A CULTURAL/ HUMANE PERSPECTIVE OF THE VAMPIRE

Nada Rajan

Asst. Professor

Dept. of English

M.S.M.College

Kayamkulam

Vampires are mythological beings who feed on the life essence of living creatures. These

entities have been recorded in many cultures, even back to the prehistoric times. The term

was not popularized until the early 18th century, after an influx of vampire superstition into

Western Europe from areas where vampire legends were frequent, such as the Balkans and

Eastern Europe. However, it is Bram Stoker's 1897 novel Dracula that is remembered as the

quintessential vampire novel and which provided the basis of modern vampire fiction. The

success of this book spawned a distinctive vampire genre, still popular in the 21st century,

with books, films, video games, and television shows. The vampire is an ever dominant

figure in the horror and supernatural genres.

The depiction of vampires in popular culture is strongly based upon their depiction in films

throughout the years. The most popular cinematic adaptation of vampire fiction is of course,

Bram Stokers Dracula with over 170 versions to date. Though the term is often associated

with the horror genre, vampire film also fall under the category of drama, action, fantasy,

romance and even comedy.

The huge popularity of vampires which we experience through the current vampire boom has

in fact provided various interpretations of the vampires cultural role and even their
popularity. Ever since the dawn of mankind, the vampire has existed as an icon of fear or

horror. They feature in the primal mythology of every culture. The transition of the vampire

from being a monster to a hero/ lover is a recent one. It is indeed a change in perspective of

the humane itself. An icon of fear and loathing being transformed into one of interest and

desire, which means, it leaves us with only one true monster left and that is the HUMAN.

The cultural transition of the icon of the vampire as a figure of fear and loathing to one of

lust and passion began in the middle of the 20th century with the advent of handsome or

beautiful vampires in film. During the early 20th century vampires were portrayed as rat-like

fiends, lacking in humanity, only interested in killing. The literary vampire began to evolve

because of the vampires resemblance to humans in film and the idea that a vampire might

appear attractive to his prey.

The traditional vampires were thought to be red-faced, furry of foot, blood-thirsty. Now they

are impossibly pale with perfectly sculpted faces, a perfect fit to be a piece of admiration and

yearning. The vampires have indeed undergone a drastic make-over from being an epitome of

evil to the most desired being.

For centuries, vampires and werewolves, witches and shape shifters incarnated horror and

mortal danger for humans. In vampire classics, even if some of the vampires look beautiful

and seductive at the first glance, later on they revealed their true nature by transforming into

horrifying monsters. The vampires beauty was used by the writers and producers to sharpen

the contrast between their appearance and their evil powers. Human victory over vampires,

human heroism, will and integrity in fighting against them was celebrated by authors and

their readers.

The main role of a non-human monster is to deny the importance of humans as an aesthetic

ideal and to express deep disenchantment with the human race. This shift from men and
women, formerly the heroes of literature and visual arts, to non-humans, makes the figure of

the monster and especially that of the vampire, the most popular among nonhumans.

One characteristic that immediately distinguishes the new vampire from the old classic one is

its tendency to be communal, social than being solitary like Dracula. Though Dracula too had

a family, those wicked ladies were truly Victorian, remaining at home, while the master went

out to fight against the virtuous. The new vampire on the other hand leads a social life, they

are presented as multiple, living with and even being related to other vampires. (They even

attend schools and colleges).

Bram Stokers Dracula doesnt reveal his beginnings before us. We just knew he is of the

Szekely race and of noble descent. The curiosity of the reader is heightened because of

Draculas mysterious origin and it makes him all the more dangerous. In Twilight, Carlisles

origins are revealed before us. In the classics, what awaited us, was a creature who would

scare us, but now a days, we are even ready to sympathize with a vampire because of his

morally good intentions ( as the Cullens never feed themselves of human blood, the humans

are free to sympathize with their morale).

Carlisle Cullen could be called the modern Dracula. The image of the evil, murderous,

blood thirsty creature of the night has been replaced with the handsome, perfect, almost

human hero who is constantly fighting the forces of evil, both internal and external. He leads

the professional life of a doctor, a savior of souls, which, is in a way amusing. Though

Stokers Dracula will forever be remembered as the creature that started the vampire craze,

the vampire image has drastically changed based on what society desires. The image has

changed to a kinder, gentler vampire because people in general are fascinated with the idea of

dazzling beauty and impenetrable immortality, both qualities that Dracula lacks. This image,

however appealing, will eventually change yet again because societys wants will always
change. Because the vampire is continually changing, it never ceases to amaze people at how

much it differs from the original Dracula.

