Grand Valley Review
Volume 5 | Issue 2
Article 18
1-1-1990
The Enduring Appeal of Vampires
Michael Rydman
Grand Valley State University
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Recommended Citation
Rydman, Michael (1989) "The Enduring Appeal of Vampires," Grand Valley Review: Vol. 5: Iss. 2, Article 18.
Available at: http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/gvr/vol5/iss2/18
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The Enduring Appeal of Vampires
4) the lure of the o<
areas without direc
counterpoise.
MICI IAEL RYDMAN
Moving with cat-like grace he steps from a moonlit alley into a flood of neon
lights. Only his piercing eyes might set him apart from the others on the street.
I laving traded in his flowing cape for a steel-gray London Fog suburban coat, he
prowls the modern streets with self-assurance.
No creature of the night seems to excite the western imagination quite like the
vampire. While others like Frankenstein and the Mummy have lost their luster over
the years, vampires abound in books and films. In the local video store the horror
shelves are stocked with films like The Lost Bo)'S, and posters proclaim the release of
Fright Night II With the original Dracula to Interview with a Vampire at the local
bookstore, vampires appear to be more than a passing fad The key to this appeal is
complex. An examination of our fascination with vampires leads inexorably into the
shadowy conflicts and tensions so much a part of our human condition.
I do not intend to delve deeply into the origins of the vampire here; suffice to say
that they are very old, possibly prevalent long before their appearance i"n Slavic
folklore of the early Middle Ages (Wuttke 149). These legends saw vampires as
m~l~ficent spri~es-amorphous spirits with evil intentions. Since these dangerous
spmts were believed to be afraid of fire, the wary shepherd took care to keep a fire
burning nearby just in case.
While the legend itself undoubtedly caught the imagination of people from early
tim~s, it was not until Bram Stoker wrote Dracula that the vampire captured a larger
aud1ence. Dracula as a concrete personality gave focus to the ancient legend. Unlike
the earlier nameless sprites, Dracula could be seen, heard, feared, and even admired
-especially by those readers who were unfettered by moral misgivings. Many
aspects of Dracula excited the imaginative reader. He was suave, handsome, and cultured. He had old world charm, wealth, and undeniable sex appeal. In fact, he
might have been the sort of date you could bring home to meet the folks if not for
~is tra~ic flaw. Overall, there had never before been a character with so many strikmg tra1ts; the sheer force of his personality filled the pages of Bram Stoker's short
novel
In part, it was this fascinating combination of contrasting traits that piqued the
reader's interest Yet there is far more behind the appeal of the vampire than merely
Drac~la's engaging personality. The salient reason that vampires hold a lasting appeal Is that th~y allow readers to circumvent four primary psychological tensions.
I11ese center 111 four areas: 1) sexuality, 2) mortality, 3) the battle of Christianity, and
44.
1hc primary tens
that Dracula's ladies
bent over him untill
der the sweetness w
and moral aversio11
desire and culturaU)
often outwardly disc
'Ihe first practice
the earliest treatme1
portant role in the s
vampire's need for 1
sexuality representc
tween human being
sexuality involves i
probably apparent~
Levi-Strauss that rna
and eating (Stevens<
Our western cui
directly contrast witJ
A second major t
natural order prese
cycle of life and dea
- unless of course d
Few desires are
reader a glimpse oft
tions in perfect healt
as Mozart conducte<
Franklin or stories VI
generations from n1
creates its own wod
and d1e fantasy has <1
s
'into a flood of neon
~ others on the street.
~og suburban coat, he
~ination
quite like the
e lost their luster over
!ideo store the horror
>roclaim the release of
l Vampire at the local
1e key to this appeal is
1ds inexorably into the
ondition.
•ire here; suffice to say
appearance i'n Slavic
:nds saw vampires as
ince these dangerous
>Ok care to keep a fire
1 of people from early
1pire captured a larger
mcient legend. Unlike
·ed, and even admired
rat misgivings. Many
te, handsome, and cutex appeal. In fact, he
eet the folks if nor for
er with so many strik)f nram Stoker's short
traits that piqued the
than merely
•ires hold a lasting ap;ychological tensions.
tie of Christianity, and
~vampire
4) the lure of the occult. Readers can indulge their unconscious desires in these
areas without directly challenging the moral precepts that hold these desires in
counterpoise.
