Title

Shadow of the Vampire: Understanding the Transformations of an Icon in Popular Culture

Document Type

Thesis

Comments


Presented to the Honors Committee of Texas State University-San Marcos In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For Graduation in the Mitte Honors Program.

Abstract

Once the vampire was seen as the villainous antagonist in literature and film, but over the last two centuries the character has evolved into the vigilante anti-hero. This paper analyzes the transformation of the vampire character asking, "How can it be that something that should provoke fear and repulsion is now an icon of popular culture?" Use of Joseph Campbell’s theories of mythology and culture alongside the psychological theories of Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung presents one explanation for the vampire’s shift from monster to dark hero.