The Necrophilic Craze: Sexy Vampires in Victorian Literature
Location
Sydnor Performance Hall
Access Type
Campus Access Only
Start Date
4-17-2024 4:00 PM
End Date
4-17-2024 4:15 PM
College
Lynchburg College of Arts and Sciences
Department
English
Keywords
victorian era, literature, vampires
Abstract
This presentation tracks the development of the concept of the vampire, from a horrifying, ugly creature to the sexy, romantic figure of the modern era. The sexualization of the vampire began with John Poldori's The Vampyre (1819), which featured a vampire as a romantic, charismatic antagonist to a feminized main protagonist. This same trend follows other significant literature of the century, such as Sheridan Le Fanu's Carmilla (1872) and Bram Stoker's Dracula (1897). This presentation examines the role of sex or romantic attraction in these pieces of literature, as well as how they reflect on Victorian culture. Finally, this presentation will elaborate on how Victorian attitudes surrounding death and dying led to the handsome, sexy vampires of the modern day.
Faculty Mentor(s)
Dr. Aubrey Plourde
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The Necrophilic Craze: Sexy Vampires in Victorian Literature
Sydnor Performance Hall
This presentation tracks the development of the concept of the vampire, from a horrifying, ugly creature to the sexy, romantic figure of the modern era. The sexualization of the vampire began with John Poldori's The Vampyre (1819), which featured a vampire as a romantic, charismatic antagonist to a feminized main protagonist. This same trend follows other significant literature of the century, such as Sheridan Le Fanu's Carmilla (1872) and Bram Stoker's Dracula (1897). This presentation examines the role of sex or romantic attraction in these pieces of literature, as well as how they reflect on Victorian culture. Finally, this presentation will elaborate on how Victorian attitudes surrounding death and dying led to the handsome, sexy vampires of the modern day.