Abstract
This essay examines the role in which Vampires have changed in media. Used as a metaphor, vampires reflected the societal worry of the times. The use of this gothic mode of storytelling started with a fear of different plagues such as tuberculous and the Spanish Flu, as seen in the novel Dracula. Vampirism slowly started to include xenophobic imagery and remarks in such media as in the cult classic Nosferatu. Other concerns that villainous vampires reflected through media include queerness, counter-cultural movements, and of course sex, displayed in novels like Interview with a Vampire and Carmilla. Later, a more sympathetic view evolved with vampires used as a figure to represent self-expression, the breaking of social norms, and conflicting emotional regulation, as shown in the 1980s film The Lost Boys. As time changed so did the influence of vampires in stories, they started to play the role of a protagonist.
Research Poster
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