ÂÒÂ×Ðã

Summative Assessment

Coursework Essay 3,000 words (100%)

Formative Assessment

To be confirmed

Module Outline

‘Death, immortality, sexuality, rebellion and temptation. The vampire has embodied many literary and legendary images over the centuries. Whatever aspect holds your fascination, one thing is certain: the allure of vampires is eternal’ (j. Gordon Melton, The Vampire Book).

Ever since the publication of bram stoker’s Dracula in 1897, the vampire has been one of the most loved villains in horror literature and on the silver screen. More importantly, the image of the vampire has had an important effect on western ways of thinking about evil, social norms, and ‘the east’. The roots of vampire lore, however, are far older than stoker’s work of fiction. This course examines the history, folklore, and cultural impact of the vampire from ancient Greece through 15^th century Wallachia to modern Hollywood. The course is a half-unit course with ten weekly lectures given by six tutors.

The aim of the course is to give the student a framework for understanding the significance of the vampire as a cultural icon in the context of east European and wider western culture. The vampire is approached from a genuinely inter-disciplinary perspective: history, linguistics, folklore, literature, cultural studies, sociology, anthropology, and film studies are all incorporated in the study of the vampire.

Indicative Texts

To be confirmed.

Ìý

Please note: This outline is accurate at the time of publication. Minor amendments may be made prior to the start of the academic year.

Ìý