Reading the Vampire
1st Edition
Published on 1. September 1994
Book
Paperback/Softback
176 pages
978-0-415-08013-2 (ISBN)
Description
Insatiable bloodlust, dangerous sexualities, the horror of the undead, uncharted Trannsylvanian wildernesses, and a morbid fascination with the `other': the legend of the vampire continues to haunt popular imagination.
Reading the Vampire examines the vampire in all its various manifestations and cultural meanings. Ken Gelder investigates vampire narratives in literature and in film, from early vampire stories like Sheridan Le Fanu's `lesbian vampire' tale Carmilla and Bram Stoker's Dracula, the most famous vampire narrative of all, to contemporary American vampire blockbusters by Stephen King and others, the vampire chronicles of Anne Rice, `post-Ceausescu' vampire narratives, and films such as FW Murnau's Nosferatu and Bram Stoker's Dracula.
Reading the Vampire embeds vampires in their cultural contexts, showing vampire narratives feeding off the anxieties and fascinations of their times: from the nineteenth century perils of tourism, issues of colonialism and national identity, and obsessions with sex and death, to the `queer' identity of the vampire or current vampiric metaphors for dangerous exchanges of bodily fluids and AIDS.
Reading the Vampire examines the vampire in all its various manifestations and cultural meanings. Ken Gelder investigates vampire narratives in literature and in film, from early vampire stories like Sheridan Le Fanu's `lesbian vampire' tale Carmilla and Bram Stoker's Dracula, the most famous vampire narrative of all, to contemporary American vampire blockbusters by Stephen King and others, the vampire chronicles of Anne Rice, `post-Ceausescu' vampire narratives, and films such as FW Murnau's Nosferatu and Bram Stoker's Dracula.
Reading the Vampire embeds vampires in their cultural contexts, showing vampire narratives feeding off the anxieties and fascinations of their times: from the nineteenth century perils of tourism, issues of colonialism and national identity, and obsessions with sex and death, to the `queer' identity of the vampire or current vampiric metaphors for dangerous exchanges of bodily fluids and AIDS.
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Target group
College/higher education
Dimensions
Height: 234 mm
Width: 156 mm
Thickness: 10 mm
Weight
278 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-415-08013-2 (9780415080132)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Person
Ken Gelder is Principal Lecturer in English, Media and Cultural Studies at De Montfort University, Leicester (on leave of absence from the University of Melbourne, Australia).,
Professor of Cultural Studies School of Humanities Griffith University,
Professor of English Literature Open University
Professor of Cultural Studies School of Humanities Griffith University,
Professor of English Literature Open University
Content
Ethnic Vampires: Transylvania and beyond; Part 1 Vampires in Greece: Byron and Polidori; Part 2 Vampires and the Uncanny: Le Fanu's 'carmilla; Part 3 Reading Dracula; Part 4 Vampires and Cinema: From Nosferatu to Bram Stoker's 'dracula'; Part 5 Vampires in the (old) New World: Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles; Part 6 Vampire Blockbusters: Stephen King, Dan Simmons, Brian Aldiss and S.p. Somtow; Part 7 Conclusion;