If you're attending the Ideafestival this year (and you should, you know) then you have the opportunity to sit in on the Power Lunch, hosted by Kris Kimel and attended/participated in by me. We'll be talking about power. That much you could probably figure out by the title. And since my contribution is from the linguistic and literary angle, I've been thinking a lot about the different characters and authors I've read over the years and how this theme of power plays out in different genres.
We could visit the Shakespearean characters; Lady Macbeth is hungry for power so she convinces her husband to kill his king, but after gaining power she goes insane and keeps seeing blood on her hands and ends up killing herself. Macbeth's fate was foretold by the three witches (those of the double, double toil and trouble, fire burn and cauldron bubble) and he comes to a quick end. In fact, most of Shakespeare's characters who do something bad in order to gain power end up, well, dead. Hamlet's uncle, Hamlet's mother, Hamlet...Macbeth, Othello, Iago. All dead. But Shakespeare isn't the author I'm thinking of tonight. In fact, I'm thinking of several authors who deal with one very popular topic right now. Vampires!
That's right. Vampires. You've all seen them. The blood sucking, cape wielding, night stalking monsters of the night. They're in everything from books, to movies to TV shows. But today's vampire is much different than those of the past. He or she is apparently very beautiful and very dangerous because of his or her ability to seduce their prey. Unlike the original vampires that represented the struggle between good and evil, today's vampire is one which makes us feel pity, even a desire to forgive them for their macabre needs. The character has changed over the years, and instead of a faceless, evil entity, our heroes battle a person who has made difficult decisions in order to protect the everlasting life that has been awarded (or cursed upon however you might see it) them.
Let us begin with the first real vampire novel, written by Bram Stoker in 1890, Dracula. This story, written in an epistolary style is a wonderful novel which tells us less about the count than those who oppose him. The novel is more or less a battle between the forces of god and the devil for the soul of Mina Harker. We do not hear much from the count, but it is evident in the book that he represents all that is evil, and his companions represent that which all men should fear, the sexually aggressive woman. In this scene, Jonathan Harker ventures into a part of the castle he should not go, and is greeted by the three "voluptuous" women.
The girl went on her knees, and bent over me, simply gloating. There was a deliberate voluptuousness which was both thrilling and repulsive, and as she arched her neck she actually licked her lips like an animal, till I could see in the moonlight the moisture shining on the scarlet lips and on the red tongue as it lapped the white sharp teeth. Lower and lower went her head as the lips went below the range of my mouth and chin and seemed to fasten on my throat. Then she paused, and I could hear the churning sound of her tongue as it licked her teeth and lips, and I could feel the hot breath on my neck. Then the skin of my throat began to tingle as one's flesh does when the hand that is to tickle it approaches nearer, nearer. I could feel the soft, shivering touch of the lips on the super sensitive skin of my throat, and the hard dents of two sharp teeth, just touching and pausing there. I closed my eyes in languorous ecstasy and waited, waited with beating heart.
Heady stuff for the late 19th century. I'm sure women were fainting and panting all over England when this first was published. It is a good example of the ideals of the time regarding women and their sexual power over men. It is a small scene, but one which leads us to wonder whether Mina will fall victim to the count and thus become a ruined woman or whether good will prevail and save her from the dark side.
Aside from Dracula, the most well known vampire of literature is certainly Lestat, Anne Rice's beloved Vampire from her series which begins with Interview With the Vampire. Lestat is handsome, dashing, petulant, overbearing and utterly lovable. There is even a Lestat fan club which I have NOT joined only because I just do not have time to be in another literary fan club. These novels are not just modern shock culture, they are truly literary genius and have begun to show up in literature classrooms in colleges and even some high schools. What Anne Rice has done for the vampire is to give him a face, a character, and persona that does not represent all that is evil but which makes us question what is good and evil. Even if you are not a fan of vampire literature, her work is worthy of reading if only for her fabulous prose, picturesque imagery and constant attention to historical detail which makes all of her books a wonderful read.
Unlike Anne's books which are in my opinion, some of the best literature of all time, Stephanie Meyer has found a place on the vampire book shelf with her world-wide successful Twilight series. This group of books follows the forever-going-to-be-a-17 year old (seriously can you imagine) Edward. Girls all over the world are falling for Edward. He is the ultimate bad boy, the one who can kill you or kiss you or both. He is beautiful, scary, sexy and your father's worst nightmare. Although these books are not written with the skill of Anne's books, they do have a story that is interesting and intriguing. Will Bella keep Edward? Will she choose Edward or her best friend (who also happens to be a werewolf; yeah I know) Jacob? What will happen? Will they be together forever!??? You get the idea. And yes, I did read them.
This post was supposed to be about power in literature, more specifically the power struggles in vampire literature but I guess I have digressed. It would take far too long to analyze all of the power struggles in these stories. I will leave you instead with a couple of clips from films adapted from these texts.
The first is from the 1992 version of Bram Stoker's story, Dracula. This is a very good version as it stays very close to the original text. The biggest differences are A). Dracula is cool B). there is a love affair between Dracula and Mina. The story of Dracula's beginning is explained. I warn you. It is horrific, violent, erotic and fabulously great. Watch with care.
The next is the trailer for the first installment of Meyer's stories, Twilight. This isn't nearly as violent, horrific or erotic, but if teenage angst bothers you you might want to get your barf bag.
Tina
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