The Vampire: Origins of a European Myth

The popular imagination has long associated vampires with Eastern Europe, even before Bram Stoker's fictional Count Dracula. This book explores how vampires became strongly identified with Eastern Europe, drawing on a wealth of previously neglected sources. It demonstrates that the modern conception of the vampire was born in the Enlightenment, embodying a mysterious, Eastern otherness that stood opposed to Western rationality. The vampire has become a media sensation, with bestselling authors such as Bram Stoker, Anne Rice, and Stephenie Meyer continuing to fire the imaginations of young and old alike. They have long since been assigned individual personalities and treated with sympathy, and have to learn to come to terms with their craving for blood.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 304 pages
Publication date: 08 April 2022
Publisher: Berghahn Books

Even before Bram Stoker immortalized Transylvania as the homeland of his fictional Count Dracula, the figure of the vampire was inextricably tied to Eastern Europe in the popular imagination. Drawing on a wealth of previously neglected sources, this book offers a fascinating account of how vampires—whose various incarnations originally emerged from folk traditions from all over the world—became so strongly identified with Eastern Europe. It demonstrates that the modern conception of the vampire was born in the crucible of the Enlightenment, embodying a mysterious, Eastern otherness that stood opposed to Western rationality.

From the Prologue:

From Original Sin to Eternal Life

For a broad contemporary public, the vampire has become a star, a media sensation from Hollywood. Bestselling authors such as Bram Stoker, Anne Rice, and Stephenie Meyer continue to fire the imaginations of young and old alike, and bloodsuckers have achieved immortality through films like Dracula, Interview with a Vampire, and Twilight. It is no wonder that, in the teenage bedrooms of our globalized world, vampires even steal the show from Harry Potter. They have long since been assigned individual personalities and treated with sympathy. They may possess superhuman powers, but they are also burdened by their immortality and have to learn to come to terms with their craving for blood. Whereas the Southeast European vampire, discovered in the 1730s, underwent an Americanization and domestication in the media landscape of the twentieth century, the creole zombies that first became known through the cheap novels and horror films of the 1920s still continue to serve as brainless horror figures.

Do bloodsuckers really exist and should we really be afraid of the dead? These are the questions that this book seeks to answer. It explores the history, mythology, and cultural significance of vampires, from their earliest origins in ancient cultures to their modern-day manifestations in popular culture. It also examines the scientific and psychological implications of believing in vampires, including the role that fear plays in our understanding of death and the supernatural.

In conclusion, this book offers a fresh and compelling perspective on the vampire, one that challenges our assumptions and reveals the enduring power of this iconic figure in the popular imagination. Whether you are a fan of vampire literature, horror films, or simply curious about the origins of this fascinating myth, this book will provide you with a wealth of information and insight.

Weight: 446g
Dimension: 228 x 152 x 19 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781800734333