The Figure of the Vampyre: From Folklore to Modern Day

Location

Old Dominion University, Learning Commons at Perry Library, Room 1306

Start Date

4-8-2017 2:10 PM

End Date

4-8-2017 2:30 PM

Description

Throughout history, the myth of the vampyre has always captured the attention and imagination of humans worldwide. Vampyres pervade our fears; they exemplify superhuman and metahuman origins, knowledge, and abilities; they appeal to our secret desires; yet, in some versions, they look just like us. The fascination lies in our craving of the power, beauty, and immortality they possess; indeed, we all share dark impulses to be something more than what we are. Overtime, the image of the vampyre has gone through three distinct phases: the monster, the horror, and the romantic. Examining John Polidori’s “The Vampyre” (1819), Bram Stoker’s “Dracula,” (1897) various lore from around the world, and pop culture’s current opinion of the vampyre, I plan to analyze the characteristics of the vampyre from each era and compare them from one another while also analyzing how humans’ opinions of the vampyre have changed.

Presentation Type

Presentation

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Apr 8th, 2:10 PM Apr 8th, 2:30 PM

The Figure of the Vampyre: From Folklore to Modern Day

Old Dominion University, Learning Commons at Perry Library, Room 1306

Throughout history, the myth of the vampyre has always captured the attention and imagination of humans worldwide. Vampyres pervade our fears; they exemplify superhuman and metahuman origins, knowledge, and abilities; they appeal to our secret desires; yet, in some versions, they look just like us. The fascination lies in our craving of the power, beauty, and immortality they possess; indeed, we all share dark impulses to be something more than what we are. Overtime, the image of the vampyre has gone through three distinct phases: the monster, the horror, and the romantic. Examining John Polidori’s “The Vampyre” (1819), Bram Stoker’s “Dracula,” (1897) various lore from around the world, and pop culture’s current opinion of the vampyre, I plan to analyze the characteristics of the vampyre from each era and compare them from one another while also analyzing how humans’ opinions of the vampyre have changed.