podcast # 1 Vampire History
Summary of podcast:When we talk about vampires, many people will think of Bram Stoker, because his Dracula is famous all over the world and has become the image of vampire in many people’s hearts. But the history and story of vampires actually started before that.
Vampire superstition thrived in the Middle Ages, especially as the plague decimated entire towns. The disease often left behind bleeding mouth lesions on its victims, which to the uneducated was a sure sign of vampirism.When a suspected vampire died, their bodies were often disinterred to search for signs of vampirism. In some cases, a stake was thrust through the corpse’s heart to make sure they stayed dead. Other accounts describe the decapitation and burning of the corpses of suspected vampires well into the nineteenth century.
Argument(s) made in podcast:
So the source of the vampire is often thought to be a fantasy created by people based on various medieval diseases.
Also many people thought Bram Stoker named Count Dracula after Vlad Dracula, also known as Vlad the Impaler. Vlad Dracula was born in Transylvania, Romania. He ruled Walachia, Romania, off and on from 1456–1462.According to legend, Vlad Dracula enjoyed dining amidst his dying victims and dipping his bread in their blood. Whether those gory tales are true is unknown. Many people believe these stories sparked Stoker’s imagination to create Count Dracula.
Most interesting contributions to topic:
It gave me a new perspective on the origin of Vampires — diseases from the middle ages. Because most of the origins of vampires I knew before were from Cain’s killing his brother. God punished him for wandering all his life and could only live by blood sucking. Although he will never die, he will be hunted by all the world.Or the vampire is a noble descendant of European royal family. At first, the Duke of Herbert III was the first vampire. He was baptized by the moonlight, in the process of looking at the moon, he promoted to the noble vampire.
New information:
It gives me a new reason for the origin of vampires, and gives me a new research direction—— Vlad the Impaler, many people thought he is the prototype of Dracula.
Works Cited:
History.com Editors,Vampire History”,September 13, 2017,https://www.history.com/topics/folklore/vampire-history
Marc Lallanilla,“The Real Dracula: Vlad the Impaler”,September 14, 2017,https://www.livescience.com/40843-real-dracula-vlad-the-impaler.html
podcast # 2 Why We Love Vampires: The Psychology Behind the Obsession
Summary of podcast:The subject of vampire has been loved by people since 200 years ago, so what are the reasons why we like vampires?
Vampires are slick and cool looking.
Vampires are minimalists.
Vampires are smart.
Vampires are fearless.
Vampires are powerful.
Vampires are loners (until the more recent popular media), but they are perfectly comfortable with their solitary existence. We wish we could be as self-reliant and autonomous.
Argument(s) made in podcast:
Psychologically, this article tells us the reason why vampires are always charming. No matter in or outside the works, there are always many people who like vampires.
Most interesting contributions to topic:
We often see that many heroines like vampires, such as Edward Cullen (Twilight), Eric Northman (true blood). So vampires have their unique charm, and on the basis of this article, we can analyze systematically which aspects of vampire make them so different.
New information:
Besides appearance and origin, I can explore many vampires and the psychology of the characters in the works. Because the vampires in every work are different. They are not always as beautiful as those in twilight, so the reasons why every heroine love vampires are not necessarily the same. I want to explore the reasons behind them. And vampires as a kind of humanoid monsters, what kind of psychological activities they are also very curious to me.
Works Cited:
Dr. Belisa Vranich,”Why We Love Vampires: The Psychology Behind the Obsession”,July 23,2010,https://www.huffpost.com/entry/why-we-love-vampires-the_b_655674
Douglas T. Kenrick Ph.D.“Supernatural Stimuli: Why Women Love Vampires”,October 29,2016,https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/sex-murder-and-the-meaning-life/201610/supernatural-stimuli-why-women-love-vampires
