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Its been a long time since I read Bram Stoker's Dracula, and I do not remember any instance of Jonathan Harker inviting Count Dracula to his home. I just watched the Let Me In movie and I also remember from the movie The Lost Boys that a Vampire needs the invitation of the host to enter the hosts house.This brings me to the questions:

  • Where in writing or a movie does this idea first originate?
  • Was it from Bram Stoker's Dracula?

1 Answer 1

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It was neither in writing or in movies. The modern day vampire stories (including Dracula) are all based on various parts of old folklore stories about vampires or vampire like creatures from around the world.

Some of them include the idea that not only vampires but supernatural beings in general can not enter the house without an invitation.

See also: http://dracula.cc/vampires_traits/

The various depictions of vampires we know from books and movies are more or less an amalgam of the various vampire traits found in folklore.

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    I wonder if at its heart is the idea that we are protected from even Satan unless we voluntarily enter into a deal with him -- Vampires are not so different than demons (perhaps are demons in some stories) and usually with demons also, there is a quid pro quo. People involved with vamps often choose this relationship although they can be tricked/hypnotized into this. I guess humans are not protected from vamps completely, but to become one requires some choice of the human.
    – releseabe
    Nov 4, 2022 at 7:20

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