Literature Review

Vampire Folklore David Keyworth writes about how vampires were perceived in eighteenth century Europe in his article. During this time period, the vampire that we know of today first made its arrival. Blood-thirsty vampires were unlike the vampires of previous times. In previous centuries, vampires did not feed on humans. However, they did spread a disease that killed any human that contracted it. Just being near an undead-corpse was enough to contract the disease. During the eighteenth century, it was believed that the corpses ghost would leave the grave and devour every member of their family unless the corpse was decapitated or had the heart extracted from it. After the vampires victim died, they too would become a vampire. Our modern day vampires evolved from this type of vampire. Both types hunger for blood and turn their victims into vampires. However, there are a lot of characteristics that have been added to the vampire. This is just the stepping stone.

What it Means to be a Vampire In Joseph Laycocks article, there are two types of vampires and both live among us. The first is the real vampire. Those who are real vampires dont choose this lifestyle, because they perceive their need to feed as inherent in their nature, more akin to a genetic quality or a sexual orientation than a cultural affiliation. On the other hand, there are the lifestyle vampires. These vampires choose to become vampires, and can therefore change this decision if they see fit. However, each type of vampire belongs in its own identity group. This is also how these vampires would like to be perceived. They dont feel that they are a religious group. A religious group has a unifying leader that makes statements on behalf of the entire community. The vampire community prides themselves on self-determination, so any statements made on behalf of the vampire community carry very little truth and authority. This article shows us that being a vampire doesnt have to mean that you are an undead being that wants to feed on every living thing. Being a vampire is all about how you view yourself, and what you do with that situation. Shira Gabriel and Ariana Young seem to disagree with Laycocks viewpoint on what it means to be a vampire. The completed an experiment in order to prove that you can become a vampire without even being bitten by one. They hypothesized that if an individual were to read a passage about vampires from the Twilight series, then that individual would psychologically become a vampire. They feel that this is because the individual feels the need to connect with what they are reading.

This experiment basically contradicts everything that we have come to know about vampires and how they can still have human qualities even though they are monsters. The results seem to say that being a vampire is just a state of mind that can be changed whenever you read something that you relate to.

Dracula Dracula is perhaps the most famous vampire of all time. Written by Bram Stoker, Dracula is made to be an extremely hideous and menacing creature. However, one important part of this story that seems to be left out is the abundance of religious references. Christopher Herbert says that Dracula is very likely the most religiously saturated popular novel of its time. There are a lot of bible verses that are mentioned throughout the book, as well as a lot of prayers being said. Herbert believes that the constant mentioning of religion is a way to mystify the essential bond between vampirism and Christian faith. Dracula is portrayed as a creature who wants to be worshipped. In the book, Dracula says, All these lives I will give you, ay, and many more and greater, through countless ages, if you will fall down and worship me! This is very similar to Jesus Christ proclaiming in John 10:10, I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

Women Vampires In Gina Wiskers chapter, Love Bites: Contemporary Womens Vampire Fictions, she writes about women writers taking on the task of creating women vampires. In the past, vampires have always been male, for example Dracula. The women were always seen as frail and pure creatures that become corrupted when they are seduced by the vampires. When there are female vampires as the main characters, it seems like there is a lesbian relationship. For example, in Anne Rices novel Interview with the Vampire, there seems to be some sort of lesbian relationship between Claudia and Madeleine. I think that this article really shows the development of the female role in society. With women being the main character in a novel, this shows that women are beginning to have a more important role in society. It also seems like vampires are more loving and caring if they are women. Women are naturally caring. This shows that vampires can still have human qualities. The Trend in the Media In Ananya Mukherjeas article titled My Vampire Boyfriend: Postfeminism, Perfect Masculinity, and the Contemporary Appeal of Paranormal Romance, she focuses on why vampire boyfriends are preferred in modern day TV shows based on vampires. Male vampires are portrayed as the perfect men. They are always tall, handsome, polite, and very wealthy.

They embody everything that a woman could ever want in a man. They are also very mysterious. They stay in solitude and dont really say anything to anyone. After you get to know them, they show you that they can be really loving and protective. Vampire boyfriends also provide a sense of adventure. When a human falls in love with a vampire, she becomes involved in all of the dangers that are associated with being a vampire. This is where the protective side is shown, seeing as how he doesnt want anything to happen to the girl that he loves, he does anything and everything to keep her from being hurt or killed. This is why vampires like Edward Cullen are sought after by a lot of girls. The article written in The New York Times titled A Trend With Teeth is all about how vampires have taken over todays society. It all started with the Twilight Saga, a book series written by Stephenie Meyers, and has become a pandemic of unholy proportions. There are a number of TV shows based on vampires, such as True Blood and The Vampire Diaries. The vampire trend has also found its way into the fashion world by inspiring creations with leather and lace. By watching and reading about vampires, it gives the public the chance to imagine what we would be like if we let ourselves go and become monsters. For Assignment One, I observed the hit TV show on CW The Vampire Diaries. This show tells the story of Elena Gilbert, an ordinary teenage girl who just happens to meet and fall madly in love with a vampire named Stefan Salvatore. Throughout the rest of the show, their love is put to the test by all of the dangers that Elena faces because of her involvement with vampires. This show takes vampires and transforms them into beings who may seem dangerous and evil, but still maintain their human qualities. In her chapter, The Vampire and its Double: Doppelgangers, Meta Vampires, and Gender-Bending Byronic Love in The Vampire Diaries, Ann Thurber uses The Vampire Diaries as her main example when exploring the ideal of doubles throughout the show. She does this by comparing the show to the Twilight series. She views Stefan, from The Vampire Diaries, as the double of Edward, from Twilight. Both fall in love with a human, abstain from feeding on them, they stop feeding on humans altogether, and seem to have no purpose in life until they meet the love of their life. Another double that is explored is the relationship between Stefan and his brother Damon. Stefan and Damon are seen as doubles because Stefan is portrayed as the good vampire who is has morals and protects the human race, while Damon is the bad vampire who constantly causes trouble and continues to kill off humans without any remorse. Sabrina Boyer is the author of an article titled Thou Shalt Not Crave Thy Neighbor: True Blood, Abjection, and Otherness. In this article, she mentions that vampires represent all of those who dont fit into societys mold. The vampire can be seen as the reject of society because they are different than what the public wants. Many people can relate to this because they are considered the rejects of society. This makes vampires become increasingly more popular.