Hypnotic eyes, sparkling skin, quaffed hair, and the strength of a thousand men behind the stature of a sickly-looking one — we can’t help but sink our teeth into the fictional vampire. But where did this sexualization of a once exclusively scary character come from? Surprisingly, it didn’t start with The Vampire Diaries, but rather, all the way back in 1819 with the first hot dead guy, Lord Ruthven.
Described as a “cold, distant person with an aura that captivates people and makes him desirable in social gatherings,” Ruthven grabbed the attention of audience members for more than just his devious crimes. And with this unfolding archetype that joins the dangerous and the sexy — from Dracula to Varney The Vampire — history only continues to grab at the idea of “hot monster” whether the writers intended it or not.
There are logical thematic reasons for this attraction. While power, strength, control, and the “bad-boy” trope are attributes often seen as patriarchally sexy, so is this idea of an irresistible and unrestrained desire. Twilight, The Vampire Diaries, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer are all examples of the undead being thirsty for more than just blood. And, God, they just can’t help themselves! Bella smells so good, Elena is so kind, and Buffy has such strength; the one thing their vampire counterparts can’t beat is their longing for the girl.
When you think about these power dynamics, you have a man whose braun and often brain are not only pascals but decades greater than their love interests, and a young woman with human beauty and a kind and beating heart. The vampire will always win in any kind of competition (besides the rare, surprising, and endearing moments the girl has an upper hand), except for when it comes to his uncontrollable attraction to her. It’s his one, unmoving kryptonite. And when you look at these relationship characteristics, it’s a bit less surprising that people continue to desire such a mythical being.
It’s also reasonable to consider the customary physical appearance of these modern creatures. Edward from Twilight is pale and tired with toned muscles above a narrow frame. It only further contributes to this powerful, tortured soul that becomes an enticing contrast for many people, particularly women. The idea of a man who is somehow strong, smart, brooding, confident, blood-thirsty, moral, and mysterious all at once is the perfect recipe to make a vampire out of. So when hot actors were cast in the roles of vampires and started receiving fan mail in the late 1800s, it’s no wonder more writers began creating actual hot vampire characters. It speaks to this tantalizing interest in the beautiful and the dangerous, the kind and the killers, the smart and the reckless. Vampires are narratively as old as the beginning of time, and they aren’t going anywhere.
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