The Evolution of the Vampire
Blog by Ronna Gage
Today’s blog I’d like to carefully compare the evolution and the adaptation of the vampire through the years of the lifetime and history of the vampire. The growth and changes through the authors, readers, and at times the directors, eyes as well. We will see changes they made from the first version to the updated version of the same movie themselves, or of other vampires.
Example, we will compare the original Bram Stoker’s Dracula –a top selling book of its time—to the updated version of itself.
We will critique the differences of An Interview with a Vampire by Anne Rice, against the Vampire Heroes of today in romance novels such as: The Virgin Witch and the Vampire King by Trinity Blacio,Undone (Vampire Awakenings,)by Brenda K. Davies. **This cover looked awesome, plus I liked it. J** Must we not forget the good old television Series: True Blood, Vampire Diaries, and I, personally, couldn’t wait for Friday nights when Moonlight starring Alex O’ Laughlin as vampire detective Mick St. John showed weekly episodes of crime solving mysteries, friendships made, and trusts built and love bonds growing between he and his co-star. Now, he’s a former Naval Commander on Hawaii 5-0 and I still love Friday nights. I set up popcorn, sodas, and sliced pickles, movie food at the house, and the cast of Hawaii—nothing like it.
What’re the differences most of our audiences notice today about the blood thirsty fiend of today? They are hotter, cuter, younger I’d say no more than twenty something—or just the right age for them to have a wild night of passion in the arm of a mater seducer. The books we write both as authors and screen writers make them romantic enough the readers forget they are deadly at will, and are a championed hero.
What do we notice right away? The new vampire can live forever. Do they take advantage of the electronic age and gain a new education? Take a chance and improve their cognitive expansion of understanding and intellect of an even better and a smarter understanding on the subjective roles of each rebuilt life or future ahead of them. Do they learn by the by the school of hard knocks? Does this group of young misfits worry about their death and where it leads once they are dead? I do wonder how to kill them off and what they do wonder about the area that all vampires go. Is it like the same place where broken hearts? It is an interesting question? Is there redemption in heaven once a vampire and his or her soul are reunited? Does a vampire who is turned against his will get to be forgiven?
Two, today’s vampires are able to conceive. How is this possible? The undead cannot make live sperm, there are no reproductive hormones. I’m confused on this one. I think it is very unrealistic for this one to happen. Even if you have a fertility ring in your pussy, or around your cock, a shaman’s necklace of jumping beans on your neck and ankles like a bracelet, and a Mayan fertility goddess praying for your conception while you make love in front of her and the group of Pagan worshipers lying in a fertile jungle in in Cozumel. I’m not sure even this grand boost of fertile showmanship could get a vampire to a point of conceiving. Yet, on the Twilight, the heroine did have baby. We weren’t sure if it was the vampire’s or the werewolf. I’m just not buying it. Sorry.
Three, today’s vampire is able to work in the sunlight. The younger group has a day ring, which allows them to work or socialize in the sun without bursting out in flames as told over and over again. The vampire’s evolution to withstand the sun’s effects is a scientific terms adaptation—adapting to one’s environment so one can flourish and thrive.)
The vamps in my story, Ronna Gage Vampire Chronicles I use the sun allergy called, polymorphic light eruption, also known as sun poisoning. This allows the evolution of the vampire’s death from by sun. I can’t help the other forms of death at this time, but I have made reasons for what they do to the vampire’s bodies. At one time in old vampire books, a vampire faced death by a stake of wood through the heart, a flaming cross on his forehead, and Holy water on his face. Ow! Or, he faces beheading. This is part of the new vampires defeat. There are new ways to defeat the vampire. One is the death by behead, facing the Vampirean Council and allowing them to determine the vampire’s fate.
In the movie, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, (1930) All of us watched in curious anticipation as the old man greeted Jonathan, the new accountant, to Count Dracula’s estate. Some of us bit on our lips hoping this man would get out of the house alive. Especially after Dracula sees a picture of Harker’s young bride to be and encourages him; Johnathan to stay with him. ‘A storm rages and will be upon us soon.’
Harker graciously accepts the invitation. Whoops.
“Oh no” Johnathan we rage at the television!”
I watched that whole movie and was awed by the fact that no vampires blew up in the sun’s rays or burned to a crisp. I realize I watched the updated version with Gary Oldman and Keanu Reeves; I like them better I guess.
The differences between these movie versions: The vampire turns Willy into a vampire only if she drinks his blood. She is turned when she drinks the pure blood of his heart. I asked myself…What is this? Dancing With Wolves? You eat the hot or warm heart of a kill?
