As our second seminar of 2016, Mythgard Academy will analyze the classic tale of vampiric horror, Dracula, by Bram Stoker. This free, live seminar will last fourteen weeks, with four full sessions dedicated to exploring some of the many cinematic adaptations.

Dr. Corey Olsen has repeatedly stated that Dracula is one of his favorite books ever. The Council of the Wise, consisting of Signum University supporters who have donated $25 or more, have finally deemed that Dr. Olsen can – in the words of one councilor – “go all fanboy” over this quintessential work of gothic fiction.

Originally published in 1897, Dracula created a whole new genre of literature, bringing the vampire out of relative obscurity and turning the undead creature it into one of horror’s most recognizable and enduring monsters. Through his seminal work, Stoker has influenced generations of authors, artists, actors, and auteurs from every level of society and across political and geographical boundaries. We suspect that influence will continue well into the generations ahead.

A Message from Dr. Corey Olsen

As part of the Mythgard Academy series, this Dracula seminar is open to the public and costs nothing. The first 100 participants for each session can participate live each week. Both video and audio recordings of each discussion will be available on this web page, our YouTube channel and podcast. As with all Mythgard Academy sessions, these discussions are made possible by the generosity of all who supported our fundraising campaign last fall from Hobbit Day to Halloween, as well as those who continue to donate throughout the year. The books discussed during our Academy seminars are nominated and elected entirely by our generous donors who contribute at least $25 within a year. So far this year, we have continued our journey through The History of Middle-earth with Volume 4: The Shaping of Middle-earth, and our next topics are yet to be chosen.

Voting for the next session is starting soon, so if you would like to help decide the topics of future seminars, it’s not too late! Visit our donation page and help support our free discussions!

— Dr. Corey Olsen

Schedule

This seminar originally ran from March 9 – June 8, 2016.

Week 1: Changing Perspectives

Read: Chapters I – III

Date: March 9, 2016

Week 2: Facing Facts

Read: Chapters IV – VI

Date: March 16, 2016

Week 3: There Is Always Cause

Read: Chapters VII – IX

Date: March 23, 2016

Week 4: Bad Dreams for Those Who Sleep Unwisely

Read: Chapters X – XII

Date: March 23, 2016

Week 5: Possible Impossibilities

Read: Chapters XIII – XV

Date: April 6, 2016

Week 6: A Devilish Mockery

Read: Chapters XVI – XVIII

Date: April 13, 2016

Week 7: Protecting Mina

Read: Chapters XIX – XXI

Date: May 4, 2016

Week 8: There Is to Her the Silence

Read: Chapters XXII – XXIV

Date: May 11, 2016

Week 9: Our Star and Our Hope

Read: Chapters XXV – XXVII

Date: May 18, 2016

Week 10: Dracula Q&A

Topic: Bonus Q&A Session

Date: May 25, 2016

Week 11: Dracula’s Early Film Career

Topic: Dracula (1931) – starring Bela Lugosi

Watch: Archive.org free streaming/download (public domain in the U.S.)

Date: June 1, 2016

Week 12: The Horror of Dracula

Topic: Horror of Dracula (1958) – starring Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing

Date: June 8, 2016

Week 13: Coppola’s Dracula

Topic: Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992) – starring Keanu Reeves

Date: June 15, 2016

Week 14: Dracula Conclusions

Topic: Dracula 2000 (2000) – starring Gerard Butler

Date: June 22, 2016

Choose Future Seminar Topics

Do you want to support the work that the Institute does for fantasy and other imaginative literature? Would you like to help choose the books we discuss in future seminars? Donate today!