Vampire Paper Draft 4
A Case Analysis of Vampires’ Statuses in Popular Culture:
Dracula and Blood of the Vampire
By Jillian Broaddus
Professor Hassan
Spring 2014 Independent Study
From containing possible allusions in the bible to serving as the protagonists of a multi-million dollar franchise in the twenty-first century, one character has transcended time and space across literature, media, and popular culture: that of the vampire. The notion of vampirism truly took ground during the expansion of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the eighteenth century, when ignorance about the science of decomposition led pioneers digging up corpses to blame their observations on evidence of such mysterious creatures. Then, Slavic culture utilized the concept as a form of social control, threatening stakes in the heart to unruly citizens1. Fascination with the blood-thirsty phenomenon reached an all-time high with the debut of Bram Stoker’s novel, Dracula, in 1897. Since its debut, there have reportedly been over 400 cinematic recapitulations and variations of the basic Dracula theme2. However, another vampire-themed Victorian novel debuted in the same year and was overshadowed by the Count, both then and now. Florence Marryat’s Blood of the Vampire features a female protagonist, Harriet Brandt, who differs in behavior, appearance, and personality from Stoker’s infamous character. As one analyst notes, “Marryat’s novel has received scant attention in the criticism of vampire literature.3” Although the novels share many overarching plotline similarities, the distinctions between Stoker’ and Marrat’s characters, backgrounds, symbolisms, and styles expose an assortment of rationales as to their differing esteem and lasting legacies.
In order to adequately analyze the themes, resemblances, and differences between the two texts, it is initially vital to delve into the background of the Victorian Era. Covering the latter half of the nineteenth century, the time period was characterized by changes
Dracula and Blood of the Vampire
By Jillian Broaddus
Professor Hassan
Spring 2014 Independent Study
From containing possible allusions in the bible to serving as the protagonists of a multi-million dollar franchise in the twenty-first century, one character has transcended time and space across literature, media, and popular culture: that of the vampire. The notion of vampirism truly took ground during the expansion of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the eighteenth century, when ignorance about the science of decomposition led pioneers digging up corpses to blame their observations on evidence of such mysterious creatures. Then, Slavic culture utilized the concept as a form of social control, threatening stakes in the heart to unruly citizens1. Fascination with the blood-thirsty phenomenon reached an all-time high with the debut of Bram Stoker’s novel, Dracula, in 1897. Since its debut, there have reportedly been over 400 cinematic recapitulations and variations of the basic Dracula theme2. However, another vampire-themed Victorian novel debuted in the same year and was overshadowed by the Count, both then and now. Florence Marryat’s Blood of the Vampire features a female protagonist, Harriet Brandt, who differs in behavior, appearance, and personality from Stoker’s infamous character. As one analyst notes, “Marryat’s novel has received scant attention in the criticism of vampire literature.3” Although the novels share many overarching plotline similarities, the distinctions between Stoker’ and Marrat’s characters, backgrounds, symbolisms, and styles expose an assortment of rationales as to their differing esteem and lasting legacies.
In order to adequately analyze the themes, resemblances, and differences between the two texts, it is initially vital to delve into the background of the Victorian Era. Covering the latter half of the nineteenth century, the time period was characterized by changes