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What is a vampire?
A vampire is mythological being that appears as an animated corpse (undead entity) that survives by drinking the blood (and/or by draining the life force, essence, energy) of living humans or animals. Stories of vampire-like creatures have been told worldwide from nearly the beginning of ancient history (Persian, Roman, Mesopotamian and Greek mythology account for slightly similar beings). The physical appearance, habits, motives, and other characteristics of vampires, appear to differ based on the region in which the vampire folklore originated. However, it was the increased level of vampire superstition spreading throughout Europe by the 1700s that mostly influenced how we perceive vampires today. These superstitions were largely drawn from stories told by travelers returning from parts of eastern Europe such as Transylvania, the Carpathian Mountains, Wallachia and certain areas within the Balkans.
Many credit Bram Stoker's novel, Dracula (1897), for creating the momentum necessary to propel the vampire myth into the new millennium. It should be noted that Stoker's novel was not the first to describe a vampire. Many works preceded his. Also an interesting website, and contrary to popular belief, Dr. Elizabeth Miller writes, "It is my contention that Stoker was not, as many think, inspired by accounts of Vlad the Impaler to create the character of Count Dracula." I recommend you to visit her website when you have time to learn more.
The Rise of the Popularized Transylvanian "GOTH", Stokerarian-"ish" Vampire
The Transylvanian subspecies of vampire is a ghoulish and very powerful entity. In fact, they are shown to possess superhuman abilities and are nearly immortal. A vampire's physical appearance is commonly described as having pale skin with a bony, thin, and/or sickly-looking body frame. These earlier Stokerarian-ish descriptions are often largely transformed by the style of the individual artists, such as the writers or movie directors of our time. The descriptions of these
ghastly undead beings may
"dark side" of the Transylvanian breed of vamp. Sadly though, the vampire traits we adore have started becoming replaced with fluffy bunny versions, e.g. Twilight.
Some Characteristics of the Classic Transylvanian Vampire We Appreciate
- Superhuman strength and abilities (nearly immortal)
- Body in an overall state of suspended decay
- Pale skin color, "veiny", slight decay, discoloration
- Tendency toward bony, thin and/or sickly overall stature
- Pointed canine teeth
- Hypnotic gaze
- Full, red lips
- Long sharp fingernails
- Malevolent
- No reflection or shadow
- Can shape shift
- Hairy palms
- Bad breath
- Eastern European accent
- Evil, able to lure victims with hypnotic or sometimes seductive ways
What Are Vampires?
 When vampires rule. Picture of a more terrifying depiction of the Transylvanian flavor of Vampire from the movie Salem's Lot, 1979, and based on Stephen King's novel. |
A vampire is mythological being that appears as an animated corpse (undead entity) that survives by drinking the blood (and/or by draining the life force, essence, energy) of living humans or animals. Stories of vampire-like creatures have been told worldwide from nearly the beginning of ancient history (Persian, Roman, Mesopotamian and Greek mythology account for slightly similar beings). The physical appearance, habits, motives, and other characteristics of vampires, appear to differ based on the region in which the vampire folklore originated. However, it was the increased level of vampire superstition spreading throughout Europe by the 1700s that mostly influenced how we perceive vampires today. These superstitions were largely drawn from stories told by travelers returning from parts of eastern Europe such as Transylvania, the Carpathian Mountains, Wallachia and certain areas within the Balkans.
Many credit Bram Stoker's novel, Dracula (1897), for creating the momentum necessary to propel the vampire myth into the new millennium. It should be noted that Stoker's novel was not the first to describe a vampire. Many works preceded his. Also an interesting website, and contrary to popular belief, Dr. Elizabeth Miller writes, "It is my contention that Stoker was not, as many think, inspired by accounts of Vlad the Impaler to create the character of Count Dracula." I recommend you to visit her website when you have time to learn more.
The Rise of the Popularized Transylvanian "GOTH", Stokerarian-"ish" Vampire
 Twilight: A fluffy vampire soap opera. |
Some Characteristics of the Classic Transylvanian Vampire We Appreciate
- Superhuman strength and abilities (nearly immortal)
- Body in an overall state of suspended decay
- Pale skin color, "veiny", slight decay, discoloration
- Tendency toward bony, thin and/or sickly overall stature
- Pointed canine teeth
- Hypnotic gaze
- Full, red lips
- Long sharp fingernails
- Malevolent
- No reflection or shadow
- Can shape shift
- Hairy palms
- Bad breath
- Eastern European accent
- Evil, able to lure victims with hypnotic or sometimes seductive ways