Beginning of the Vampire
The vampire as it is known in modern western society is a powerful, attractive, and majestic being. The vampire has become a symbol of that which most all human beings idolize, immortality. In western society, people have become desensitized towards the subject of vampirism, almost as if the vampire has become commonplace. But vampires have not always been viewed this way. Vampires were once feared creatures of evil, creatures that struck terror in the hearts of eighteenth-century Slavic villagers in Eastern Europe. What drove these individuals to conceive the idea of vampirism? Was it to explain the unexplainable, or simply to provide a scapegoat for the hardships of eighteenth-century village life? The folkloric vampire was quite different than the modern, western vampire. For example, the modern vampire is described as a pale, very handsome, thin and fit, with fangs, and blood-sucking. This view of vampirism differs greatly from the way villagers in East Europe perceived vampirism. Slavs often described vampires as having a ruddy complexion or red in the face and were sometimes covered with blood. The folkloric vampire was frequently the farthest thing from handsome; they were depicted as bloated, having been feedi
They were also seen missing body parts; vampires were reported to have been missing ears, noses, arms, and legs. To become a vampire, in the eighteenth-century was a horrific fate; no person wanted that outcome. The cause of this bloating, however, is simply the build up of intestinal and abdominal gases. Sunseri, "In Romania, the staring corpse is trying to warn the living that it is in the process of becoming a 'strigio'" (10/01/03). In eastern European culture vampires were feared for their "uncontrollable thirst. The villagers and peasants of this time period had only themselves to rely on for survival. Sudden death and massive blood loss both encumber the deterioration of a body. The folkloric vampire didn't just suck blood. The eighteenth-century Slav wanted nothing but a simple and happy life. So the tale of the vampire was thus spread throughout Eastern Europe along with the fear of its essence. Thus, those who struck out against the community were giving the possibility of becoming vampires. In eighteenth-century east Europe, the Slavs viewed individualism as a sign of rebellion. Skin slippage often times caused the eyelids to open and created the illusion that the deceased was staring. Murder victims, suicide victims, drowning victims, just to name a few were possible vampires.
Common topics in this essay:
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Acceptance Essays
