Vampires

The Vampire in Literature


Numerous vampire stories were written prior to the popularization of the vampire myth in pop culture.

The Vampyre; a Tale by John Polidori (1819)
A short story that exploited the gothic horror predilections of the public of the period. It was originally mis-published under the authorship of Lord Byron (Polidori was Lord Byron's personal physician). The tale accounts the exploits of Lord Ruthven, a British nobleman and vampire. Lord Ruthven bore more than a passing resemblance to Lord Byron and became a highly influential model for the Byronic vampires of literature.
Varney The Vampire by James Malcolm Rymer (1845-47)
A Victorian-era gothic horror story which first appeared in a series of pamphlets between 1845 and 1847. Inexpensive and gruesome, the collective work was published in book form in 1847. The tale runs 868 pages and is divided into 220 chapters. The story revolves around the persecution of the Bannerworth family by Sir Francis Varney, a vampire who in the early chapters enters the bedroom of the daughter of the house (Flora) and sucks her blood.
Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu (1872)
A compelling gothic novel of a lesbian vampire, set in darkest central Europe. It tells the story of a young woman's susceptibility to the attentions of a female vampire named Carmilla. The story was to greatly influence Bram Stoker in the writing of Dracula. It also served as the basis for several films, including Hammer's The Vampire Lovers (1970), Roger Vadim's Blood and Roses (1960), and Danish director Carl Theodor Dreyer's Vampyr (1932).
Dracula by Bram Stoker (1897)

         The most well known vampire story, the novel is mainly composed of journal entries, letters, and           newspaper clippings. It has been suggested that the story was based on Vlad Tepes, a medieval figure of extraordinary bloodthirst. History records that Vlad Tepes impaled his enemies and cut off their heads. He ruled Walachia as Vlad III during the 15th century (modern day Romania) and signed his letters as Vlad         Dracula. Dracula translates into "son of the devil".