Let’s also keep in mind, in this earlier version; the only possible way to kill this vampire compared to this updated version (1993) was cutting off the head. Wilhelmina is the woman Count Vlad III “The Impaler” Dracula loves most in this world for she looks most like his betrothed from a century ago, is the only woman who can kill him, or he will strike at anyone who will try to attack him. In the updated movie, Mina takes him to a temple, and places him on the center floor and professes her love to her gallant prince, and then cuts his head off after a final kiss. This cutting off the head is still used in some romance novels today.
So, to sum this one up; Dracula can drink blood only, He does sit with Johnathan as he dines, but he claims he dines early in the evening. Wilhelmina is changed into a vamp by drinking his blood. Dracula can age and become younger at will, He is a master at seduction…lucky woman. Sun doesn’t set him aflame, and cutting his head off is his demise. He can shift change to a demon, he can become vaporous to kill his follower, and the former accountant of his estate; Mr. Renfield and he can become younger, show emotion, calm animals with his emotions and mind. In all, he is a sensitive man when he wants to be, but a tyrant when he fights. Bram Stoker patterned this character after Ivan the Horrible.
In the original Movie, Count gives the vampire women a baby to feed off of in his absence. They are told not to turn Harker, but keep him busy. In the updated version, the women are given a hors
Real life tidbit: The original actor, who played Dr. Van Helsing, Herbert Lon believed himself to be a vampire. He even drank blood of people who volunteer to give him their blood.
Let’s find evolutions and or adaptations in Anne Rice’s An interview with a Vampire.(1995 ) I chose this one well because it is a great movie about vampires, and I love Brad Pitt’s long hair back then and Tom cruise isn’t too bad either. No, he’s great. The history and synopsis to this story I feel is one of survival of the spirit, living forever isn’t as romantic as it sounded—especially for a child waiting to grow up with a mother, be an adult, and be normal. Brad Pitts character Louie. He lost his family, he lost a home in which he was the head of his family and his plantation. In this case he tried to survive this loss. He meets Lestat and thus turns him into a vampire, and now Louis has a forever lifetime to remember his pain. Enters Claudia, a young girl sitting beside her dying mother’s bedside crying for her to wake up while she too falls ill. In the days Black Plague people were dying everywhere. In order for Louis to have a ‘family’ he had to turn this little girl to have one. Regretfully, Claudia is changed and becomes both Lestat’s and Louis’ adopted child.
Ronna Gage Vampire Chronicles
I have seven installments invested in this series. Book one has already came out. I took chance on the vampire romance and found it was much harder than I thought it would be. So many things didn’t sit well with me. Sun burned them to a crisp, couldn’t maintain their e own lands and properties, only worked at night so their faces are pale white almost like liquid paper? None of that made one bit of sense to me. I adapted my vampires; Marty and Greg to adjust to their environment over the years, and viola, there you go. No day rings, not working in the night hours only, although too much sun does make one weak. So of course most socializing is done in the evening.
In the first book I ask the reader to ponder the question; would you allow yourself to be changes into a vampire knowing it out and you would live forever? Knowing or not that at your death you may or may not go to heaven.
It does give you something to think about doesn’t it?
Have a wonderful day, Ronna Gage.
Bibliography Page
I have found a site containing 480 quotes. I’d like to share a few with you now.
- http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/6988.Bram_Stoker
- “There are darknesses in life and there are lights, and you are one of the lights, the light of all lights.”
― Bram Stoker, Dracula
Key words: darkness light mina van-helsing
3. “Once again...welcome to my house. Come freely. Go safely; and leave something of the happiness you bring.”
― Bram Stoker, Dracula tags:
Tags: entrapment, supernatural,
- Wikipedia ***I for some reason like this one.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Count_Dracula#Early_life
All these books: can be bought at Amazon, and at Barnes and Noble at and at their individual publisher
Martin Novak insisted that he’d never change another person’s life for love and his pleasure. For centuries he lived by that self-imposed code. Now, he is contemplating a change of heart for not only his own pleasure, but to save the life of the woman he loves. Carleena loved life and lived it to the fullest. Love and happiness fills her now that she’s found her perfect man. But when she learns she is sick, and it could keep them apart, her life is further complicated by the secret Marty has been keeping. Will he truly be the perfect man for her? Will he love her to the end? Is her hope for everlasting happiness only…One Bite Away?
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Ronna Gage Romance Author
Romance so hot, you'll feel the burn.
Ronna Gage Bookshelf
Three Hearts One Love
Send Her to Me PRINT
Paradise Mine PRINT
The Search is Over PRINT
One Bite Away Ronna Gage Vampire Chronicles book 1
Bare it All
Love Lessons
Friends and Lovers
In the Christmas Spirit
Mystic Journey
Tell Me a Lie
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