Emergence of Vampires in Literature

Introduction

People will often refer to Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel Dracula when asked on the popularization of the concept of vampires. Dracula was not the first ever literature about vampires. It was just the first novel that attracted the most attention of the public that is why people see Dracula as one of the classical vampire books.

Here is a list of the first books published about vampires.

1. The Vampire (1748) by Heinrich August Ossenfelder

A poem about a vampire wanting to do what he does best which is to drink blood. The vampire wanted to visit a woman to drink her blood and influence her to stray from her religion.

Here are some of the lines of the poem:

And as softly thou art sleeping
To thee shall I come creeping
And thy life’s blood drain away.
And so shalt thou be trembling
For thus shall I be kissing
And death’s threshold thou’ it be crossing

Click here for the complete poem

2. The Giaour – Unquenched, Unquenchable (1813) by Lord George Gordon Byron

This is an epic poem that contains some elements about vampires. A giaour, a character in the poem, was predicted to become a vampire and that he would kill all his relatives by drinking their blood. This would be the curse given to the giaour for killing Hassan, and a curse that he would inflict on his relatives.

Here are some of the lines of the poem:

But first, on earth as vampire sent,
Thy corpse shall from its tomb be rent:
Then ghostly 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;

Click here for the complete poem

3. The Vampyre by John William Polidori

A short story about Aubrey(male), who meets a peculiar man named Lord Ruthven. They traveled together but Aubrey set out to Greece without Lord Ruthven because of the warning of Aubrey’s guardians against Lord Ruthven. Aubrey then fell in love with Ianthe but died with puncture marks on her neck. Aubrey again, joined Lord Ruthven in travelling. On one occasion, Lord Ruthven was killed but not before making Aubrey promise to not mention his death to anyone. When Aubrey returns to home, he is shocked to meet Lord Ruthven all alive And well.

4. Carmilla by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu

This is a Gothic novella about Laura who lives a quiet life until she meets Camilla, a vampire with lesbian inclinations. Laura then falls sick and so does the other people around her. Does Camilla have anything to do with it?

5. Dracula by Bram Stoker

A novel about Jonathan Harker who meets Count Dracula to finalize a real estate transfer. Harker later finds out that Count Dracula drinks human blood and wants to kill him. The Count later leaves for England to escape Harker’s attempt to kill him. Mina, Harker’s fiancée, was worried about her friend Lucy who sleepwalks and found puncture marks on her neck. After many nights, Lucy’s health deteriorates. Dr. Stewart, one of Lucy’s former suitors enlists Dr. Abraham Van Helsing’s help to find out what causes Lucy’s case of blood loss.

Since Dracula by Bram Stoker have a huge influence on vampire literature, I decided to write about it’s historical background and why and how Stoker decided to write it. I’ll probably post it within the week.

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The Giaour – Unquenched, Unquenchable by Lord George Gordon Byron

This is a passage from Lord George Gordon Byron’s epic poem, The Giaour. The passage is about a vampire cursed to take the lives of his relatives by drinking their blood so that he may live.

…Unquenched, unquenchable,
Around, within, thy heart shall dwell;
Nor ear can hear nor tongue can tell
The tortures of that inward hell!
But first, on earth as vampire sent,
Thy corpse shall from its tomb be rent:
Then ghostly 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 thy demon for their sire,
As cursing thee, thou cursing them,
Thy flowers are withered on the stem.
But one that for thy crime must fall,
The youngest, most beloved of all,
Shall bless thee with a father’s name-
That word shall wrap thy heart in flame!
Yet must thou end thy task, and mark
Her cheek’s last tinge, her eye’s last spark,
And the last glassy glance must view
Which freezes o’er its lifeless blue;
Then with unhallowed hand shall tear
The tresses of her yellow hair,
Of which in life a lock when shorn
Affection’s fondest pledge was worn,
But now is borne away by thee,
Memorial of thine agony!

Date: 1813
Source: http://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poem/giaour-unquenched-unquenchable

Love Poems? Click here to read Heinrich August Ossenfelder’s The Vampire

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