Vampires reveal the West's secret longings

[dArKeR]

Despite a habit of impaling his foes, the historical Dracula, Vlad Tapes, was no vampire. But since the 16th century, tales of such acts have been revived - particularly in the West - to demonize Eastern Europeans.

By Heiko Haumann

In Eastern European folk tales, vampires are nocturnal bloodsuckers who have risen from the dead. We know these creatures' apotheosis, Dracula, as a vampire from Transylvania, a bat-like person with long canine teeth who lies in a coffin during the day and bites necks and drinks blood for sustenance.

But why do we know about Dracula and vampires at all? Why and how did a regional myth grow into one of modern Western culture's most enduring fixtures?

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/edit/archives/2004/10/31/2003209118

[happyslug]

1. Product of Economic Fight

Vlad Tepes was trying to free his country from the Turks, and knew he had to be as bloody as the Turks of his time period could be. He became worse, killing off his nobles for he did not trust them and appointing new nobles in their place, nobles who would lose their positions if he was overthrown. The Turks did retake his Country (And had to make a deal with the new nobles to do so) but Vlad was a problem for the Turks till his death.

Now, in addition to the Turks, he hated the Germans. The Germans ran the towns where trade occurred in his Country. The Germans being good business men would gladly sell out Vlad's Country for their Economic Gain. Vlad could not kill ALL of the Germans like he did with his Nobles, but he could kill enough to make the rest of the German's fear him more than the Turk.

Thus Vlad's reputation in Germany was terrible, one of Hatred based on what he did to the German Towns in his Country. Bram Stoker took these German Legends and wrote Dracula. Thus the West gets its impression of Vlad based on a group he went after as Traitors to his country.

As to Hungary's King Matthias Corvinus contribution to Vlad's reputation, you must remember Vlad ruled his Country Twice with a 16 years (I may be wrong as to the number of years) difference. During this time period he was Kept by Hungary's King Matthias Corvinus just to scare the Turks (Who were than on the Border of Hungary and would soon conquered it). The Scare would not be effective unless Hungary's King Matthias Corvinus made every effort to further enhance Vlad's Reputation.

For more on Vlad See:
http://www.donlinke.com/drakula/vlad.htm

[DavidDvorkin]

2. Way off base

First, because modern vampire novels tend to feature vampires who are Americans or Western Europeans.

Second, because the original Dracula novel was not about fear of Eastern Europeans but about fear of barbaric old ways undermining modern, urban, industrial civilization.

[Larkspur]

3. Vampirism is a metaphor for addiction

A vampire's seductive ability represents the allure of addictive agents, like drugs, alcohol, power, money, sex, gambling, etc.. When people become addicted to these agents, it can be very difficult to break the addiction, just like a vampire's living victim shuns help from friends and family and longs for another visit and bite from the vampire.

Vampires also represent our patriarchal culture's obsession with having power over others and controlling others. Vampires seduce their victims and let some of their victims live so that the victims serve them. Spouse and child abusers are examples of vampires incarnate minus the elongated bicuspids and undead, as well as mafia style drug pushers.