·
~-ualit}
'Jhc primary tension is between sexual license and sexual repression. We can see
that Dracula's ladies were pretty sexy for their time. "lbe fair woman came close and
bent over him until he could feel her breath upon him. In a way, it vvas sweet, but under the sweetness was the bitter smell of blood" (Stoker). Here the sexual attraction
and moral aversion serve as a metaphor for the psychological tension between
desire and culturally nurtured inhibitions. Further, three sexual practices which are
often outwardly discouraged in our western culture are hinted al
'Ihe first practice involves the bisex-ual impulse exhibited by vampires. Even from
the earliest treatments of the vampire in literature this tendency has played an important role in the sexual nature of the undead A second practice stems from the
vampire's need for excessive exogamy. Since the vampire's partner is human, the
sexuality represented here is more than interracial It is a sexual relationship between human being and spiritual creature of the nighl The final practice of vampire
sexuality involves its oral nature. This connection to human sexual practice is
probably apparent here without further comment We might recall the discovery of
Levi-Strauss that many primitive cultures use the same word for sexual intercourse
and eating (Stevenson 142).
Our western culture's xenophobic tendency, and its overall sexual inhibition
directly contrast with the sexual liberty represented in the world of the vampire.
Mortality
A second major tension exists between the perceived natural order and the unnatural order presented by the undead TI1e natural order is represented by the
cycle of life and death. Vampires live in a shadowy world that transcends this cycle
-unless of course they become careless and are destroyed by their antagonists.
Few desires are as enduring as the wish for immortality. Vampires offer the
reader a glimpse of this god-like attribute. Imagine living through countless generations in perfect health. You might have known Wellington personally, or sat in court
as Mozart conducted his divertimenti. You might have traded letters with Benjamin
Franklin or stories with Gertrude Stein. You could plan to experience events twenty
generations from now. While these thoughts contradict the natural world, fiction
creates its own world with its own rules. We find in vampires a sense of immortality,
and the fantasy has a deep appeal for many.
. 45
The Battle of Christianity
Of course the dominant tension between the natural and unnatural order for our
western culture is represented by the struggle of Christianity against the powers of
darkness. Vampire legends stand in direct opposition to Christianity but build on
Christian symbolism. Not since the time of Milton's Satan has a creature of darkness
come to life with the force and vitality of Dracula, and the vampires that followed
continue in his tradition.
In the apocryphal battle that inevitably follows, the Christian forces, representing
the natural order, have a number of weapons in their arsenal. They have the cross,
which works both as talisman and as stake to sanctify the earth into which it is
driven; even the earthen body of vampires can be reduced to lifeless dust by using
the stake in this second manner. Additionally, they have the power of the sun and its
light to defeat the undead This light can be seen as the light of Christianity that can
banish any hint of darkness through its illumination. The Christian forces also have
holy water in addition to their faith to combat these creatures of the night (Garlic is
one of the few banes to vampires not directly traceable to Christian tradition.)
In counterpoise, the forces of the unnatural have the cover of night and darkness.
In opposition to the Christian tradition, they make human blood their own inverted
Eucharist Also contrasting to the Christian tradition, the power of transubstantiation
lies within the vampire's inner nature rather than in the blood itself. Vampires also
have the ability to change forms at will, and they have physical strength to match the
spiritual strength of the devout As a representative of evil the vampire is a serious
challenge to the heroes -so serious that the reader is never quite certain until the
end who will come out on top. The archetypal battle between the forces of light and
darkness exerts a strong fascination on many readers.
The Lure of the Occult
Finally, the vampire story presents the psychological tension between the rational
mind and the irrational: between senseless metaphysical beliefs on the one hand,
and the rational brain activities of science, logic, and reason on the other.
111ere is power in science. It was changing the face of our world when llram
Stoker wrote Dracula, and the rate of change has grown steadily since then. It is
natural to feel some uneasiness about this power and the changes it has wrought, as
well as to romanticize the past. Even many non-romantics see our modern world,
where science is wedded to and controlled in part by our irrational impulses, as a
questionable bargain. Vampires play on these misgivings. Vampires represent the
power of the supernatural over the forces of science. They stand for the power of
the occult over our more rational impulses. As we project our inner psychologies
onto t11e outer world, the vampire becomes the enemy, representing all those negative qualities we cannot face up to in ourselves. They are our own archetypal
46·
shadows.
llecause this pa
its power. To get
time when you w~
and shallowness 4
afraid to look bet
intense at those J
vampire.
