Program Overview

The Vampire: From Revenant to Gothic Hero

Course Overview

The course explores the changing nature of vampires and vampirism by examining the origins of this supernatural creature and its adaptations in different genres, from horror films to children's literature.

Course Details

• Duration: 10 weekly meetings
• Time: Thursdays from 18:00 to 20:00
• Credits: 10
• Level: 4
• Tutor: Dr. Juliette Wood
• Course Code: FOL25A5609A
• Fee: £208
• Concessionary Fee: £166
• Location: John Percival Building, Colum Drive, Cardiff, CF10 3EU

Learning and Teaching

The module will be delivered through ten 2-hour sessions, consisting of a 1-hour lecture followed by class discussion and group work on specific topics. Resources will be available via Learning Central.

Course Structure

1. Introduction: What is A Vampire?
2. Creating the Literary Vampire
3. Classical Forbears: Lamias and Incubi
4. Medicine and Magic: The Vampire in the Enlightenment
5. Historical Figures as Vampires
6. Death and Deviant Burials
7. Reviving the Vampire in Modern Fiction and Film
8. Feminist Vampires and the Femme Fatale
9. Goth Culture and Vampire Traditions

• Visit to Special Collections

Coursework and Assessment

• Formative assessment/feedback will occur on a weekly basis through class discussion and group work.
• Assignment 1 (Critical Review): 30%, 500 words, Week 5-6
• Assignment 2 (Essay): 70%, 1000 words, End of the module

Reading Suggestions

• Paul Barber, Vampires, Burial, and Death: Folklore and Reality (New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 1988)
• Mary Hallab, Vampire God: The Allure of the Undead in Western Culture (Albany: SUNY Press, 2009)
• Bill Hughes and Sam George (eds), Open Graves and Open Minds: Representation of Vampires and the Undead from the Enlightenment to the Present (Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2015)
• Patricia Pender, I'm Buffy and You're History: Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Contemporary Fiction (London and New York: I.B. Tauris, 2016)
• Jeffrey Weinstock The Vampire Film: Undead Cinema (London and New York: Wallflower; 2012)

Library and Computing Facilities

Students are entitled to join and use the University's library and computing facilities.

Accessibility

The University aims to provide a confidential advice and support service for students with long-term medical conditions, disabilities, or specific learning difficulties.