This 1872 novella by Sheridan Le Fanu was ground-breaking in several ways. It is not only one of the first examples of vampire fiction (pre-dating Bran Stoker’s Dracula by 25 years), but also the first to infer a lesbian element to vampiric attraction. This vampire seems to have a taste for blue blood. Peasant victims die quickly; two young aristocratic women enjoy her seductive company for longer. Could Carmilla have something else in mind for these two, such as spending eternity together? Themes: class differences, patriarchy, the supernatural, female sexuality, life and death.
A notable feature of the story is that there is very little of the violence that comes with modern vampire stories. The “horror” is created through the Gothic atmosphere, a growing sense of mystery, and descriptions of the shared dreams and turbulent emotions of Carmilla and her prey.
Original Text / PDF / Audio (28,000 words)