The vampire is one of the oldest, most resilient archetypes in modern media. It has existed in a variety of forms in nearly every culture around the world. Historically, vampire lore has reflected the values and social structures of the culture it has existed in. In the twentieth century, the United States became the focal point of the vampire genre. As the archetype became integrated into American culture, modern vampire media changed. Several cultural elements were responsible for these alterations. The American people’s relationship with religion and spirituality were important elements of the changes. Also, the American fascination with a variety of scientific theories in the fields of evolutionary, medical and psychological science, were other forces that shaped vampire media in the modern era. Modern concepts of gender and sexuality also contributed to the dynamic alteration that occurred within vampire media in the last twenty-five years.

Contents

Preface

Introduction

Chapter 1: Secularization in American Culture

Chapter 2: American Fascination with Psychoanalysis and Self-Help

Chapter 3: American Gender and Sexual Politics

Chapter 4: A Look to the Future

Sexuality & Gender

Urbanization & Internet

Preface

Over the course of several years, I have developed an interest in the dynamic relationship that exists between art and culture. The topic is of particular interest to me because I believe that American culture often destroys the creative talents of the individual at an early age. Creativity is an integral part of human identity. As we are encouraged to draw or paint or write the right way, we lose part of our creative selves. In some cases, the need for perfection becomes so pronounced that individuals become incapable of creating anything.

Through my studies of the fields of fine art, the humanities and the social sciences, I have endeavored to develop a better understanding of the way that humanity and art shape one another. My search has taken many forms. In the early years, I took classes in anthropology, women’s literature, psychology, American history and creative writing. Though none of these courses were specifically designed with my particular interest in mind, I found ways to explore my fascination with the subject. In some classes, such as the anthropology course, I studied the bond between art and spirituality, while in others I focused on other concepts like gender and politics.

My associate degree thesis was written on the topic of Dissociative Identity Disorder, which is more popularly known as Multiple Personality Disorder. In the context of my thesis, I explored the cultural forces that were responsible for the surge in the diagnosis of D.I.D. since 1970. A portion of my argument consisted of an exploration of literature and film devoted to this topic.

During the summer that spanned between my graduation from community college and my attendance at Vermont College, I began exploring the artistic community on the internet. I developed close connections with artists in several genres. In response, I became an active participant in the online artistic community. As a result, this sphere of my life became a strong influence on my studies in the New College program.

In my first few semesters at New College, I focused on several broad art-related topics like the relationship between art and pornography. I also struggled to develop my personal relationship with art through painting, photography and digital artwork. These studies helped to strengthen my interest in the dynamics of art and culture, which had only been peripheral elements of my studies to this point.

In the year prior to beginning this thesis, I conducted a study that explored the cultural implications of deaf art and deaf artists. The information that I gathered throughout that study had a significant impact on me. I came to realize that the power of the performance artist in deaf culture is absolute. They are the chief source of identity for the outside world. Every action that a deaf artist performs becomes attached to every other deaf person. If they speak, people expect all deaf people to be able to speak. If they Sign, people expect all deaf people to Sign.

My study of deaf culture led me to look for another, even more dynamic example of the power of art in the lives of human beings. After becoming part of the internet community, I had stumbled into the sub-genre of vampire media. The topic fascinated me on many levels. I enjoyed the supernatural and romantic elements, but also found the spiritual and scientific facets to be fascinating as well.

As my interest in the topic developed, I became aware that belief in vampires stretched through thousands of years of human history. This, I decided, was the chance I was waiting for. The study of an artistic genre that had existed for so long and in so many different cultures had to be the capstone of my undergraduate work.

Over the last year, I have conducted two studies of vampire media. The first focused on the vampire as an historical entity, with a primary focus on vampire lore from Romania. Within the confines of this study, I explored the way that political upheaval, lack of knowledge of scientific principles, and cultural attitudes about gender and religion combined in the Romanian culture to create perhaps the most well-known body of vampire lore in modern times.

The research that I conducted over the course of that study helped me to realize that my final thesis needed to consist of an exploration of the role of the vampire in modern American media. The modern vampire genre has become a strong element of mainstream media in the last few decades. As this has happened, many new artists, myself included, have flocked to the genre. It is my hope that this thesis reflects the full scope of this exciting, perpetually changing artistic world. Though it is often dismissed as trivial, vampire media is an important, dynamic part of modern media that deserves more respect than it currently receives.

"Every age embraces the vampire it needs."
— Nina Auerbach Our Vampires, Ourselves

"Horror is . . . the state of mind induced by one’s confrontation with a violation of cultural categories"
— Philip L. Simpson Psycho Paths