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Vampire Fictions: Rewriting Myths

Vampire Fictions: Rewriting Myths. IWIS. Learning Aims and Objectives. To explore how Bram Stoker’s Dracula and the myth of the vampire has been adopted and adapted in film and literature from across the world

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Vampire Fictions: Rewriting Myths

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  1. Vampire Fictions: Rewriting Myths IWIS

  2. Learning Aims and Objectives • To explore how Bram Stoker’s Dracula and the myth of the vampire has been adopted and adapted in film and literature from across the world • To develop ways of bringing these texts into the classroom in order to stimulate creative writing

  3. The History of the Vampire • term vampire popularized in 18th Century after widespread superstition and hysteria from Eastern Europe. • 1819 – John Polidori’s novella The Vampyre established archetype of charismatic and sophisticated vampire

  4. Dracula • by Bram Stoker • published 1897 • defined modern form of the vampire • background in Invasion literature • enjoyed as an adventure story • popularity didn’t come until after movie versions of the 20th Century • estimated 217 films feature Dracula in a major role

  5. Vampire ‘facts’ • p. 26 – ‘the facts’ • p.286 ‘there are such things as vampires…evidence…proof’ • p. 289 ‘tradition and superstition – are everything’ • What are the strengths and weaknesses of the vampire? • How is Dracula portrayed?

  6. Vampire strengths • strong as 20 men • cunning • command of the dead (necromancy) • appear at will (within limitations) • direct the elements • command meaner animals (rat, owl, bat, moth, fox, wolf) • grow and become small • vanish • feeds on living • doesn’t die of old age • makes no shadow • no reflection in mirror

  7. Vampire weaknesses • can’t enter without invitation • power ceases at sunrise • can only pass running water at the flood of the tide • garlic • crucifix • branch of wild rose • sacred bullet fired into coffin • stake through hear • cut-off head

  8. I Am Legend • by Richard Matheson • published 1954 • voted best vampire novel of the last 100 years

  9. Activity 1: • Group 1: Read Chapter Two • How is the vampire presented? What differences are revealed? • Group 2: Read Chapter Three • How does Richard Matheson engage with previous representations of the vampire? • Group 3: Read Chapter Four • How is the vampire presented? What similarities are revealed?

  10. The Lady of the House of Love • by Angela Carter • published 1979 • Short story within The Bloody Chamber collection • based on a radio play called ‘Vampirella’

  11. Activity 2: • Read pages 196 – 197 • How is the vampire presented? • How does this alter or enhance our perception of the vampire, particularly in relation to Dracula

  12. Dead Until Dark • by Charlaine Harris • published 2001 • first in The Southern Vampire Mysteries series • inspired television series True Blood • How does the extract re-write history?

  13. Dead Until Dark / True Blood • modernising the myths • asking the question: ‘What if?’ • providing parallels/metaphors for today’s ‘monsters’ • What issues/themes in contemporary society could you re-write using the vampire as a starting point?

  14. Buffy: The Vampire Slayer • Based on 1992 film of the same name • ran from 1997 – 2003 • Created by Joss Whedon • aimed to revert the Hollywood formula of ‘the little blonde girl who goes into a dark alley and gets killed in every horror movie’ • ‘the supernatural elements in the series stood as metaphors for personal anxieties associated with adolescence and young adulthood’

  15. Buffy: The Vampire Slayer • post-modern Gothic • pastiche • an examination of the facts and fiction • playful take on the traditions • asks the question: ‘What is a monster?’ • inner / outer demons

  16. Activity 3: • What themes / issues have been explored in our discussions of vampire fiction and film? • Create a mind map that shows the interconnections between these themes / issues • Use these to write a condensed lesson plan that explores how you would take vampire fictions into the classroom in order to explore one of these themes / issues

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