From Conqueror to Rebel Without a Cause : The Change in the Symbolic Function of Vampires, from Bram Stoker’s Imperialistic Dracula to Anne Rice’s Anarchistic The Vampire Lestat

Abstract In this essay I look at the change in the symbolic function of vampires, and to see this I use Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Anne Rice’s The Vampire Lestat. My argument is that the difference between Dracula and Lestat is basically that they represent different ideologies, with Dracula being an imperialist, and Lestat being an anarchist. The difference is shown by taking examples from the text of the two novels, and also taking information about the ideologies, and seeing if the actions and thoughts of the characters match the suggested ideology. First, the essay looks at Dracula and his connection with imperialism, and then it turns to Lestat and his connection with anarchism. The conclusion is that the facts derived from the novels make it quite clear where the political hearts of the vampires lie