In difficult and dangerous times, people often
turn to monster tales for comfort, especially stories of immortal supernatural monsters
and madmen, like vampires. Yet, while mad, monstrous, and immortal,
literary vampires including Dracula, Carmilla, Lestat, The Blood Countess, still
have human emotions and very human agendas. The creatures’ mystery and unattainability
make them even more attractive. Vampire heroes are the “bad boys” of fiction,
often waiting to find the one thing many have not found in their long lives,
eternal love. Vampire women are femme fatales, “mad, bad, and dangerous to
know.” (Krentz) Vampires are also the ultimate scribes and historians. Because
they live nearly forever, they are eyewitnesses to history who record it as no
one else. This paper explores
how vampire culture intersects with contemporary culture portrayed in novels by
Rice, Stoker, Le Fanu, and others, so that humans appear monstrous and monsters
appear human.
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