English 110: Writing and Research
Theme:� The Vampire in Folklore, Literature, and Film
winter 2015
Topics for the Term Paper
For this course, students will
be able to write their term papers on a number of different topics, some of
which are described below. Students who do not wish to write on any of the
suggested topics topics may write on another one once they have it approved by
one of the instructors.
� Describe the motifs about the vampire in folklore and compare them with those expressed in literature and/or film. Why do some of the motifs differ between folklore and the two art forms?
� Discuss the place of vampires in the social, cultural and religious contexts of those who believed in them. Why might people have actually believed in vampires?
� There are actual historic documents that discuss "vampiric" events, especially in the 18th century. What were these events? How did secular and ecclesiastic authorities react to them?
� After having studied the vampire motifs in folklore and literature, write an essay in which you compare the motifs in folklore with those in Bram Stoker's novel, Dracula.
� After studying the vampire in folklore and comparing several film and literary versions of the Dracula story, write an essay in which you explain how and why narratives from film or literature either depart from or maintain folkloric conventions.
� Some researchers have claimed that Bram Stoker based his character Dracula on Vlad Tepes. How strong is the evidence for this claim? What were Bram Stoker's sources in writing Dracula?
� What vampire motifs did 19th century authors introduce in their works? Which motifs survived in later writings? Which did not?
