DRACULA
NOVEL
In 1897, Irish novelist, Bram Stoker, published Dracula. It was the popularity of this book that brought the myth of the vampire to Western Europe and beyond. Click below for a short segment of Dracula.
Click HERE to hear a professional actor read the
selection as you follow along on the document above. |
Since the late 1400's people have believed in vampires. Since then, we have created myths, movies, novels and songs about these creatures. We have made vampires villains, heroes, and love interests. We are obsessed with the idea of the undead living off the blood of the living. HISTORY
Click on the document below to discover the man behind the myth: Vlad Dracula.
PLAY - Actors Theater of Louisville
For over 20 years, ATL has performed this adaptation of Balderston and Deane's 1924 play. Take a look below for a sneak peak! If you missed the play and film, take a look at this scene from Bram Stoker's Dracula by CLICKING HERE.
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THE NIGHTMARE
INFERNO
Inferno tells the story of how the poet Dante (he places himself as the main character in this EPIC POEM) strays off a straight path (moral truth and goodness) and gets lost in a dark wood (temptation and sin).
Just as three wild animals are about to attack him, Dante is rescued by the ghost of Virgil, a famous Ancient Roman poet (and Dante’s idol). When Dante asks why Virgil appeared to save his life, Virgil answers that the rulers of heaven took pity on him and asked Beatrice (Dante's-now dead-living-in-heaven-girlfriend) to send someone to help him stay on the path of truth. Knowing her bae loves Virgil, Beatrice sends Virgil's ghost to the rescue! To convince Dante to resist sin and temptation, Virgil decides to take him on a tour of hell (a kind of see-what-will-happen-to-you-if-you-keep-behaving-in-this-way preview). The poem chronicles Dante's journey through the nine circles of hell and his return to the mortal world. |
UGOLINO AND HIS SONS - JEAN-BAPTISTE CARPEAUX, 1867
In the ninth circle of hell, Dante and Virgil meet Count Ugolino della Gherardesca who was a real person that lived in 12th century Pisa. He was a tyrant who ruled his subject unfairly and with great malice. In real life, Ugolino was arrested and placed in a jail cell with his sons to starve to death. Eventually, after his sons died of starvation, Ugolino is rumored to have eaten their dead bodies. Dante, places Ugolino in the ninth circle of hell for betraying his countrymen, but also for betraying his sons by eating them.
In the ninth circle of hell, Dante and Virgil meet Count Ugolino della Gherardesca who was a real person that lived in 12th century Pisa. He was a tyrant who ruled his subject unfairly and with great malice. In real life, Ugolino was arrested and placed in a jail cell with his sons to starve to death. Eventually, after his sons died of starvation, Ugolino is rumored to have eaten their dead bodies. Dante, places Ugolino in the ninth circle of hell for betraying his countrymen, but also for betraying his sons by eating them.
From Dante's Inferno, Canto 33
But when to our somber cell was thrown A slender ray, and each face was lit I saw in each the aspect of my own, For very brief both of my hand I bit, And suddenly from the floor arising they, Thinking my hunger was the cause of it, Exclaimed: Father eat thou of us, and stay Our suffering: thou didst our being dress In this sad flesh; now strip it all away. |
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THE TEMPTATIONS OF ST. ANTHONY
HISTORY
Saint Anthony of Egypt was a religious hermit and one of the earliest monks. He is considered the father of organized Christian monasticism.
Anthony was born in Egypt in 251 to a wealthy family. When he was 18 years old, his parents died and Anthony decided to follow the Evangelical counsel of Jesus which reads, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasures in heaven." [Mt 19:21] Anthony gave away all of the land and money he inherited and dedicated himself to living an ascetic life. He went to live in the Nitrian Desert near Alexandria in Egypt. He remained in the desert for the rest of his life with two exceptions. The first was when he recovered in a town after being found beaten unconscious, some say, by the devil. The second time Anthony emerged, he traveled to the city of Fayyum to teach Christianity for a short time and was hailed as a hero because of his dedication to God. Stories surrounding Anthony quickly spread after his visit to Fayyum and have persisted since.
Famously, Anthony is said to have faced a series of supernatural temptations during his time in the desert. Many artists, including Hieronymus Bosch, Michelangelo, and Salvador Dalí, to name just a few, have depicted these incidents from the life of Anthony.
HISTORY
Saint Anthony of Egypt was a religious hermit and one of the earliest monks. He is considered the father of organized Christian monasticism.
Anthony was born in Egypt in 251 to a wealthy family. When he was 18 years old, his parents died and Anthony decided to follow the Evangelical counsel of Jesus which reads, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasures in heaven." [Mt 19:21] Anthony gave away all of the land and money he inherited and dedicated himself to living an ascetic life. He went to live in the Nitrian Desert near Alexandria in Egypt. He remained in the desert for the rest of his life with two exceptions. The first was when he recovered in a town after being found beaten unconscious, some say, by the devil. The second time Anthony emerged, he traveled to the city of Fayyum to teach Christianity for a short time and was hailed as a hero because of his dedication to God. Stories surrounding Anthony quickly spread after his visit to Fayyum and have persisted since.
Famously, Anthony is said to have faced a series of supernatural temptations during his time in the desert. Many artists, including Hieronymus Bosch, Michelangelo, and Salvador Dalí, to name just a few, have depicted these incidents from the life of Anthony.
THE SATYR AND THE CENTAUR
Anthony was on a journey in the desert to find Paul of Thebes. On his way there, he ran into two demons in the forms of a centaur and a satyr. Anthony was stopped by the two demons and he asked them, "Who are you?" To that, the satyr replied, "I am a corpse, one of those whom the heathen call satyrs, and by whom they are snared into idolatry." The satyr then tried to terrify the saint while the centaur attacked Anthony's belief in God. Anthony's prayers and faith converted the two demons and soon, the centaur offered to show Anthony where to find Paul while the satyr ended up asking for Anthony's blessing. |
SILVER AND GOLD
Another time Anthony was traveling in the desert, he found a plate of silver coins in his path. He pondered for a moment as to why a plate of silver coins would be out in the desert where no one else travels, and realised the Devil must have laid it out there to tempt him. To that he said, "Ha! Devil, thou weenest to tempt me and deceive me, but it shall not be in thy power." Once he said this, the plate of silver vanished. Anthony continued walking along and saw a pile of gold in his way which the Devil had laid there to deceive him. Anthony cast the pile of gold into a fire, and it vanished just like the silver coins did. After these events, Anthony had a vision where the whole world was full of snares and traps. He cried, "Oh good Lord, who may escape from these snares?" A voice replied, "Humility shall escape them without more." Anthony continued his travels never once touching the precious metals. |
DEMONS IN THE CAVE
After being tempted by the Devil at least twice, Anthony tried hiding in a cave. Unfortunately, there were so many demons in the cave that Anthony's servent had to carry him out because they had beaten him to death. Once out of the cave, Anthony came back to life and demanded to go back to the cave. When he got there he called out to the demons and they came back as wild beasts to rip him to shreds. All of a sudden a bright light flashed, and the demons ran away. Anthony knew that the light must have come from God, and he asked God where was he before when the demons attacked him. God replied, "I was here but I would see and abide to see thy battle, and because thou hast mainly fought and well maintained thy battle, I shall make thy name to be spread through all the world." |