Dracula is the embodiment of evil; he is the Anti-Christ. The new vampire does not seem to

possess this Anti-Christ dimension. His evil acts are simply the result of his present

condition. As a result, the vampires absolute evil nature as presented in the Dracula is

compromised with the advent of these so called modern vampires.

Edward Cullen from the Twilight series is certainly the most popular and striking example of

the loss of Gothic horror in the 21st century. In Twilight, the relation between the human and

the vampire is portrayed as quite a normal one, with the extent that the human is even ready

to give up her existence to be a part of his life, to be as perfect as him. In the vampire

classics, the relationship between the human and the vampires were treated as illicit and

aberrant crimes.

And so the lion fell in love with the lamb" he murmured. I looked away, hiding my eyes

as I thrilled to the word.

"What a stupid lamb," I sighed.

"What a sick, masochistic lion.

Stephenie Meyer, Twilight.

Besides, in the vampire classics the stories were not told by a vampire in the first person. The

role of these monsters were functional, secondary --- i.e., to be a source of fear or horror. The

sentiments of the humans were the point of attention of the writers from the 18 th to the

beginning of the 19th century when a new trend of aesthetic values seemed to invade through

and resulted in this shift from the human to the non-human admiration. Unlike their literary

predecessors, contemporary non-humans eliminate humans from the text to become the

dominant figures of the plot by whom and for whose sake the story is narrated.
In almost all the vampire saga, vampires are presented as gorgeously beautiful and irresistible

because of their elegance and refined taste. They seem to possess all kind of magical powers

that we, ordinary humans can only dream about --- flying, reading the mind, foreseeing the

future, etc. Every comparison made with the human counterpart is only to bring out the

ugliness and clumsiness of the human. The example of Bella Swan from the novel Twilight is

very telling. The quality which attracts her beloved vampire and makes her irresistible for

him: it is the smell of her blood.

About three things I was absolutely positive. First, Edward was a vampire. Second, there

was a part of him-and I didnt know how potent that part might be-that thirsted for my blood.

And third, I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him.

Stephenie Meyer, Twilight

She doesnt see him as threat to her existence; in fact, she wants to give up her soul so that

she can be as perfect and ageless like the monster. You are so perfect, she keeps repeating

when they are together, and it actually puts forward a sort of identity crisis. Who is the

exceptional being? The human identity as well as exceptionality seems to be at stake. As

opposed to humans, vampires represent an undeniably compelling aesthetic ideal.

Since first coming out of the coffin in 1922, movie vampires have done plenty of changing ---

and not just into bats. From the horrible monster of Nosferatu to Twilights undead heart

throb Edward Cullen, the transformation has been from the disgusting to the alluring. Count

Orlock from Nosferatu is a monster with pointed ears, long claws and a sinister gaze. He

sleeps in a filthy coffin and devotes himself with spreading death and diseases.Bela Lugosis

iconic portrayal as Dracula had people fainting in their seats. Brad Pitts Louis (Interview

with the Vampire, 1994) can be seen as the fore runner of the decent vampire portrayal

syndrome. He presents some one at odds with what he has become and trying desperately to

his humanity and decency. There are other movies too like Blade, where we have Wesley
Snipes as a half-human, and half-monster trying to protect the humans. Then there is Edward

Cullen, a hopelessly romantic monster, waiting centuries for his true love.

Before you, Bella, my life was like a moonless night. Very dark, but there were stars, points

of light and reason. ...And then you shot across my sky like a meteor. Suddenly everything

was on fire; there was brilliancy, there was beauty.

Stephenie Meyer, New Moon

After Twilight, whether there is a yearning to go back to the classic old days of monstrous

ferocity does not seem an easy question.

Even the concept of Death has undergone a drastic change. Death is now a golden chance to

change oneself into a vampire, which now means achieving aesthetic perfection and

immortality. Unlike in vampire classics, where, turning into a vampire, or, the living dead

actually meant becoming a monster and a threat to the dear ones, things have changed to

exclamations like, I would give up everything to become a vampire!

The vampire, being a cult of death, on the other hand, is a perfect hero in nightmares which

rule the genres in fiction, films and computer games as well. Plunging into the feeling of a

nightmare has become an important cultural demand and the mistrust of anything real and the

contempt for anything human create an atmosphere highly suitable for the promotion of the

nightmare or Gothic aesthetics as a new popular genre.

REFERENCES.

Stoker,Bram. Dracula. Archibald Constable and Company: UK, 1897. Print.

Meyer, Stephenie. Twilight. Little Brown and Company : US, 2005. Print.

Twilight. Dir.Catherine Hardwicke. 2008.Film.

Dracula. Dir. Tod Browning.1931.Film.