Vampires

579 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Vampires in folklore vs in literature

Vampires

Fangs, dead, blood, and bats. Those are some things that come to peoples minds when they think about vampires. In Webster’s International Dictionary vampires are defined as “a bloodsucking ghost or reanimated body of a dead person, believed to come from the grave and wander about by night sucking the blood of persons asleep…” Whatever people think of vampires, they are not really what they are believed to be.

There is much controversy about the vampire creation myth. The Myth of Lilith is one such myth. Lilith is said to be the first woman made for Adam, but when he would not treat her as an equal and only wanted to dominate her she left him. Therefore god had to make Eve for Adam. When Lilith went to the Red Sea she made a deal with the angels who had been sent to fetch her back for Adam. She was allowed to stay on her own, as a witch, a mother of all demons and allowed to kill infants up until their naming day. Only if they had a charm with the names of the angels she would not kill them. It is said this story explains SIDS—Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. She killed human children in retaliation for her demon children who were killed in the wars between good and evil.

The Myth of Cain is another Myth of the Vampire Creation. Cain was the first born of Adam and Eve. He was banished for killing his brother because of jealousy. It is said Cain wandered until he found Lilith and she took him in and showed him the power of blood. “From Cain and Lilith...

Show More
Related

  • Comparing The Lost Boys, Dracula and Peter-Pan

    3005 Words  | 7 Pages

    Just some of The vampire’s numerous powers are: He can turn humans into the Undead, he is virtually immortal, he has the ability to grow younger by drinking blood, he casts no shadow, he casts no reflection, he has the ability to crawl along walls, he has the ability to control animals, he can control the weather and he also has the power to transform his own shape. Here we can see these powers.

    Read More

  • Saulot and Vampires

    679 Words  | 2 Pages

    Having come across others like himself, Saul had taken upon himself a new duty for his “kin”, so he Embraced a clan of healers, the Lot of Saul (Saulot). These vampires were unique among the kindred for their compassion — they were healers of kindred and kine alike.

    Read More

  • Mosters Misunderstood: How Fear Creates the Moster Archetype in Myhology

    2119 Words  | 5 Pages

    One of the most interesting and misunderstood cultures is that of the Eastern Europeans and, most notably, the myths of the vampires. Vampire myth has its greatest hold among the West Slavs and the South Slavs (Willis 2006). The vampire was created for different reasons, but the main two were to “curse” those who were evil and to explain the natural decomposition of the body. Those who are worst affected were also the most misunderstood: werewolves, sorcerers, witches, sinners, and the godless. In certain places, like Bulgaria, murderers, robbers, prostitutes and others who were socially undesirable (ibid). Vampires were thought to roam the earth at night, biting victims and sucking out their souls, eventually leading the individual to wither and die. They were also connected to many untimely deaths of family mothers, with one belief that vampires could even kill family members by chewing on their burial garments (Barber...

    Read More

  • Dracula

    808 Words  | 2 Pages

    Throughout many types of literature, violence exists to enhance the readers interest in order to add a sense of excitement or conflict to a novel. This statement withholds much truthfulness due to the fact that without violence in a piece of literature such as Dracula by Bram Stoker, the plot would not have the same impact if it was lacking violence. Dracula's power and evilness led to the violent happenings which began with the conflict of Jonathan's inner struggle, as compared to the conflict which blossomed later on with good versus evil.

    Read More

  • Dracula

    1700 Words  | 4 Pages

    The version that I focused on for the sake of this essay was the book. I did watch eleven of the thirty-three Dracula movies that I own, so some references will be made to the movies. The book is told from the perspective of Jonathan Harker’s journal, with some letters to and from his girlfriend Mina. The purpose of his visit with Count Dracula is that Harker is selling a building to Dracula. Carfax Abby was in England where Dracula wanted to move. Harker went to Transylvania to assist Count Dracula in his move to England.

    Read More

  • Dracula

    904 Words  | 2 Pages

    In one of William Shakespeare’s most renowned and celebrated plays, the story of a General named Othello unravels in tragic form as he falls victim to the lies created by Iago. Once revered as a war hero and wed to the beautiful Desdemona, Othello’s life spirals downward with the untimely death of his beloved in his own hands, ultimately ending with his own demise. Love is the force behind this tragedy. Tragedy is the main driving force that brings happiness and tragedy to the characters within the play. But even as such a prominent force, it lacks clear definition. Love has a different meaning to the characters in the play. Characters like Othello, Desdemona, and Iago all have different perspectives on love, which informs their behavior in different ways.

