The supernatural has always had a strong appeal with human mankind. In the folklore of nearly every society, tales about supernatural beings can be found making this fascination universe. Supernatural creatures have also been protagonists of books, comics, music and movies for centuries haunting the audience´s dreams in the nights (Stanfield, p.1). Among all of them, vampires and werewolves seem to be the most enduring having made their way straight into the 21st century.
Today, Vampires and werewolves are everywhere with the Twilight series leading the way. The release of the four books by Stephenie Meyer can be seen as a major reason for the new hype about the supernatural beings in our time. It is the most popular series for children since Joanne K. Rowling’s Harry Potter novels. In 2008, “Eclipse” the third book of the Twilight saga ranked even higher than “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” pushing Joanne K. Rowling down to the second place of the bestseller list. The success was tremendous not only with young people but with an audience of all ages making the Twilight series the most commercially successful work on Vampires in the beginning of the 21st century (Anatol, p.1).
But how are Vampires and werewolves portrayed by Stephenie Meyer and how do these supernatural creatures differ from their ancestors in myth and classical literature?
Within the paper this question will be analyzed. Therefore, the history of the Vampire as well as the Werewolf legend will be traced back. The portrayal of Vampires and Werewolves in classical masterpieces of English literature as well as in the Twilight series will then be compared to the myth and to one another. In the end, the results will be interpreted.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- The Vampire
- Vampire legend
- The classic Vampire - Bram Stoker's Dracula
- The Vampire in the Twilight series
- The Werewolf
- Werewolf legend
- The classic Werewolf – The Werewolf of Paris
- The Werewolf of the Twilight series
- Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This paper aims to analyze the portrayal of vampires and werewolves in Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series and compare it to their representations in classical literature and myth. The analysis will trace the historical development of the vampire and werewolf legends, examining their characteristics and evolution. The paper will then delve into how these creatures are presented in classic works like Bram Stoker's Dracula and explore the similarities and differences between those portrayals and the Twilight series.
- The historical development of vampire and werewolf legends
- The evolution of vampire and werewolf characteristics in literature
- A comparison of vampire and werewolf portrayals in classical literature and the Twilight series
- The impact of the Twilight series on contemporary representations of vampires and werewolves
- The enduring appeal of supernatural beings in popular culture
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- Introduction: This chapter establishes the enduring fascination with supernatural beings, particularly vampires and werewolves, in human culture. It highlights the rise of the Twilight series and its impact on the popularity of these creatures in contemporary society. The chapter sets the stage for the analysis by introducing the paper's objectives and framing the key questions to be explored.
- The Vampire: This chapter dives into the history of the vampire legend, tracing its origins across different cultures and time periods. It examines the evolution of vampire characteristics and explores how these creatures have been depicted in various myths and legends. The chapter concludes with a focus on Bram Stoker's Dracula, analyzing its portrayal of the vampire and its influence on subsequent representations.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
This paper focuses on the themes of vampires, werewolves, supernatural beings, classical literature, mythology, popular culture, the Twilight series, and the enduring appeal of supernatural creatures in human society. It examines the evolution of these concepts and their portrayal in various literary and cultural contexts.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Lisa Günthner (Autor:in), 2013, Vampyres and Werewolfes. Legend, classical literature and the Twilight series, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/276509
