The Origins of the Literary Vampire

The Origins of the Literary Vampire PDF Author: Heide Crawford
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
ISBN: 1442266759
Category : Literary Criticism
Languages : en
Pages : 149

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Book Description
The long and distinguished tradition of the literary vampire began in Germany during the Age of Enlightenment. German literature was the first to adapt the vampire figure from central European folklore and superstition and give it literary form. Despite these German origins, scholarly attention devoted to literary vampires has consistently focused on a select set of sources: British and French literature, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and the phenomenon of the vampire superstition in general. While there have been many illuminating studies of pre-literary vampires and vampires that have already been firmly established as literary figures, the story of the crucial moment of transition from folkloric figure to literary subject has not yet been told. In The Origins of the Literary Vampire Heide Crawford redirects scholarly attention to the body of German poetry and prose where vampire folklore becomes vampire literature. This book focuses on the adaptation of the vampire superstition from central European folklore by German poets in the 18th and early 19th centuries for an audience that had become increasingly interested in superstition and occult phenomena in an Age of Enlightenment. In addition to establishing that the origins of the literary vampire in 18th and 19th century German poetry and prose were informed by the stories and reports of vampires from Central Europe, Crawford argues that the German poets who adapted this figure from superstition for their creative work immediately molded it into a metaphor for contemporary cultural anxieties and fears—a connection that would inspire horror literature in general and the traits of the literary vampire in particular for the 19th century and beyond. Contemporary culture has exhibited a marked fascination with eroticized and politicized applications of the vampire. This volume traces these erotic motifs, common political motifs and others to the first vampire poems that were written by German poets. Consequently, this book answers three central questions: What were the origins of the literary vampire; how was the vampire of folklore and superstition adapted for literature; and how did German poets contribute to the development of the vampire and Gothic horror literature? By answering these and other questions, The Origins of the Literary Vampire explains how the literary vampire became the ubiquitous horror figure it is today.

The Origins of the Literary Vampire

The Origins of the Literary Vampire PDF Author: Heide Crawford
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
ISBN: 1442266759
Category : Literary Criticism
Languages : en
Pages : 149

Get Book Here

Book Description
The long and distinguished tradition of the literary vampire began in Germany during the Age of Enlightenment. German literature was the first to adapt the vampire figure from central European folklore and superstition and give it literary form. Despite these German origins, scholarly attention devoted to literary vampires has consistently focused on a select set of sources: British and French literature, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and the phenomenon of the vampire superstition in general. While there have been many illuminating studies of pre-literary vampires and vampires that have already been firmly established as literary figures, the story of the crucial moment of transition from folkloric figure to literary subject has not yet been told. In The Origins of the Literary Vampire Heide Crawford redirects scholarly attention to the body of German poetry and prose where vampire folklore becomes vampire literature. This book focuses on the adaptation of the vampire superstition from central European folklore by German poets in the 18th and early 19th centuries for an audience that had become increasingly interested in superstition and occult phenomena in an Age of Enlightenment. In addition to establishing that the origins of the literary vampire in 18th and 19th century German poetry and prose were informed by the stories and reports of vampires from Central Europe, Crawford argues that the German poets who adapted this figure from superstition for their creative work immediately molded it into a metaphor for contemporary cultural anxieties and fears—a connection that would inspire horror literature in general and the traits of the literary vampire in particular for the 19th century and beyond. Contemporary culture has exhibited a marked fascination with eroticized and politicized applications of the vampire. This volume traces these erotic motifs, common political motifs and others to the first vampire poems that were written by German poets. Consequently, this book answers three central questions: What were the origins of the literary vampire; how was the vampire of folklore and superstition adapted for literature; and how did German poets contribute to the development of the vampire and Gothic horror literature? By answering these and other questions, The Origins of the Literary Vampire explains how the literary vampire became the ubiquitous horror figure it is today.

The Origins of the Literary Vampire

The Origins of the Literary Vampire PDF Author: Heide Crawford
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
ISBN: 9781442266742
Category : German literature
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
While there have been many illuminating studies of pre-literary vampires and vampires that have already been firmly established as literary figures, the story of the crucial moment of transition from folkloric figure to literary subject has not yet been told. The Origins of the Literary Vampire redirects scholarly attention to the body of German poetry and prose where vampire folklore becomes vampire literature. This book focuses on the adaptation of the vampire superstition from central European folklore by German poets in the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries for an audience that had become increasingly interested in superstition and occult phenomena in an Age of Enlightenment.

