Comparison Between Dracula by Bram Stroker and Twilight by...

The legend of the vampire has emerged countless times within human imagination over the past few centuries. The first available representation of the mythical creature in prose fiction can be found in John Polidori’s â€Å"The Vampyre† (1810). It was not until eight decades later that Bram Stoker popularized the existence of this figure with the publication of â€Å"Dracula† in 1897. The folklore of the vampire has come a long way since and can be found in today’s popular media more frequently than ever before. However, with due course of time, the representation of the creature has taken alternate routes and today’s vampires are noticeable different – socially and physically – from their predecessors. One effective path to trace this†¦show more content†¦Punter and Byron reinforce this claim by stating that, â€Å"Dracula is associated with disruption and transgression of accepted limits and boundaries† (231). It is r elevant to consider the aggressive behavior of Dracula towards his victims while he is on the prowl to fulfill his thirst for blood, especially with Lucy and Reinfield and the image of female vampires feeding on young children (Lucy). This bolsters the notion that the depiction of vampires in early portrays was violent. Also, as a sexually powerful creature, he preyed on men and women to fulfill his desires. The sexual representation of vampires is also evident from Ernest Jones’ early analysis of folktales, including the vampire. He proceeded to conclude that vampire’s and their counterparts, namely the Churel (India) and the Drud (vampires that prey exclusively on other vampires), do not confine themselves to sucking blood; rather â€Å"in the unconscious mind, blood is commonly associated with semen† (106). It would be inaccurate to associate these references to anything but the erotic nature of older folktales. Even in Dracula, the Count is portrayed as a se ductive aristocrat who sucks on the blood of men and women, alike. The homosexual aspect of vampire tales is also apparent in â€Å"Carmilla† (Joseph le- Fanu 1872). As pointed out by Punter and Byron, Laura experiences intense erotic advances from the female vampire, to the extent of being puzzled