Love of Vampires

Vampire books, movies and lore…

Finally! A documentary series is being made on real vampires and the lives they lead today – sounds intriguing! Check it out on Gabrielle Faust’s site: http://www.gabriellefaust.com/archives/4487#comments

Vampires have no reflections in mirrors.  We’ve all heard that one before, but where did it come from?

The first one to document this phenomenon (and probably created it too!) was Bram Stoker.  I love this scene in the book and in Coppola’s film version too:  Dracula silently approaches Jonathan Harker as he is shaving in his room – Jonathan notices that the Count does not have a reflection. When Dracula notices the mirror he violently flings it away, as if repulsed by it.

Count Dracula

This myth of vampires casting no reflection in mirrors followed most vampire stories until the coming of Anne Rice’s luscious creations in the 1970′s.  Both Louis and Lestat cast reflections in mirrors and in Louis’ interview with the human, Daniel, he exposes the elements of vampire myths that were simply not true and gives Daniel the low down on the modern day vampire.

Lestat & Louis

Now, the folklore surrounding mirrors probably was the key to Stoker’s clever creation of this particular vampire myth.  In folklore, mirrors were known to reflect a person’s soul or spiritual double and were often covered when a person died, for fear of the soul becoming trapped inside the mirror. This practice of covering the mirrors when someone died continued into to 20th century.  Since vampires traditionally are suppose to be creatures without souls, you could definitely speculate that when a vampire takes a peek into a mirror that there is nothing there to reflect.  Maybe that is what Stoker was concluding…

Personally I think that vampires would definitely cast a reflection in mirrors.  They are physical beings (and some mighty fine beings I might add!) in the same world that we are in and must follow the same physical laws along with every other creature that inhabits this world.

An Inconvenience

I mean, how else do they shave and primp?

Have you ever wondered how to become a vampire? Well, I have and I found out there is not just one answer. Just like the vampire itself, how to become a vampire has made a fascinating progression and evolution.

Dracula

I think it goes without saying… but please do not try any of this stuff as it can be extremely dangerous!

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I am leaving next week for the magically beautiful Scottish countryside… yes, in the middle of winter!  Brrrr…

Maybe I need to do a bit more reading and research, but the only story even remotely related to vampires in Scotland that I’ve found are the folkloric tales about the “Baobhan-sith” (pronounced baa’-van shee).

Baobhan-sith

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So, I decided to do a quick search on becoming a vampire – how many ways are there, according to the stories throughout the years?  Well, it ended up being not so quick!

Like the vampire, becoming a vampire has also evolved through myth, movies, stories and novels.  Apparently in older folklore, especially Slavic and Chinese traditions, if a dog or cat jumped over a corpse it would become one of the undead! Maybe I should put my cat out for the night…

Cat and Vampire lore

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I don’t know what it is about vampires…  Ok, maybe it’s the unearthly beauty, the longing search for a love that lasts forever, the twinge of excitement that comes from a sense of danger - but why is the vampire so alluring?

Edward Cullen

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