Perhaps one of the most compelling creatures in folklore is that of the Vampire. Many cultures around the world, from Ancient Mesopotamia through our present day, have tales of these supernatural characters, regarding their mannerisms and their compulsions. There's a myriad of ways to deal with them according to ancient folklore. And every generation has their own take on these preternaturals.
Vampires moved from the realm of folklore into the realm of literature with Dr John Polidori's short story The Vampyre. This was inspired by his fascination with Lord Byron, and the tale was written during that infamous summer on the shores of Lake Geneva. During the same time that Mary Shelley gave voice to her own tragic monstrous character of Frankenstein.
The Vampire continued to enjoy notoriety in the pages of the Penny Dreadfuls that circulated through London during the 1800s. Varney the Vampire, or the Feast of Blood was a classic terrifying tale of the time.
Eventually the most thorough and dramatic novel regarding Vampires came from the pen of one Bram Stoker. His novel Dracula expanded upon the mythos greatly and inspired several stage plays and movies.
And, while I truly love the literary Classics (especially Victorian Gothic Horror), I'm not adverse to reading some of the more recent forays into the horror genre, featuring that oh so compelling character: The Vampire.
Sink your Teeth into these recent selections from our Fiction shelves!
Booklist:
The Serpent & the Wings of Night
For More literary selections, check out my previous blogs about Victorian Gothic Horror and my blog about Nosferatu. Guaranteed to slake the thirst of any reader who loves Classic Victorian Literature and Folklore!
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