ABSTRACT
Romanians do not recognize Dracula as their hero, nor do they identify themselves with his basic life concepts. Looking at the history of the appearance and circulation of this character, and the stories connected with his life, we are seemingly faced with a case of cultural globalization.
In Romanian tradition, this kind of immortality, not connected to the resurrection at the end of times, is perceived as a curse brought about by sin. It is significant and obvious that Romanian tradition forbids to „eat up” the raw essence of life, the blood, as a token of absolute respect for everything alive. Associating perpetual body life with sin, or the involvement of sin in anomalies of this kind, is part of the community system of religious beliefs, including a particular angelology and demonology.
Dracula is the typical contemporary vampire of international renown. Created by mass-media and cinematography industry and exported through various communication channels, he has become the power-bearer hero of a contemporary legend – a malignant, terrifying figure, catastrophic for redemption and afterlife, but endowed with absolute power on earth.