Losing its Bite?: Exploring the Vampire in Pop Culture
The concept of the vampire is ubiquitous in modern pop culture, from Dracula to Twilight.
Vampires are a common sight around Halloween, with decorations and costumes of the iconic character.
However, behind the modern idea of the vampire lies a legacy of representing cultural fears, such as homophobia and antisemitism.
The vampire has always been associated with fear of the Other.
History of Vampires in Pop Culture
The concept of the vampire has been present in folk mythology, but its first appearance in English popular culture was in 1819 with John William Polidori's The Vampyre.
The question is: do modern portrayals of vampires continue this legacy, or subvert it?
Author's summary: Vampires are everywhere in pop culture, but are they still scary?