Literature & Symbolism
The Vampire in Nineteenth Century English Literature by ISBN: 9780879724252Publication Date: 2013-02-01Carol A. Senf traces the vampire's evolution from folklore to twentieth-century popular culture and explains why this creature became such an important metaphor in Victorian England. This bloodsucker who had stalked the folklore of almost every culture became the property of serious artists and thinkers in Victorian England, including Charlotte and Emily Brontë, George Eliot, Charles Dickens, Karl Marx, and Friedrich Engels. People who did not believe in the existence of vampires nonetheless saw numerous metaphoric possibilities in a creature from the past that exerted pressure on the present and was often threatening because of its sexuality.
- Romanian Folklore and Literary Representations of VampiresIn this article, Tudor Balinisteanu presents elements of nineteenth century Romanian folklore about vampires and applies them to the psychological and social culture of the time. It refers to Dracula by Bram Stoker as an example of this and continues to explain that the role of the vampire was used to enforce the Victorian views of gender, sex and class.
- What Stoker Saw: An Introduction to the History of the Literary VampireIn this critical essay by M. M. Carlson, several influential vampire fiction works are discussed, as well as how the literary vampire has evolved from folklore.
- Rite of Passage: The Vampire Tale As Cosmogonic MythIn this essay, Ronald Foust discusses the psychological symbolism present in vampire fiction.
- Repossessing the Body: Transgressive Desire in "Carmilla" and "Dracula"Elizabeth Signorotti explores female empowerment and sapphic themes of Sheridan Le Fanu's "Carmilla" and how Bram Stoker's "Dracula" was used as retaliation against the idea of the female vampire.
The Vampire Defanged by ISBN: 9781587432897Publication Date: 2011-04-01Vampires first entered the pop culture arena with Bram Stoker's 1897 novel, Dracula. Today, vampires are everywhere. From Buffy the Vampire Slayer to the Twilight Saga to HBO's True Blood series, pop culture can't get enough of the vampire phenomenon. Bringing her literary expertise to this timely subject, Susannah Clements reveals the roots of the vampire myth and shows how it was originally immersed in Christian values and symbolism. Over time, however, vampires have been "defanged" as their spiritual significance has waned, and what was once the embodiment of evil has turned into a teen idol and the ultimate romantic hero. Clements offers a close reading of selected vampire texts, explaining how this transformation occurred and helping readers discern between the variety of vampire stories presented in movies, TV shows, and novels.
