The history of super-villains and superheroes in literary works is long and well documented. The fact that almost all villains and heroes have one or more extraordinary abilities, which are offset by, at least, one serious weakness, is well known. A perfect, age-old, example of this, in the gothic realm of literature, is the deadly werewolf, who only has his powers during a full moon, and even then, he is capable of being killed with a silver bullet. An even more interesting and tantalizing example is that of the vampire. For centuries now, humankind has been puzzled, bewildered, and fascinated with the life of a vampire. Increasingly we see the vampire incorporated into mainstream thinking. The books we read and the movies we see draw us in to a life that seems, altogether, horrifying as well as attractive. In Bram Stoker's "Dracula," one of the main characters, Count Dracula, follows the literary pattern of powers and failings. While The Count is given a number of strengths, which are, by far, supernatural, powerful, and numerous, he is also given a number of weaknesses, which are also great, numerous, and ultimately, damning. So, join me on a journey into the life of a vampire. As we learn about the strengths and weaknesses of a creature, many have come to call a wonderful, although dreadful, mixture of mystery and horror, you will "sink" deeper and deeper into the depths of a soulless and depraved life-capturing animal.
             The first, and possibly most important, of Dracula's powers is his immortality. Immortality, for the mortal human, is one of the most appealing and at the same time frightening aspects of a vampire. We first find out that Dracula might be immortal when he and Harker are discussing the history of Transylvania. When Dracula speaks of the history of his country, it is as if he were actually there. Throughout their conversation Dracula frequently used the word "we.&q...