Male vs female authors of vampire fiction

[Taake]

So I've been reading about vampires in litterature and media and how the vampire has turned from metaphoric to metonymic in modern culture, a point well made as we can see stark contrasts between e.g. Bram Stoker's "Dracula" and the more modern Anne Rice or LJ Smith and their "Vampire Chronicles"/ "Vampire diaries", in the latter two vampires are no longer the ultimate evil fighting against an ultimate good, but sympathetic protagonists where the evil they do is present yet somehow downplayed in respect to their more human and communal sides. (Dracula is a loner, repulsive and alien amongst all... with the exception of his three Dracu-babes he has no 'family' whereas modern vampires are more or less pack-creatures much like humans)

This demythologizing of vampires is interestesting as in modern culture we have gone from viewing the vampire 'alien other' as something bad to something good. Vampires, no longer viewed as the ultimate evil, are now the leads of several stories, de-fanged even in certain versions (i.e vegetarian) thus making the gap between humans / vampires even lesser.

Reading an essay by Margaret Carter I came across this section:
"As Gordon notes, it is more often female than male authors who choose to create symphathetic vampires. She suggests that this tendency reflects a "feminist rethinking of the traditional power structure" that draws on "female notions of power and strenght." The "feminist vision" preceives "power in the giver of nourishment as well as in the take". Thus the vampire, though a natural predator, need not be imagined as "greedy and rapacious" but may participate in a pattern of "exchange rather than hierarchy"
(from "The Vampire As Alien")


What do you guys think of this?
Do you think there is a clear difference between male and female authors of vampire fiction?
Is there an underlying feminist 'agenda' or viewpoint if you will behind the changes of the modern vampires?

(I'd like to add that I mainly refer to literary vampires here as televised vampires are more of a group effort and not the product of one author)

 

[brinkster130]

Interesting topic [MENTION=9799]Taake[/MENTION]!

To be honest, I've never thought of it all that much in terms of male authors vs. female authors. I suppose for the most part I've been fairly unaware of what gender has written the literature I've read. The demythologizing of vampires has been very apparent, especially in the last few years with the whole fantasy monster burst in popularity, and I have certainly noticed that, however I don't know if I have ever really felt (or noticed) an underlying feminist viewpoint. In more recent lit females have roles other than the helpless victim, so I can see how that could be viewed as somewhat feminist, however going from the victim to the loyal lover doesn't scream feminist to me. In most of the vampire stories I've read the males have in some way held power over the female characters; whether it be physical, mind or emotional.

Very interesting, I need to give it more thought before I can really respond further. Also, I found this article about Feminism in vampire novels interesting, although it does include works of tv also. 🙂

 

[Cast No Shadow]

Interesting! I definitely think gender comes into it, and I also think that the passage of time is involved as well, "typical" vampire novels don't appear to suit people now, and I think authors attempt to keep things fresh as time passes by putting their own take on the vampire myth.

 

[Taake]

Well if by 'typical' vampire novels you mean Stoker and those other older (less famous) stories and myths about vampires I would say that the transition is quite natural as the "alient other"/ what was different was the considered bad and hostile. The herd was the norm and personal deviances caused for persecution. Hence the vampire was the ultimate outsider, often of 'exotic' origins he is completely other (the Dracu-babes are rather typically Victorian, staying at home while the man goes off and does his own thing) and almost Anti-Christ like, not someone the readers sympathize with. His victims were also personal and rather erotic, usually these are the ones we feel for.

Whereas now, socially and culturally speaking, 'different' isn't a cause for persecution anymore (mostly) but in many cases admired. So the vampire becomes a positive figure instead, wholly other as 'he' is, and the vampire females aren't really near the Victorian Dracubabes in personality anymore. And the killing has come de-personalized and in many cases less erotic as humans play less of a role in vampires lives, their nameless and seldom gives us reasons as readers to attach any care for them (They function as Happy Meals on legs more or less)

What I'm wondering is that if you think there's a feminist underlying tone here? That the sympathetic vampire as we see it today (growingly sympathetic as we can even put vegetarian vampires into the equation now) is mainly shape by female authors using the re-structure of vampires as a kind of metaphor for other power struggles between something and 'alien others' (e.g. male vs female) and that it might be why female authors identify with vampires and therefor chose to present their side of things which is a relatively modern concept

🙂

 

[brinkster130]

What I'm wondering is that if you think there's a feminist underlying tone here?

The problem I'm having seeing it as having a feminist undertone is that often times the males typically still have power of some sort over the females. While the role of females has expanded, it seems like the males still hold the power over the females; especially sexually.

 

[Buffy Summers]

I think maybe the it's the female writers romanticizing the myth. I can't name (not that it doesn't exist) one female author who writes vampire stories as true horror, where the male authors that I can think of are writing from a place of horror, not of vampires as interesting people.