I was thinking about what you said about Hollywood and vampires portrayal, and I think it hearkens back to things we are seeing all the time. Good is Bad and Bad is Good. Turning things on their heads firstly for just the shock value, and later for other reasons.
So, If Vampires are Lust - it started with the Vampire's Lust and seduction, whether for blood, morality, etc. But Hollywood (And later books) turned it to the young women, and maybe men in books that have the Lust as the sin. So, taking the villain and making them the victim, and the victims and making them the sinners/villains.
Like Anita Blake's vampires are all about seduction and temptation (more like an Incubus) and they eventually corrupt Anita Blake and cause her to be "one of the monsters" herself. And then she is the one infected with the Lust, etc. And they are then portrayed with all their sad backstories that "caused" them to be the way they are. So, again, they are victims, it's "not their fault". There are a couple of vampires in those books who strive to return to the light, I do have to give credit, and so gain a redemption arc.
Very good point, and that’s exactly it I think. It is odd how society wanted the victims to be the villains and the villains to be the victims even back then.
Hollywood corrupted it all, with the aid of Academia and this in turn corrupted and destroyed many facets of American culture and society (and her vassals as we’re not much better there, as we’ve been corrupted also).
The medieval vampire was something else. The best idea of a medieval vampire is to check out zombie movies.
The thing was, in medieval times, if you wanted the dangerous, deadly, alluring lover, you made him one of the Fair Folk. When fairies were daintified and prettified -- in part to avoid the charges they were demons and you were glamorizing them -- that left a gap.
Fair point, though I think demon is pretty extreme as they were dangerous but not necessarily evil like demons are. I’d say fairies were more like the Nymphs of the Ancient Classical world in some ways.
That the Fair Folk were demons was a view that rose with the Renaissance. There was certainly a woman burned as a witch for consorting with the Queen of Fairy.
(C.S. Lewis discusses this change in *The Discarded Image*.
This is a good writeup. I wonder if you're familiar with the works of Dr. E. Michael Jones on horror. He had talk about the "Sex with Monsters" trope: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37MOX-z94pI
In the video I linked, he talks about the 'Creature from Black Lagoon' instead but it lines up pretty well with what you're saying about Dracula/vampires.
This is possibly the greatest essay i've read this year. I won't lie, i saw myself in your description of the Vampire and it haunted me. What a chilling read.
Oh I didn’t mean to chill you buddy, but if it made you think and you loved it that much then thanks so very much. Your praise means a lot! Truly it does.
And yeah let’s hope it’ll be a great Halloween Season!
Ooh I feel a response essay coming on, lol. Funny how I was literally in the middle of my own vampire story when I came across this (judging by your opinions here I don’t think you’d care for it 🤣).
Actually, vampires have been somewhat of an obsession of mine for a long time (long before Twilight).
I wonder if the vampire lust for young women is, because they’re immortal, a constant repeat of their human lives, a life that replicates itself forever. They can never have a deep love because they’ll always be the ones to say goodbye in the end.
Hmmm fascinating notion, the continuous repetition of prior lives lived, is an interesting notion. I would say that likely does play a role, which begs the question how does their memory work? Do they have eidetic one? Or is it that they remember clearly enough but that it plays tricks on them like it does us, mortals and leads them to perceive of themselves in a way that is younger, and therefore they repeat earlier patterns of behaviour?
I would say yes certainly, there is the possibility. It seems their eternal youth is different from that of Tolkien’s Elves for example. The Elves aged in spirit, and therefore grew tired. Whereas Vampires remain young in spirit but ever so impetuous and unstable like teenagers or something.
The Elves strove for excellence and as you say, spiritual growth. The base hunger of the vampires keeps them from ever evolving to that level. Also moving only under the cover of darkness.
You bring up so many interesting point I never before considered.
Don’t know if you’d be interested but there’s a remake of King’s ‘Salem’s Lot coming soon to Max.
Vampires think they have eternal life. They really have eternal death.
The more I read articles like this, and Tolkien's and Lewis' works, the more mythic my once grounded fantasy world becomes.
I’m glad to hear that my articles are having a positive effect similar to those of the legendary professors!
But yes the Vampires just have eternal death and an eternally empty existence.
I was thinking about what you said about Hollywood and vampires portrayal, and I think it hearkens back to things we are seeing all the time. Good is Bad and Bad is Good. Turning things on their heads firstly for just the shock value, and later for other reasons.
