• Open Daily: 10am - 10pm
    Alley-side Pickup: 10am - 7pm

    3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
    612-822-4611

Open Daily: 10am - 10pm | Alley-side Pickup: 10am - 7pm
3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
612-822-4611
The Legacy of John Polidori: The Romantic Vampire and Its Progeny

The Legacy of John Polidori: The Romantic Vampire and Its Progeny

Paperback

Literary Criticism

ISBN10: 1526198223
ISBN13: 9781526198228
Publisher: Manchester University Press
Published: Jun 23 2026
Pages: 336
Weight: 1.02
Height: 0.69 Width: 6.14 Depth: 9.21
Language: English
John Polidori's novella The Vampyre (1819) is perhaps 'the most influential horror story of all time' (Frayling). Polidori's story transformed the shambling, mindless monster of folklore into a sophisticated, seductive aristocrat that stalked London society rather than being confined to the hinterlands of Eastern Europe. Polidori's Lord Ruthven was thus the ancestor of the vampire as we know it. This collection explores the genesis of Polidori's vampire. It then tracks his bloodsucking progeny across the centuries and maps his disquieting legacy. Texts discussed range from the Romantic period, including the fascinating and little-known The Black Vampyre (1819), through the melodramatic vampire theatricals in the 1820s, to contemporary vampire film, paranormal romance, and science fiction. The essays emphasise the background of colonial revolution and racial oppression in the early nineteenth century and the cultural shifts of postmodernity.

1 different editions

Also available

Also from

George, Sam

Also in

Literary Criticism