Date

4-7-2026

Department

College of Arts and Sciences

Degree

Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing (MFA)

Chair

Melissa Wade

Keywords

Vampire, Vampires, Teen, Romance, Fiction, Supernatural, Young Adult

Disciplines

English Language and Literature

Abstract

Many fantasy creatures have dark pasts; supernatural, often disturbing, stories that have been tossed in a sauce of romance to appeal to a wider palette. While vampires are typically regarded as creations of nightmares, these creatures of the night have been no exception to this cycle. Although legends of blood suckers far predate the birth of Bram Stoker, Dracula is arguably the most enduring and important example of vampire literature. By beginning with Dracula, alongside earlier works like The Vampyre and Carmilla, we will track what has and has not changed within the genre of vampire literature. With the passage of time, trends and taboos will change, leaving the modern society very different from Stoker’s Victorian age, yet vampires remain a popular topic. This study sets out to compare modern stories such as the Twilight, Vampire Chronicles, and Vampire Academy series to the seminal Dracula.

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