The vampire defanged
Subtitle: how the embodiment of evil became a romantic hero
By: Susannah Clements
Publisher: Brazos Press
Published: 2011
Place of publication: Grand Rapids, Mich
Language: eng
Number of pages: 199
ISBN-13: 9781587432897
Subjects: Vampires in literature; Vampire films; History and criticism; Vampires on television
Description: "Vampires first entered the pop culture arena with Bram Stoker's 1897 novel, Dracula. Today, vampires are everywhere. From Buffy the Vampire Slayer to the Twilight Saga to HBO's True Blood series, pop culture can't get enough of the vampire phenomenon. Bringing her literary expertise to this timely subject, Susannah Clements reveals the roots of the vampire myth and shows how it was originally immersed in Christian values and symbolism. Over time, however, vampires have been 'defanged' as their spiritual significance has waned, and what was once the embodiment of evil has turned into a teen idol and the ultimate romantic hero. Clements offers a close reading of selected vampire texts, explaining how this transformation occurred and helping readers discern between the variety of vampire stories presented in movies, TV shows, and novels. Her probing engagement of the vampire metaphor enables readers to make Christian sense of this popular obsession" -- BACK COVER.
Notes: Includes filmography and bibliographical references (p. 183-191) and index.
Table of contents: title: Why vampires matter; title: Bram Stoker's Dracula: sin and the power of the cross; title: Anne Rice's Vampire chronicles: eternal guilt and transcendent love; title: Buffy the Vampire Slayer: sin and sacrifice, postmodern style; title: Sookie Stackhouse: sex and the socialized vampire; title: Stephenie Meyer's Twilight saga: the vampire as teenage heartthrob; title: Vampire sinners; title: Vampire saviors.