It's the intensit
away the smell ol
spills out into th1
changes in an ins1
with all of the tin
and she expertly~
the world of intri1
the formula novel
A modern tren
their own stories.
that has aided in t
symbolism regar
Christian weapon
often ineffectual
modern reader tc
tian tradition. Th1
Anne Rice - are ~
writer, her subjccl
of her novels of tt
While identifi<
contemporaneity
pi res helps to dra
how different fro
vampire has died
stories also offer r
sibly such storie:
siderable benefit
A more certain
A vampire in a se1
readers feel a sim
has become a van
unnatural order for our
y against the powers of
hristianity but build on
s a creature of darkness
V"ampires that followed
ian forces, representing
1l. They have the cross,
~ earth into which it is
to lifeless dust by using
X>wer of the sun and its
. of Christianity that can
tristian forces also have
s of the night (Garlic is
ristian tradition.)
r of night and darkness.
ood their own inverted
rer of transubstantiation
Jd itself. Vampires also
al strength to match the
the vampire is a serious
r quite certain until the
n the forces of light and
on between the rational
eliefs on the one hand,
m the other.
our world when llram
teadily since then. It is
1nges it has wrought, as
see our modern world,
rrational impulses, as a
Vampires represent the
stand for the power of
our inner psychologies
esenting all those nega·e our own archetypal
shadows.
llecause this pattern is such a common theme in horror, it is easy to underestimate
its power. To get some sense of its ability to engulf the imagination, try to recall a
time when you were afraid of the irrational. Perhaps you can recall the tense muscles
and shallowness of breath during an especially vivid ghost story --· when you were
afraid to look behind you, and even moderate sounds made you jump. Life seemed
intense at those moments. Some of that intensity is captured in the world of the
vampire.
It's the intensity of cool autumn nights in Paris when the air is too calm to chase
away the smell of tobacco from the entrance to the nightspots, and the soft music
spills out into the streets. A bat descends from above the gas lamp, alights, and
changes in an instant She senses the atmosphere inside and makes her way calmly
with all of the time in the world. As she steps inside, she puts on her dark glasses,
and she expertly scans the customers with a polished, unrevealing half-smile. ll1is is
the world of intrigue and mystery. It is horror's answer to the spy novel But, unlike
the formula noveL the literature of vampires is evolving.
Vampires Today
A modern trend in the world of vampires is the novel where the undead narrate
their own stories. Few other evil creatures achieve this sort of following. One factor
that has aided in this transformation is the erosion of much of the previous Christian
symbolism regarding the vampire. While the modern vampire is still evil, those
Christian weapons which proved the vampire's undoing in previous novels are now
often ineffectual This ignorance of the traditional weapons also makes it easier for a
modern reader to identify with the vampire without directly challenging the Christian tradition. The life stories of modern day vampires- judging from book sales of
Anne Rice- are currently pretty popular. Although she is a more than competent
writer, her subject matter at least as much as her narrative gift has increased the sale
of her novels of the undead
While identification with characters like Dracula has always had an appeal, this
contemporaneity is a new twist on the old legend. Certainly the elegance of vampires helps to draw the reader into their world. lllose who feel as if they are somehow different from others might also find a kindred spirit in the undead Since the
vampire has died and in Pater's words ~learned the secrets of the grave," vampire
stories also offer readers an opportunity to confront their own fear of the dead. Possibly such stories help readers come to terms with their own mortality, a considerable benefit
A more certain lure into the vampire's weltanschauung lies in the power of guilt.
A vampire in a sense bleeds those around him for his own sins. Undoubtedly, many
readers feel a similar guilt: the guilt of a mortal who through weakness of character
has become a vampire. Having to prey on other humans to survive would add to this
..p
weight. Guilt is such a common part of being human that it is little wonder that
some readers seem inextricably drawn into this fictional world.
Despite the deep appeal of this myth, I suspect that many people will continue to
view vampires as merely a convenient device to cover up obvious holes in a plot like putting plywood over a hole in the floorboard to hold your feet inside. The
analysis of these enduring appeals, however, suggests that vampires, rather than a
bane to serious literature, are in many ways a striking creation of the human imaginative faculty. The source of their appeal is difficult to see but like the vampire in
the mirror (Stevenson 147), it is there nonetheless. Vampires enable us to indulge
our deepest fears and desires without directly challenging the moral values against
which they are balanced.
No creature of the night seems to excite the imagination in quite the same way.
Works Cited
Stevenson,). A "A Vampire in the Mirror: 1he Sexuality of Dracula" PMLA 103
(19R8): 139-49.
Wultke, A DerdcuL<>dJe Volksaberglaube. Berlin,1869.
48·
Unholy RaJ
Interview1
KA11-ILEEN M BU
Readers of Anne
Queen of the Damn
upends traditional r
perverse version of
corporate essential'
tion through the blc
lowed places, inhabi
they form philosopt
mandments in parti'
in a form of ecstatic.
of God: mysticism
Indeed, as I will a1
in essence the "myst
than holy appetites
Vampire, it become:
tices, language, and
piric Way."1
At this point a c
Grabois, "111e term i
sonal religious expe
different degrees of
permanent union w
among ascetic mon
Franciscans in the l
conceived of as an "i
religious the experic
somehow elected, c
pointed out, despite
Christ in redeemin~
life" (Knowles 6), it
tures, there is a diver
love are given ... the
and the power to lo