But first, on earth as
vampire sent,
Thy corpse shall from its tomb be rent:
Then ghastly haunt
thy native place,
And suck the blood of all thy race;
There from thy daughter,
sister, wife,
At midnight drain the stream of life;
Yet loathe the
banquet which perforce
Must feed thy livid living corpse:
Thy victims
ere they yet expire
Shall know the demon for their sire,
As cursing
thee, thou cursing them,
Thy flowers are withered on the
stem.
(excerpt from "The Giaour" by Lord Byron)
Vampire. Close your eyes and concentrate for a moment on the image that the one simple word conjures up in your mind. If I were a betting sort, I would dare say that for each of us, the image may be vastly different. For some, it may be a dashing Count robed in a black cape and Victorian finery, for others, a monster so hideous that he steals the very voice from your throat with the terror of his presence and renders you silent (my attempt at word play-think Nosferatu), and for others, a young high school student from Forks, Washington (runs in fear at THAT particular image). The possibilities are endless; so rich and varied are the myths and legends surrounding this fascinating creature.
The word vampire , much like the creature it is attached to, is shrouded in mystery as to its exact origins. Derived from the French vampyre, it can be said with certainty that the word was first in its English form in a 1734 travelogue entitled Travels of Three English Gentlemen which was published in the Harleian Miscellany in 1745. After that, things get rather sticky. The French term was possibly derived from the Germanic vampir, which in turn was either believed to be originated from the Slavic upir, (someone who thrusts, bites) Turkish ubyr (witch), or enough other possibilities varied enough to keep a linguist amused for years. Suffice it to say, they all mean the same thing: "dangerous when hungry".
The word vampire , much like the creature it is attached to, is shrouded in mystery as to its exact origins. Derived from the French vampyre, it can be said with certainty that the word was first in its English form in a 1734 travelogue entitled Travels of Three English Gentlemen which was published in the Harleian Miscellany in 1745. After that, things get rather sticky. The French term was possibly derived from the Germanic vampir, which in turn was either believed to be originated from the Slavic upir, (someone who thrusts, bites) Turkish ubyr (witch), or enough other possibilities varied enough to keep a linguist amused for years. Suffice it to say, they all mean the same thing: "dangerous when hungry".
VAMPIRE CHARACTERISTICS
While certainly every culture, generation, and personal preference will dictate (to a degree) the image that first comes to mind when you think of 'vampire', there are certain characteristics that span the universal border. Let us take a look at some of those now, shall we?
Fangs:
No vampire worth his salt would be caught "un"dead without fangs. How else is a self-respecting vampire supposed to feed without them? Duh! But even beyond the obvious, they have a very symbolic and deeper meaning, linking the vampire back to the animals with which they are most associated (particularly wolves, rats, and snakes), as well as holding a literary device showcasing the vampire as a sexual predator (the biting of one's neck seen as a highly sensual act).
Coffins:
Nothing says 'vampire' like the image of a corpse laying in living repose in their coffin. It is interesting to note that the traditional box-like coffin that we know today did not evolve until the 1600's, the image of the vampire-in-coffin immortalized forever thanks to Bram Stoker's, Dracula. Even more interesting is that even Dracula did not actually need a coffin to rest in, but the soil from his native land that was inside of the coffin. Nevertheless, the image was firmly planted, and has remained ever since.
Native Soil:
Again, we have Stoker to thank for this particular piece of vampire folklore, though I can certainly see the reasoning behind it. As much as vampires need blood in order to survive, they also need the rejuvenation that can come only with rest; their preferred hours being from dusk to dawn. And like their mortal counterparts, vampires tend to rest better surrounded by the familiar comforts of home. Think about it--do you sleep better in a hotel room or your own nice, comfy bed? Just saying. This 'native soil' can either be interpreted as the soil from the land of their birth or the place they were buried (except if they were laid to rest in hallowed ground which could create a definite problem, as vampires cannot tolerate holy soil). This need for sleep, incidentally, can be counted among one of the vampire's few vulnerabilities.
Superhuman Powers:
It goes without saying; vampires versus humans on sheer 'powers' alone will win out every time. Superhuman strength, physical agility, acute vision, magnified sense of smell/vision/hearing, hypnosis, and shape-shifting capabilities make the vampire a creature on my 'do not want to mess with' list.
Animal Instincts:
When you think of the vampire, you cannot help but think of certain animals associated with it, the first and foremost being the bat. Which makes sense, if you think about it, as nature herself has so conveniently provided us with three species of the vampire bat, Desmodus rufus, Desmodus rotundus, and Diphylla ecaudata. Primarily found in Central and South America, and a few areas of the southern United States, these little creatures are blood drinkers (no joke!) that have a very nasty penchant for attempting to hypnotize their prey before feeding. Sound familiar, anyone?
Another animal commonly associated with the vampire is the wolf. This harkens back not only to the famous line uttered by the Count upon his arrival back at Count Dracula with Jonathon Harker, "Listen to them, the children of the night. What music they make!" , but to the natural hand-in-glove lore that has always seemed to surround vampires and werewolves, and those who have the ability to shapeshift forms between them. In fact, the Slavic interpretation of the Greek vrykolatakas (vampire) is that of a wolf. Like the vampire (and the werewolf), the wolf was often a hunted creature, feared and reviled by the rest of society. Incidentally, however, in many legends, vampires and werewolves are pitted as the most bitter of enemies (Underworld, anyone?)
