Thursday, May 21, 2020

The History of Vampires - 1194 Words

The vampire is one of the oldest mythological creatures in the world. It has been around for thousands of years and is found in nearly every culture. There are many different kinds, the red-eyed corpses from China, the Greek Lamia- a woman with the lower body of a winged serpent, the Penanggalang in Malaysia- a woman with a detachable head, etc. The most commonly known, however, is the Romanian vampire, it is used often in pop culture, from movies, to television, to literature. The myth of the Romanian vampire became popular after the publication of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, After which it evolved to symbolise many things such as sexuality, eternal damnation, eternal love, and the human longing for immortality. The Romanian vampire is†¦show more content†¦Another way someone would be identified as a vampire is if they lived an unusual life. People who practiced witchcraft, committed suicide, or were excommunicated by the church were certain to come back as vampires af ter death. If none of these signs were apparent during their life, a person could be identified as a vampire after death. If the corpse was buried face down or was jumped over by a cat, there was a chance that person would come back from the dead. Another indication from the grave would be if there was a small hole near the gravestone. It was believed that a vampire could enter and exit through a small hole near the headstone. This might be because of the fact that vampires were believed to be able to dissipate into a mist, or fog, and travel in that form, making it easy to slip through the hole near their headstone. Also in J. Gordon Melton’s book The Vampire Book: Encyclopedia of the Undead, it was said that since people lived in such fear of these vampires, there were many precautions taken. For one, garlic would be placed in the mouth of the suspected corpse or millet seeds would be put in their coffin. This was because it was believed that the vampire would be postponed from coming out of the grave because it would need to take the time of eating it before leaving the coffin. Sometimes a distaff would be driven into the ground over their grave in the hopes that if the vampire were to try and escape,Show MoreRelatedThe History of Vampires1397 Words   |  6 Pagesseems obsessed with vampires. From gothic vampire novels, to endless movies, television and art, the vampire archetype continues to grow in popularity and sophistication. What is behind this seeming obsession with vampires, in our western culture? Why does this archeype endure? What does the vampire have, or do, that makes him/her so attractive and compelling? When did the transformation occur, from foul miscreant to suave tragic hero? Who is the vampire - really? Vampire culture seems in starkRead MoreHistory of the Concept and Image of Vampires807 Words   |  4 PagesVampires are known as mythical beings with white pale glittery skin that drain the essence of life known as blood. As unbelievable as it sounds they actually did exist centuries ago. They weren’t anything like the vampires we see in movies, shows, books, and video games today. A vampire or something analogous to it can be found in most culture and folklores going back to the beginning of time, but it is a mistake to think they have familiar attributes of Count Dracula. The term â€Å"vampire† appearedRead MoreVampires in Myth and History Essay1372 Words   |  6 PagesVampires in Myth and History Vampire myths go back thousands of years and occur in almost every culture around the world. Their variety is almost endless; from red eyed monsters with green or pink hair in China to the Greek Lamia which has the upper body of a woman and the lower body of a winged serpent; from vampire foxes in Japan to a head with trailing entrails known as the Penanggalang in Malaysia. However, the vampires we are familiar with today, although mutatedRead MoreThe Different Types of Vampires Throughout History1084 Words   |  5 PagesIconic vampires in pop culture include Dracula, Angel, and Edward Cullen, but the lore can be traced back even further than the earliest thought of each of these icons. Doctor Guiley, a paranormal enthusiast, has researched countless tales of vampires, and has been able to divide her research into five different generalized areas. Doctor Murgatroyd, a professor of humanities at McMaster University, has studied references to vampires and other supernatural creatures throughout the literary history ofRead MoreVampires in Modern Culture1113 Words   |  5 Pagesmonsters throughout history are blood sucking immortals known as vampires. They transgress the boundaries that humans are always trying to establish. Vampire lore has reflected the values and social structures of the culture it has existed in, but over the past century the val ues have transformed. From the classic story of Stoker’s Dracula where he is presented as sinister and non-human, the vampire aspect of literature has evolved drastically to a more heroic immortal. Physically, vampires have changedRead MoreVampires : The Myth, Legends, And Lore1466 Words   |  6 Pagesbe unpopular, but in time will become popular again. Vampires have always been one of those things along with zombies. Zombies are something that many people believe that can become real one day, but when it comes to vampires they are just fantasy. People have lost history. In many different cultures’ history, vampires were thought of as possible creatures. There were even humans that believe they had become one. The distorted history of vampires have changed people’s minds because there are certainRead MoreThe Mystery Of The Vampire1583 Words   |  7 PagesThe vampire is the popular character in folklore from early civilization to modern life. The vampire appears in people mind with the passion of immortality, fear, love and mystery. People are attracted with vampire because the superstition of the vampire has done for centuries. Are they real? What are they? Wh ere they come from? There are a few of thousand questions about the beliefs of vampire during many centuries. People don’t stop their curiosity with vampire- the legend that emulates the worldRead MoreVampires : The Myth, Legends, And Lore1730 Words   |  7 Pagesin pop culture. Commonly zombies and vampires are the talk of everyone. To the extent that some people believe that zombies can one day exist and vampires are just a fantasy. But people have lost their history, in many different cultures’ history, vampires were thought of as possible creatures. Vampires have been a thing for centuries, although the term vampire came after. There were even humans that believe they had become one. The distorted history of vampires has changed people’s minds becauseRead MoreComparing The Vs. Vampire Folklore1368 Words   |  6 PagesFinal Essay Different depictions of vampires are commonly exhibited in vampire folklore in past and present literature and film. The diversity of different variations of vampire legends are prominently seen in most literature, but the main ideas and attributes are generally the same. This is not that case when focusing on specific novels discussed in class. The novels I Am Legend by Richard Matheson and Fledgling by Octavia Butler are two contrasting works of vampire folklore. The novels are about differentRead MoreVampires Real?1083 Words   |  5 PagesVampires Are Real With today’s media a fascination with monsters has risen to an all-time high. One monster in particular, though, has become the center point for all attention, the vampire. Many believe the existence of vampires is just a myth. One valid arguments of non-believers is that if vampires did exist, wouldn’t they have depleted their food source? Early legends of vampires are supported by the belief that people suffering from a deadly, but rare, blood disease not vampirism. Believers

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