    Read More

  • Dracula

    554 Words  | 2 Pages

    Contemporary history, in the case of England and Ireland, insinuates that conflict is a primary mediator between two countries. With this in mind, outlining the relationship between England and Ireland is simplified. The relationship between these two countries becomes more of struggle between dominance and submission. Hyper-exaggeration would make it appear that England had intentionally colonized Ireland with the intent of ruining their culture. Bram Stoker’s Dracula looks at these three events from the perspective of an entity that no one doubt’s is evil. Dracula is a representation of the kind of evil that likes to watch the world burn. Dracula instigates all of these events for the joy of watching what happens afterward. According to author Mathias Clasen a vampire “is a supercharged predator, a fierce beast reminiscent of ancestral predators to which we are hardwired to attend, the kind with sharp teeth and homicidal intent.” (2) There is no confusion on Dracula’s part, he knows what he is and relishes it. Without this pretense the world around him see’s him for what he...

    Read More

  • The Myth Of Lilith

    756 Words  | 2 Pages

    She is often harshly judged because she is said to represent chaos, seduction, and ungodliness; this makes sense to people considering the name “Lilith” comes from a Sumerian word for female demons or wind spirits (“Lilith.”). Lilith was the first wife of Adam, the first man on earth in biblical terms, but was banished from the Garden of Eden because she refused to be subservient to Adam (“The Myth of Lilith.”). Once Lilith was banished she was made into a demon figure and Adam was given a second wife, Eve, who is said to be fashioned from Adam’s rib (“The Myth of Lilith.”). Since Eve was fashioned from Adam himself this ensured her obedience to him (“The Myth of Lilith.”). The reference to Lilith is mentioned in the last stanza of Plath’s

    Read More

  • Dracula

    894 Words  | 2 Pages

    While the character of Renfield is ostensively extraneous to the central plot of Dracula, he fulfils an important role in Stoker’s exploration of the central themes of the novel. This paper will examine how Renfield character is intertwined with the three central themes of invasion, blood and otherness. Firstly, through Renfield’s inner struggle we learn that he is ‘not his own master’ (Stoker, 211). The theme of invasion is revealed by the controlling and occupying powers of Count Dracula. Secondly, the recurring theme ‘the Blood is the Life’ (Stoker, 121), is portrayed throughout the novel and has been interpreted through Stoker’s character Renfield. Then finally, a look at the social construction of the ‘other’ in Dracula and how, through Renfield, who is ‘unlike the normal lunatic’ (Stoker, 52), the Count emerges as the ‘other’ of all ‘others’.

    Read More

  • An Analysis Of Dawn By Octavia Butler

    881 Words  | 2 Pages

    Throughout the novel Lilith struggles with the idea that her children, and all future human children will no longer be completely biologically

    Read More

  • Dracula Compare And Contrast Essay

    1272 Words  | 3 Pages

    Similar to Dracula, Twilight’s vampires have many of the same characteristics. The vampires in Dracula and Twilight both are very pale. People in both books often mention how pale the vampires are. Along with pale skin their skin is usually very tough. This meaning that it is very strong and does

    Read More

  • Dracula

    824 Words  | 2 Pages

    Dracula, by Bram Stoker, is a classic tale of Gothicism. Traditionally, gothic tales only carried single theme of horror. Through Dracula, Stoker breaks this single theme barrier. The theme throughout Dracula is clearly displayed through the characters as they step from ignorance to realization in this tale of horror.

    Read More

  • The Allure of Vampires and Immortality

    1033 Words  | 3 Pages

    Humanity has always been fascinated with the allure of immortality and although in the beginning vampires were not a symbol of this, as time passed and society changed so did the ideas and perceptions surrounding them. The most important thing to ask yourself at this point is 'What is immortality?' Unfortunately this isn't as easily answered as asked. The Merriam Webster Dictionary says immortality is 'the quality or state of being immortal; esp : unending existence' while The World Book Encyclopedia states it as 'the continued and eternal life of a human being after the death of the body.' A more humorous definition can be found in The Devil's Dictionary by Ambrose Bierce:

    Read More

  • Mary, Eve, and Lilith in Shakespeare's King Lear, Othello, and Macbeth

    3148 Words  | 7 Pages

    To begin, Lilith is an enigma in many circles, with varying tales and legends ascribed to her. In certain aspects of Jewish folklore, Lilith is believed to have been the original wife of Adam who was exiled from Eden and replaced with the better known Eve because she refused to submit to Adam's male authority (Grolier "Lilith").

    Read More

  • Monsters in Literature

    952 Words  | 2 Pages

    The vampire genre is one that is so widely exploited, that anything can be done with it. It can be made into a horror story made to induce nightmares, into a story that displays humans can be just as monstrous as the monster, or into a romance that proves that love conquers all. The mystery and sensuality that shrouds vampires allows for a vampire story to be anything and everything the writer or reader desires.

    Read More

More about Vampires

Open Document