Luna Stone
In the past twenty-five years, the vampire has transformed from demon of the night to datable dark stranger in chemistry class. If you ask generation Z (born after 1995) to define the blood-thirsty undead, their description will shock you. The popularity of books like The Vampire Diaries (1991) by L.J. Smith and Twilight (2005) by Stephanie Meyers facilitated this change. Thus, the new self-loathing creature wrecked with human envy and a depressing consciousness of self was born.
We begin to see a glimpse of our favorite fanged ones, deviate from their classic ruthlessness. In Interview with The Vampire (1976) by Anne Rice. This novel is narrated by Louis the vampire who hates the vampiric way of life. Throughout his journey from human to undead, he experiences immense self-repulsion.
Later, we encounter Stefan Salvatore from the above-mentioned book series, The Vampire Diaries. Stefan is made and marketed as a good vampire. This creature refrains from drinking human blood. He is the embodiment of a tortured soul, grappling with love and compassion all while restraining his true demon nature. Stefan attends Mystic Falls High School (with the help of a daylight ring) where he meets and falls for a human teenaged girl. This challenges the idea that all vampires are evil. Sure, Stefan is a 160 + year old demon, but how can he truly be bad if he can repent and restrain himself? The author wants the reader to sympathize with this monster, even root for it to succeed.
Fifteen years or so later, we meet Edward Cullen in Twilight—who attends high school too, like a good vampire. Edward calls himself the vampire version of a vegetarian. This heartthrob is also a conflicted soul who hates the monster he’s become and worship’s his girlfriend’s humanity to the point of envy. He says he’s evil over and over in the book, but we don’t buy it. Pure evil has no regrets.
The good vampire is great for selling movie tickets and attracting a new viewership to age-old tales. But from a historical standpoint, it’s a largely inaccurate atrocity and shouldn’t exist at all. A scholar of these creatures would know that a Vampire is a demon incapable of human emotion. We’ve had our fun with the hunky, broody, boy next door creature. Its time to cancel them forever. Here’s why:
Cancel self-suffering, wimpy creatures made popular by teen shows and films.
The Vampyre A Tale written in 1819 by John William Polidori described on Amazon as “the progenitor of the romantic vampire genre. In this short tale, Polidori’s pioneer vampire is armed with a “winning tongue,” to easily charm others yet did not possess the capacity for friendship. When observed, Lord Ruthven, the creature, “had nothing in common with other men,” and seemed a well-loved loner.
In Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu, first published in 1872, a single father allows a woman to leave her daughter at his house after their carriage “breaks down” in front of his vast abode. In a short time, the women in their town began to mysteriously fall ill and perish—including his own ailing daughter, who out of loneliness, developed an attachment to the striking visitor. The vampire in this tale possessed supreme allure, beauty, and an evil fitting of a soulless demon.
And lastly, Count Dracula, by Bram Stoker (the most famous of the three). This creature created the archetypal vampire. Dracula, the Transylvanian demon who lived in a castle with three beautiful brides, was charismatic and hospitable. Yet him and his spouses tormented the townsfolk, the book even alluded to Dracula feeding his wives’ infants. Count Dracula, king of the undead cold ones who thirsted for human blood in all of the many renditions did not loathe himself.
Lord Ruthven, Carmilla, and Dracula were foundational beasts of which all other vampires were based. These creatures were just as alluring and attractive as they were remorseless, and evil. Unlike Cullen and Salvatore, you definitely couldn’t date or befriend the classic OV’s. And they did not waste a second of their immortal lives on repentance.
Vampires are creatures of the night, demons driven by a perpetual thirst for human blood. The creatures possess a mastery of attraction, compulsion, and glamour. She may appear as the woman of your dreams, a succubus of terrific talents. For a night, he can present himself as the handsome stranger that chose you despite catching the eye of everyone else around them. The demon transforms pain into ecstasy, fear into fun all while feeding on your flesh. Beware!
Vampires are demons—nocturnal beings lurking about to tempt you, test your faith and ultimately take your life. Although appearing human, these monsters do not and should not suffer the consciousness of self, experience regret or long to be human. From now on, the vampire should be depicted as what they truly are – beautiful, blood-thirsty beasts.
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