The Vampire

The Vampire PDF Author: Thomas M. Bohn
Publisher: Berghahn Books
ISBN: 1789202930
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 304

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Book Description
“An illuminating contribution to scholarship on the vampire figure.”—Slavic Review Even before Bram Stoker immortalized Transylvania as the homeland of his fictional Count Dracula, the figure of the vampire was inextricably tied to Eastern Europe in the popular imagination. Drawing on a wealth of previously neglected sources, this book offers a fascinating account of how vampires—whose various incarnations originally emerged from folk traditions from all over the world—became so strongly identified with Eastern Europe. It demonstrates that the modern conception of the vampire was born in the crucible of the Enlightenment, embodying a mysterious, Eastern otherness that stood opposed to Western rationality. From the Prologue: From Original Sin to Eternal Life For a broad contemporary public, the vampire has become a star, a media sensation from Hollywood. Bestselling authors such as Bram Stoker, Anne Rice and Stephenie Meyer continue to fire the imaginations of young and old alike, and bloodsuckers have achieved immortality through films like Dracula, Interview with a Vampireand Twilight. It is no wonder that, in the teenage bedrooms of our globalized world, vampires even steal the show from Harry Potter. They have long since been assigned individual personalities and treated with sympathy. They may possess superhuman powers, but they are also burdened by their immortality and have to learn to come to terms with their craving for blood. Whereas the Southeast European vampire, discovered in the 1730s, underwent an Americanization and domestication in the media landscape of the twentieth century, the creole zombies that first became known through the cheap novels and horror films of the 1920s still continue to serve as brainless horror figures. Do bloodsuckers really exist and should we really be afraid of the dead? These are the questions that I seek to tackle, following the wishes of my daughter, who was ten when I started this project.

The Universal Vampire

The Universal Vampire PDF Author: Barbara Brodman
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
ISBN: 1611475805
Category : Literary Collections
Languages : en
Pages : 265

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Book Description
Since the publication of John Polidori's The Vampyre (1819), the vampire has been a mainstay of Western culture, appearing consistently in literature, art, music (notably opera), film, television, graphic novels and popular culture in general. Even before its entrance into the realm of arts and letters in the early nineteenth century, the vampire was a feared creature of Eastern European folklore and legend, rising from the grave at night to consume its living loved ones and neighbors, often converting them at the same time into fellow vampires. A major question exists within vampire scholarship: to what extent is this creature a product of European cultural forms, or is the vampire indeed a universal, perhaps even archetypal figure? In this collection of sixteen original essays, the contributors shed light on this question. One essay traces the origins of the legend to the early medieval Norse draugr, an "undead" creature who reflects the underpinnings of Dracula, the latter first appearing as a vampire in Anglo-Irish Bram Stoker's 1897 novel, Dracula. In addition to these investigations of the Western mythic, literary and historic traditions, other essays in this volume move outside Europe to explore vampire figures in Native American and Mesoamerican myth and ritual, as well as the existence of similar vampiric traditions in Japanese, Russian and Latin American art, theatre, literature, film, and other cultural productions. The female vampire looms large, beginning with the Sumerian goddess Lilith, including the nineteenth-century Carmilla, and moving to vampiresses in twentieth-century film, literature, and television series. Scientific explanations for vampires and werewolves constitute another section of the book, including eighteenth-century accounts of unearthing, decapitation and cremation of suspected vampires in Eastern Europe. The vampire's beauty, attainment of immortality and eternal youth are all suggested as reasons for its continued success in contemporary popular culture.

Dracula

Dracula PDF Author: Bram Stoker
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 0394848284
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 97

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Book Description
String garlic by the window and hang a cross around your neck! The most powerful vampire of all time returns in our Stepping Stone Classic adaption of the original tale by Bran Stoker. Follow Johnathan Harker, Mina Harker, and Dr. Abraham van Helsing as they discover the true nature of evil. Their battle to destroy Count Dracula takes them from the crags of his castle to the streets of London... and back again.

The Vampire

The Vampire PDF Author: Nick Groom
Publisher: Yale University Press
ISBN: 0300240813
Category : Literary Criticism
Languages : en
Pages : 325

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Book Description
An authoritative new history of the vampire, two hundred years after it first appeared on the literary scene Published to mark the bicentenary of John Polidori’s publication of The Vampyre, Nick Groom’s detailed new account illuminates the complex history of the iconic creature. The vampire first came to public prominence in the early eighteenth century, when Enlightenment science collided with Eastern European folklore and apparently verified outbreaks of vampirism, capturing the attention of medical researchers, political commentators, social theorists, theologians, and philosophers. Groom accordingly traces the vampire from its role as a monster embodying humankind’s fears, to that of an unlikely hero for the marginalized and excluded in the twenty-first century. Drawing on literary and artistic representations, as well as medical, forensic, empirical, and sociopolitical perspectives, this rich and eerie history presents the vampire as a strikingly complex being that has been used to express the traumas and contradictions of the human condition.

