Vampire fiction can be horror, romantic, or adventurous, with variations on the basic need to drink blood. Traditional vampire myths describe them as undead creatures who drink the blood of the living and are nocturnal. Some stories focus on the scary aspects of the vampire mythos, while others explore the romantic or tragic potentials. Perspective is a common problem in fictional vampire tales, with some stories told from the point of view of the vampires themselves.
Vampire fiction is any type of fictional story dealing with the mythical monster known as the Vampire. These creatures are portrayed in many ways, serving as villains in some stories and as heroes in others. The main attribute that does not change in most vampire novels is the basic need to drink blood, but there are many variations on other characteristics, some of which are based on myth while others are purely invented by different authors. Vampire fiction is sometimes a kind of horror fiction, and in other cases, it can even be more romantic or even provide action and adventure.
Most vampire fiction is based on historical vampire myths to varying degrees, and in some ways, many of these mythic stories could be considered the earliest type of vampire fiction. Traditional vampire myths mostly describe the creatures as some kind of ghost or walking corpse that drinks the blood of the living. In myth, vampires often prey on family members and acquaintances, coming to them at night while they sleep and slowly wasting them away by drinking their blood. The vampire himself usually does not age, and most cultures that believed in vampires also thought that certain ritual mutilations had to be performed on their sleeping corpses to kill them, including such things as driving stakes through their hearts or beheading them. Another common aspect of the vampire myth is the belief that they are nocturnal.
Sometimes vampire fiction is designed solely to scare the audience. In these cases, authors often focus on the undead scary aspects of the vampire mythos, along with the concept of contagion. Stories like this one are also usually based on the potentially scary idea that family members or loved ones turn into monsters and come back to endanger those they once cared about.
Another type of vampire fiction is more focused on the romantic or tragic potentials of the vampire mythos. Some people find that the dark and dangerous aspects of the vampire can have an underlying sex appeal, and this attraction is often the main basis of these stories. Another common theme is the immortal vampire in love with a mortal person. The idea that the human gradually ages while the vampire continues to live eternally can lead to sad or tragic plots.
A common problem in fictional vampire tales is the question of perspective. Some stories focus on humans trying to deal with vampires, either as a romantic obsession or something to fear. Other stories are actually told from the point of view of the vampires themselves, which can be an unsettling experience in some stories and an escape in others. Some stories can also alternately function as an escapist narrative in some parts, only to surprise the reader by showing something creepy in another part. In fact, this sort of alternation between attraction and repulsion is often a central theme in some vampire fiction.
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