Abstract and Key Words

Abstract: The figure of vampire first appeared in Europe in the 14th century in the form of legend. It was not until the beginning of the 18th century that the vampires were on record. In English literature, the figure of vampire is endowed with the myth of medieval religion and the romance of Renaissance. In American literature, the vampire not only inherits the figures of English vampire but also adds human nature to its character. This study aims to make an analysis in terms of the vampire’s background, appearance, character traits, opinions of life and death, and sex and sensuality by comparing the English vampire fiction, Dracula, with the American vampire fictions, Interview with the Vampire and Twilight Saga. The results show that the vampire in American literature has been Americanized, and some Americanized features have been concluded to help understand the further development of vampire literature.

Key words: vampire, Dracula, Interview with the vampire, Twilight Saga

摘要：吸血鬼最早以传说的形式出现于十四世纪的欧洲，十八世纪初才有正式的文字记录。在英国文学中，吸血鬼形象被赋予了中世纪宗教的神秘色彩、文艺复兴的浪漫情调；而在美国文学中，吸血鬼不仅继承了前者的特点，还加入了对人性的探讨。本文通过将英国吸血鬼作品《德古拉》与美国吸血鬼作品《夜访吸血鬼》和《暮光之城》进行对比，分析了其背景，外貌，性格，生与死，爱欲方面的不同，得出结论认为美国文学作品中的吸血鬼形象已经美国化，并且总结归纳了吸血鬼形象美国化的几个特点，以帮助更深的理解吸血鬼文学的发展

关键词： 吸血鬼，《德古拉》，《夜访吸血鬼》，《暮光之城》

1. Introduction
1.1 Vampire in Ancient Folklores
The vampires in ancient folklore are always described as scaring, disgusting and dark monsters. The first vampire image is found in the Bible. There are three versions of the first vampire: Judas, who betrays Jesus; Lilith, who is Adam’s wife before Eve; Gain, who is the oldest son of Adam and Eve. It is difficult to prove that who, on earth, is the first vampire. Nonetheless, all the three figures are evil. The reason they became vampires is their sin against God.
The images of vampires spread as mythology, regional story are passed down. Vampire becomes a symbol of sin, evil and death. In The Vampire Book, vampire is described as being “a peculiar kind of revenant, a dead person who [has] returned to life and [continue] a form of existence through drinking the blood of the living”. In The Everything Vampire Book, vampire is “insufferably erotic creatures who with the help of their hypnotic powers can bend just about everyone to do their bidding, sexual or otherwise”. Wikipedia says, “vampires are mythological or folkloric beings who subsist by feeling on the life essence (generally in the form of blood) of living creatures, regardless of whether they are undead or a living person”.