19th Century Vampires

The origins of today's myth

Vampires were a source of inspiration for many writers, including Bram Stoker, Sheridan Le Fanu, John William Polidori, and George MacDonald. Dracula by Bram Stoker is considered the most famous vampire story of the time. Vampires were a part of the folklore of many cultures for centuries. In 19th century New England, people believed that vampires caused sickness and death in families, and that the deceased would visit their relatives at night. The vampire became a metaphor for the social and economic upheaval of the 19th century, and for the forbidden desires of the time. Writers who didn't believe in vampires still saw the vampire as a metaphor for the pressure of the past on the present.