So, If Vampires are Lust - it started with the Vampire's Lust and seduction, whether for blood, morality, etc. But Hollywood (And later books) turned it to the young women, and maybe men in books that have the Lust as the sin. So, taking the villain and making them the victim, and the victims and making them the sinners/villains.
Like Anita Blake's vampires are all about seduction and temptation (more like an Incubus) and they eventually corrupt Anita Blake and cause her to be "one of the monsters" herself. And then she is the one infected with the Lust, etc. And they are then portrayed with all their sad backstories that "caused" them to be the way they are. So, again, they are victims, it's "not their fault". There are a couple of vampires in those books who strive to return to the light, I do have to give credit, and so gain a redemption arc.
Very good point, and that’s exactly it I think. It is odd how society wanted the victims to be the villains and the villains to be the victims even back then.
Hollywood corrupted it all, with the aid of Academia and this in turn corrupted and destroyed many facets of American culture and society (and her vassals as we’re not much better there, as we’ve been corrupted also).
The medieval vampire was something else. The best idea of a medieval vampire is to check out zombie movies.
The thing was, in medieval times, if you wanted the dangerous, deadly, alluring lover, you made him one of the Fair Folk. When fairies were daintified and prettified -- in part to avoid the charges they were demons and you were glamorizing them -- that left a gap.
Fair point, though I think demon is pretty extreme as they were dangerous but not necessarily evil like demons are. I’d say fairies were more like the Nymphs of the Ancient Classical world in some ways.
Tell that to King James.
That the Fair Folk were demons was a view that rose with the Renaissance. There was certainly a woman burned as a witch for consorting with the Queen of Fairy.
(C.S. Lewis discusses this change in *The Discarded Image*.
Fair enough I’ll check out his essay, as who am I to question the good professor. Thanks for pointing me to it.
This is a good writeup. I wonder if you're familiar with the works of Dr. E. Michael Jones on horror. He had talk about the "Sex with Monsters" trope: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37MOX-z94pI
In the video I linked, he talks about the 'Creature from Black Lagoon' instead but it lines up pretty well with what you're saying about Dracula/vampires.
I’ve never heard of him, damn I gotta check his work out thanks for recommending him to me!
You're welcome :)
Make Vampires Despicable Monsters Again!
Agreed!
This is possibly the greatest essay i've read this year. I won't lie, i saw myself in your description of the Vampire and it haunted me. What a chilling read.
It seems it will be a good Haloween Season.
Oh I didn’t mean to chill you buddy, but if it made you think and you loved it that much then thanks so very much. Your praise means a lot! Truly it does.
And yeah let’s hope it’ll be a great Halloween Season!
Ooh I feel a response essay coming on, lol. Funny how I was literally in the middle of my own vampire story when I came across this (judging by your opinions here I don’t think you’d care for it 🤣).
Actually, vampires have been somewhat of an obsession of mine for a long time (long before Twilight).
Really great article, as usual.
Hahahaha thanks, and response essay away! Dan’s writing a vampire story of his own, and I’m loosely editing it.
But I’m writing these Vampire & Dracula commentaries. Maybe down the road I’ll compile them and that’ll be my vampire book ;).
But good luck with yours by all means write a response, and also write as much as possible of your own story.
I wonder if the vampire lust for young women is, because they’re immortal, a constant repeat of their human lives, a life that replicates itself forever. They can never have a deep love because they’ll always be the ones to say goodbye in the end.
Amazing essay.
Hmmm fascinating notion, the continuous repetition of prior lives lived, is an interesting notion. I would say that likely does play a role, which begs the question how does their memory work? Do they have eidetic one? Or is it that they remember clearly enough but that it plays tricks on them like it does us, mortals and leads them to perceive of themselves in a way that is younger, and therefore they repeat earlier patterns of behaviour?
I would say yes certainly, there is the possibility. It seems their eternal youth is different from that of Tolkien’s Elves for example. The Elves aged in spirit, and therefore grew tired. Whereas Vampires remain young in spirit but ever so impetuous and unstable like teenagers or something.
Thoughts?
The Elves strove for excellence and as you say, spiritual growth. The base hunger of the vampires keeps them from ever evolving to that level. Also moving only under the cover of darkness.
You bring up so many interesting point I never before considered.
Don’t know if you’d be interested but there’s a remake of King’s ‘Salem’s Lot coming soon to Max.
Very good point on their remaining spiritually stagnant, it is the ultimate tragedy of the Vampires.
And you’re quite welcome, I’m glad to have made you think.
I honestly didn’t, I’ll have to see it, thanks for letting me know!