No Reflection:
There are several different theories behind this one actually. A vampire, while certainly able to make use of the body given them during life, is essentially well, to put it kindly--dead. They have no life force of their own, and are, by all rights, part of the supernatural, rather than the living realm. A mirror, conversely, can only reflect the physical world, of which the vampire shares no true part. If you want to look beyond that to a deeper, more psychological meaning, it has been put forth as well, that the mirror is a symbol of self reflection, and the deeds done by the vampire in the name of 'survival' are so heinous that he it is unable to look into its true nature or it would find itself so loathsome that it would destroy itself.
Certainly over the passing of time, the legends and myths of the vampire have shifted and changed, and not all of these characteristics hold true for every legend you may have heard. Merlin, please do not come after me with stakes and pitchforks! I merely offer the most common characteristics spanning the ages; thus is the beauty of the legend-there is something for everyone. Now off to your assignment or I shall be forced to send you to Forks.
While certainly every culture, generation, and personal preference will dictate (to a degree) the image that first comes to mind when you think of 'vampire', there are certain characteristics that span the universal border. Let us take a look at some of those now, shall we?
Fangs:
No vampire worth his salt would be caught "un"dead without fangs. How else is a self-respecting vampire supposed to feed without them? Duh! But even beyond the obvious, they have a very symbolic and deeper meaning, linking the vampire back to the animals with which they are most associated (particularly wolves, rats, and snakes), as well as holding a literary device showcasing the vampire as a sexual predator (the biting of one's neck seen as a highly sensual act).
Coffins:
Nothing says 'vampire' like the image of a corpse laying in living repose in their coffin. It is interesting to note that the traditional box-like coffin that we know today did not evolve until the 1600's, the image of the vampire-in-coffin immortalized forever thanks to Bram Stoker's, Dracula. Even more interesting is that even Dracula did not actually need a coffin to rest in, but the soil from his native land that was inside of the coffin. Nevertheless, the image was firmly planted, and has remained ever since.
Native Soil:
Again, we have Stoker to thank for this particular piece of vampire folklore, though I can certainly see the reasoning behind it. As much as vampires need blood in order to survive, they also need the rejuvenation that can come only with rest; their preferred hours being from dusk to dawn. And like their mortal counterparts, vampires tend to rest better surrounded by the familiar comforts of home. Think about it--do you sleep better in a hotel room or your own nice, comfy bed? Just saying. This 'native soil' can either be interpreted as the soil from the land of their birth or the place they were buried (except if they were laid to rest in hallowed ground which could create a definite problem, as vampires cannot tolerate holy soil). This need for sleep, incidentally, can be counted among one of the vampire's few vulnerabilities.
Superhuman Powers:
It goes without saying; vampires versus humans on sheer 'powers' alone will win out every time. Superhuman strength, physical agility, acute vision, magnified sense of smell/vision/hearing, hypnosis, and shape-shifting capabilities make the vampire a creature on my 'do not want to mess with' list.
Animal Instincts:
When you think of the vampire, you cannot help but think of certain animals associated with it, the first and foremost being the bat. Which makes sense, if you think about it, as nature herself has so conveniently provided us with three species of the vampire bat, Desmodus rufus, Desmodus rotundus, and Diphylla ecaudata. Primarily found in Central and South America, and a few areas of the southern United States, these little creatures are blood drinkers (no joke!) that have a very nasty penchant for attempting to hypnotize their prey before feeding. Sound familiar, anyone?
Another animal commonly associated with the vampire is the wolf. This harkens back not only to the famous line uttered by the Count upon his arrival back at Count Dracula with Jonathon Harker, "Listen to them, the children of the night. What music they make!" , but to the natural hand-in-glove lore that has always seemed to surround vampires and werewolves, and those who have the ability to shapeshift forms between them. In fact, the Slavic interpretation of the Greek vrykolatakas (vampire) is that of a wolf. Like the vampire (and the werewolf), the wolf was often a hunted creature, feared and reviled by the rest of society. Incidentally, however, in many legends, vampires and werewolves are pitted as the most bitter of enemies (Underworld, anyone?)
No Reflection:
There are several different theories behind this one actually. A vampire, while certainly able to make use of the body given them during life, is essentially well, to put it kindly--dead. They have no life force of their own, and are, by all rights, part of the supernatural, rather than the living realm. A mirror, conversely, can only reflect the physical world, of which the vampire shares no true part. If you want to look beyond that to a deeper, more psychological meaning, it has been put forth as well, that the mirror is a symbol of self reflection, and the deeds done by the vampire in the name of 'survival' are so heinous that he it is unable to look into its true nature or it would find itself so loathsome that it would destroy itself.
Certainly over the passing of time, the legends and myths of the vampire have shifted and changed, and not all of these characteristics hold true for every legend you may have heard. Merlin, please do not come after me with stakes and pitchforks! I merely offer the most common characteristics spanning the ages; thus is the beauty of the legend-there is something for everyone. Now off to your assignment or I shall be forced to send you to Forks.
Please proceed to Assignment 1 for your homework.