Vampires are extremely tidy and need to have everything in its place, including both of its socks. If you take the sock and fill it with rocks then throw it into the river, the vampire will search after it and drown in the process.
Drenching in holy water and garlic oil will kill a vampire as well, but this requires many gallons of both to be successful because one must dump it into the coffin to fill it.
Injection with holy water or holy oil into the heart will cause it to burn from the inside.
Bottling the vampire requires the most skill and a dark magic. One must corner a vampire first and confront it with a crusifix, and as the vampire is turning into mist, one must literally bottle him up and dispose of the bottle.
Wolves are controled by vampires, all but one. The white wolf is loyal to humans and feared by vampires. They are able to sense the undead and can help hunt them. One type of vampire is only able to be killed by a white wolf. Once the wolf has his leg, the vampire retreats to his grave, embarrased, and never to be seen again.
Shooting with a consecrated bullet will work. Apparently, it does not have to be silver, but if it is not consencrated, the execusion will not work.
Having said this. One can determine that there is a ginormous possibility that Count Dracula is still alive. If neither of the weapons used by the crew of light were blessed and Mr. Morris' knife did not go all the way through and Jonathan did not cut the head completely off, then the most famous vampire in all of literature is still out there...
Works Cited
"How to Kill a Vampire." Monstropedia. 2009. <http://www.monstropedia.org/index.php?title=How_to_Kill_a_Vampire>.
"How to Kill a Vampire." Monstropedia. 2009. <http://www.monstropedia.org/index.php?title=How_to_Kill_a_Vampire>.