Vampires in Fiction: From Villains to Heroes in 2 Centuries

Contemporary depictions of vampires suggest a whole new understanding of evil, one that should be examined.
Vampires in Fiction: From Villains to Heroes in 2 Centuries
Lobby card for "Dracula," with Dracula (Bela Lugosi, R) and Van Helsing (Edward Van Sloan). Public Domain
Walker Larson
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There’s a hidden threat within much of our contemporary fiction, slipping past our defenses like some stalker in the night.

As a culture, our understanding of the monstrous has been turned upside down. Creatures that were traditionally considered the quintessence of wickedness, symbols of genuine evil, and the spawn of hell have become in our day heroes and role models, especially for the young.

Walker Larson
Walker Larson
Author
Prior to becoming a freelance journalist and culture writer, Walker Larson taught literature and history at a private academy in Wisconsin, where he resides with his wife and daughter. He holds a master's in English literature and language, and his writing has appeared in The Hemingway Review, Intellectual Takeout, and his Substack, The Hazelnut. He is also the author of two novels, "Hologram" and "Song of Spheres."
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