Historically, myths surrounding vampires told of creatures to be feared. In fact, though their existence was never conclusively proven, they were considered to be a reality for the superstitious people of centuries past. Where certain circumstances existed, the scene was set for a vampire to be created. For example, in Croatia people believed that incest would cause vampirism, and in Poland people believed that if a baby was born with teeth it would grow into a vampire.
The True History of Vampires
Today, such beliefs could simply be explained as ignorance but, in the late 17th century and throughout the 18th century the vampire problem reached “epidemic” proportions across Europe. There were claims of the dead returning from the grave to visit their families, friends and strangers. Their sole purpose to bite and drink the blood of those still living.
In response, many of the sighted “undead” were exhumed, and shockingly the buried corpses were often found to be suspiciously intact, lacking any signs of decomposition. Subsequently, measures such as decapitation, burning and staking were ordered on these bodies to stop their reign of terror on the communities.
At this time, tales of vampires were written in the form of factual scientific reports and newspaper reports. It was because these vampires were not regarded as characters in stories, but as true beings that they were terrifying. Eventually, what was reality for people long ago would provide inspiration for the fictions to come.
Vampires in Horror Fiction
Early literary renditions of vampires did not necessarily present the creature in an actual human form, for example they would have conspicuous pointed teeth, pointed ears or grotesquely hairy hands. They were more akin with zombies, mindlessly pursuing its vital feed of blood. There was nothing appealing about vampires in this form.
Varney the Vampire (1847) (commonly attributed to Thomas Preskett Prest), John Polidori’s The Vampyre: A Tale (1819) and Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1897) showed the beginnings of a less fearsome flavour to the vampire myth. Vampires were appearing in human form and displaying human emotions. They were moving freely amongst the living, partaking in society and making acquaintances with mortals, that is, their potential victims. They became sinister creatures masquerading as human beings.
While shaping the creature into something that can be aristocratic and charismatic (though not necessarily physically attractive) made vampires more approachable, maybe even likeable against one’s better judgement, they were still deeply threatening. Moreover, their capacity to become appealing to their victims made it easier for them to lure their prey. These desirable attributes of the vampire made them more powerful killers.
Nosferatu: A Terrifying Film
The German film Nosferatu (1922) presented one of the scariest villains ever committed to celluloid, depicting a vampire that basically looks like a cross between a vicious cobra and a very disturbed man with talons for fingers. However, the Hollywood version of Dracula, with suave suits and capes, and the need to capitalise on an actor’s handsome looks did little to help. After all, Hollywood is where sex symbols are made.
Despite evolutionary steps towards being attractive and sexually alluring, vampires generally remained a malevolent force. This may be said to be because their sexuality and ability to seduce and corrupt the purity of their victims with “sin” was the very thing that made them terrifying.
However, with the passing of time and the liberation of sexuality, vampires have become less feared by audiences and readers. Indeed, observing the currently rampant popularity of romance fiction that features vampiric characters, it seems that vampires are eagerly invited into the reader’s home.
Sources
Bartlett, W. & Idriceanu, F. 2006, Legends of Blood: The Vampire in History and Myth, Praeger Publishers, Westport, Connecticut.
Gordon Melton, J. 1994, The Vampire Book: The Encyclopedia of the Undead, Gale Research Inc, Detroit, Michigan.
John Polidori & the Vampyre Byron (online) 2009, http://www.angelfire.com/jazz/louxsie/polidori.html
Pipe, J. 2007, The Undead, ticktock Entertainment, Great Britain.
 |