The Vampyre

The Vampyre PDF Author: John William Polidori
Publisher: Graphic Arts Books
ISBN: 1513278118
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 28

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Book Description
When Aubrey, a young Englishman, meets a mysterious man from London high society, Lord Ruthven, they become unlikely friends. Shortly after, Aubrey decides to accompany the noble on a trip to Rome. However, when a moral disagreement arises between the two, Aubrey decides to leave Ruthven in Rome, and goes off on his own. Arriving in Greece, Aubrey meets Ianthe, and the two share an immediate connection. After sharing stories and an evening together, Aubrey and Ianthe part ways for the night. However, after a devastating turn of events, Aubrey and Ruthven reunite, and Aubrey, ready to leave Greece behind, is happy to travel with the older man once again. But as they continue their travels, Aubrey slowly begins to notice Ruthven’s odd behavior. After even more consideration, Aubrey realizes a shocking pattern—nearly everyone that Ruthven comes in close contact to meets an untimely end. Afraid of his newly acquired knowledge, Aubrey attempts to distance himself from the suspicious man, though he is forced to reconsider his efforts when Ruthven expresses intent to marry Aubrey’s sister. First published under Lord Byron’s name, The Vampyre rose to immediate commercial success. However, though he was inspired by a discarded piece of Lord Bryon’s work, both authors have since admitted that John William Polidori was the true writer of The Vampyre. Considered to be the first work of vampire fiction, The Vampyre had an immense role in shaping vampires as literary figures, influencing the canonical rules of vampires that many still follow today. First published in 1819, Polidori’s The Vampyre remains to be a thrilling and spooky read centuries later, and has since inspired both film and theater adaptations. With mystery and eerie suspense, Polidori’s work is an extraordinary example of 19th century gothic horror. This edition of The Vampyre by John William Polidori features a striking new cover design and is printed in a font that is both modern and readable. With these accommodations, The Vampyre caters to a contemporary audience while preserving the original innovation of John William Polidori’s work.

A History of the Vampire in Popular Culture

A History of the Vampire in Popular Culture PDF Author: Violet Fenn
Publisher: Pen and Sword History
ISBN: 1526776634
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 241

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Book Description
An exploration of the continuing appeal of vampires in cultural and social history. Our enduring love of vampires—the bad boys (and girls) of paranormal fantasy—has persisted for centuries. Despite being bloodthirsty, heartless killers, vampire stories commonly carry erotic overtones that are missing from other paranormal or horror stories. Even when monstrous teeth are sinking into pale, helpless throats—especially then—vampires are sexy. But why? In A History Of The Vampire In Popular Culture, author Violet Fenn takes the reader through the history of vampires in “fact” and fiction, their origins in mythology and literature, and their enduring appeal on TV and film. We’ll delve into the sexuality--and sexism--of vampire lore, as well as how modern audiences still hunger for a pair of sharp fangs in the middle of the night.

The Historian

The Historian PDF Author: Elizabeth Kostova
Publisher: Little, Brown
ISBN: 075951383X
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 660

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Book Description
The record-breaking phenomenon from Elizabeth Kostova is a celebrated masterpiece that "refashioned the vampire myth into a compelling contemporary novel, a late-night page-turner" (San Francisco Chronicle). Breathtakingly suspenseful and beautifully written, The Historian is the story of a young woman plunged into a labyrinth where the secrets of her family’s past connect to an inconceivable evil: the dark fifteenth-century reign of Vlad the Impaler and a time-defying pact that may have kept his awful work alive through the ages. The search for the truth becomes an adventure of monumental proportions, taking us from monasteries and dusty libraries to the capitals of Eastern Europe—in a feat of storytelling so rich, so hypnotic, so exciting that it has enthralled readers around the world. “Part thriller, part history, part romance...Kostova has a keen sense of storytelling and she has a marvelous tale to tell.” —Baltimore Sun

The Vampire in Literature: A Comparison of Bram Stoker's Dracula and Anne Rice's Interview with the Vampire

The Vampire in Literature: A Comparison of Bram Stoker's Dracula and Anne Rice's Interview with the Vampire PDF Author: Janina Nußbaumer
Publisher: Anchor Academic Publishing (aap_verlag)
ISBN: 3954896370
Category : Literary Criticism
Languages : en
Pages : 42

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Book Description
The figure of the vampire has been around for centuries, and has lost none of its fascination. Although, the portrayal of the vampire in literature today has not much in common with its historical origins, the vampire belief is based on true events. Bram Stoker's novel ‘Dracula’ laid the foundation for the success story of the vampire. He created something sinister, a monster in the shape of a gentleman. The evil of the Victorian society was personified in the form of the revenant. Boundaries between good and evil, human and non-human, death and life are blurred and unrecognizable in his book. In contrast, Anne Rice creates a world where humans and vampires live next to each other. Her vampires resemble human beings not only in terms of their bodies, but also in terms of their minds. There is no horror detectable, but amazement and identification with the revenants by the reader. In this context, the differentiation of the constructed images of the vampires in the two novels, ‘Dracula’ by Bram Stoker and ‘Interview with the Vampire’ by Anne Rice, is analyzed. Thereby, the study investigates those elements that have been adopted, those ones that have developed over the time, and the consequences that go along with the manner of construction.