elaine
When I Argue I See Shapes
Mitsy the Magnificent
Posts: 605
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Post by elaine on Jan 24, 2006 15:33:14 GMT 1
Right, I have decided just today that my dissertation is going to be on vampires, particularly ones that involve metaphorical or literal sexual references (and medical ones since my degree is history of medicine). i think i'm focussing on pre 20th century, especially the 19th century with dracula and all that.
soooo, geeks please post your weird facts and give me places to look, inspiration.
thanks, hanks.
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Post by Rob on Jan 24, 2006 20:09:50 GMT 1
The old guy in Whitby in Dracula has the same surname as me... Vampires are merely weakened by sunlight, they can still hang out in it... they look younger once they have drunk blood... you can't just stick a stake in them - you have to cut their heads off and stuff them with garlic and tonnes of things (I think)... hmmm, I might read Dracula again.
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emma
Backstage Pass
Posts: 64
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Post by emma on Jan 24, 2006 20:32:38 GMT 1
there are a few authors pre-20th century who wrote about vampires. like you said, there's bram stoker, but some other's worth looking at would be: - sheriden le fanu wrote "carmilla", which is often refered to as the world's first lesbian vampire story. very sexual for the time i feel, and (slightly tenuous link here) carmilla is thought of as having a disease which causes her to be so frail in sunlight up until the truth is realised. - i believe it was john polidori who wrote "the vampyre", which is supposed to be the first vampire short-story written down, although i've never read it myself. - "varney the vampyre; or, the feast of blood" by james malcolm rymer would probably also be worth a look. in the middle of reading this and, again, it's quite sexual in some places. loads of stuff has been written on the sexual under/overtones in vampire literature. there's a massive book list which can be found here: users.net1plus.com/vyrdolak/litfilm.htmand if you just type in stuff like "vampires in the gotihic tradtion" or what have you into google, LOADS of stuff turns up. way ace. if you want something a bit more....credible, look for anything written by dr. elizabeth millar. she's a recognized expert on dracula - this would be a good place to start: www.ucs.mun.ca/~emiller/that's all i've got for now, but i'll let you know if i find anything else that might be useful. i knew this unnatural fascination with gothic literature would come in handy one day
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thom
I Can Have It All
...came and went like icebergs...
Posts: 945
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Post by thom on Jan 24, 2006 21:17:18 GMT 1
...i'm very proud of you emma. really i am.
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Post by Rob on Jan 24, 2006 21:26:21 GMT 1
She knows too much, she must be one of them... kill the girl!
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thom
I Can Have It All
...came and went like icebergs...
Posts: 945
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Post by thom on Jan 24, 2006 21:29:15 GMT 1
She knows too much, she must be one of them... kill the girl! ...it won't work, and you'll only anger her...
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elaine
When I Argue I See Shapes
Mitsy the Magnificent
Posts: 605
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Post by elaine on Jan 25, 2006 11:12:58 GMT 1
wow im impressed. i still have to convince my tutor, and that means loads of primary sources, but thats helped... thanks.
im going to look in the lancet now..
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Post by Arron on Jan 25, 2006 16:38:18 GMT 1
Hmmm how much of a coincidence is this? I clicked this post to read it and just as i started to read, the music i was listening to said the word "vampires".
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emma
Backstage Pass
Posts: 64
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Post by emma on Jan 25, 2006 16:56:20 GMT 1
as far as the medical side goes, there's a chapter in "varney" where a doctor tries to explain away the bite marks on the female character who has been bitten. if you wanted to extend the time frame, the medical thing could be easier to deal with. there are many terrible modern b-movies and tv programmes which come up with things such as the V5 virus as a way to explain what vampirism is and how it can be transmitted from one person to another (quick note: this is also seen as a sort of urban legend in some circles i.e.: it is seen as something which does exist but is being covered up by the government etc. it's quite interesting to read some of the stuff they come up with, but probably isn't very helpful to you in terms of a dissertation.) modern books, though, tend to stick with the whole traditional gothic version of vampires, where medical explination isn't so important. everyone must think me SO LAME. plz don't stake me or anything
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thom
I Can Have It All
...came and went like icebergs...
Posts: 945
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Post by thom on Jan 25, 2006 19:29:36 GMT 1
STEAK you!
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Post by Ben on Jan 26, 2006 10:34:59 GMT 1
Hmmm how much of a coincidence is this? I clicked this post to read it and just as i started to read, the music i was listening to said the word "vampires". You think that's weird? How about opening a website with a random song generator falling in line with a DVD you were watching? I was watching the Absolution Tour DVD of Muse, and I was told to faff about on their website for a picture, and the random track player at the bottom started playing Endlessly at the same time as the DVD
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Post by Chris on Jan 26, 2006 15:45:49 GMT 1
*gawps at sheer weight of Emma's knowledge on vampires...*
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Post by Scottish Clare-Bear on Jan 27, 2006 12:51:56 GMT 1
look at angela carter's stuff, esp bloody chamber collection- sliughtyly fucked-up but quite vampirey, a bit incestuous and necrophiliac, i bet christophe would enjoy it...
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Post by Chris on Jan 27, 2006 13:09:36 GMT 1
Clare.
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elaine
When I Argue I See Shapes
Mitsy the Magnificent
Posts: 605
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Post by elaine on Jan 28, 2006 12:44:49 GMT 1
yeah i love angela carter. unfortunately im still having trouble convincing my tutor. if anyone knows of a legal case/historical argument about vampires that i can base it on..... hmm possibly asking too much. but i AM impressed by the response. im reading "our vampires, ourselves" at the moment. its about comparing the american presidency to vampires... hehe but how can ronald reagan be homoerotic???
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Random
When I Argue I See Shapes
[P:0]
i do exactly what i say on my tin
Posts: 514
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Post by Random on Feb 19, 2006 21:58:02 GMT 1
most vampires were actually miss-diagnosed people suffering from a strain of rabies that also caused shrinking of the gums
and if you look at records of "vampire" sightings then you will see that they coincide with outbreaks of rabies
esspesialy the large outbreak in the real Transillvania
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