The Readers Review: Literature from 1714 to 1910 discussion
This topic is about
In a Glass Darkly
J. Sheridan Le Fanu Collection
>
In a Glass Darkly - Week 6 (Carmilla, Part 1)
date
newest »
newest »
If you search for LeFanu using IMDb you’ll find a wealth of adaptations of Carmilla both with period settings and contemporary versions. Roger Vadim’s Blood and Roses and Hammer Films The Vampire Lovers are two of my favourites. The undertones of lesbian eroticism in the original story seem unparalleled in Victorian supernatural fiction.
Wow am I ever enjoying this! It did actually spook me just at the opening, so much so that after everyone else had already gone to bed, I found I had to put the book down. And last night, when called on to walk down to the barn after dark . . . I found I needed a companion! So far, the story is quite different from what I had expected. For some reason, I had been expecting Dracula in kernel form, but I don't think lesbian eroticism is present in Dracula at all. I could be wrong about this. There, as I recall, female vampires prey on men and children but not other women. But, that story is dominated by a male vampire to whom women fall prey. Here, women do fall prey . . . but so far only to other women, which makes for such a different power dynamic. Bram Stoker is sinking in my estimation . . .
It will be interesting to see who saves the day in the end. I do hope it's not exclusively the men!
I found chapter five, with its device of the restored portrait revealing Carmilla's original identity, particularly enjoyable. I'm understanding Carmilla to be some ancestor of Laura's, which makes the erotic intent she demonstrates toward Laura a bit strange. But maybe she's a cousin rather than a great-grandmother; there's no evidence of her having borne children before being turned into a vampire. Despite having an original name, I guess we still don't know exactly how close Carmilla is, genetically, to Laura. I wonder whether we'll ever find out.
I knew that Carmilla was an early vampire novel but, like Alice, I was still surprised by how modern its themes, devices and motifs were, especially the degree of lesbian eroticism. Alice points to Carmilla's image revealed in the old portrait and Bill points out two modern films modelled after Carmilla. The themes, devices and motifs used in this story are ones we in the 21st century have seen in vampire/horror movies all our lives. Thus while we can see what is really going on with certain events and foresee the possible outcomes, this must have been quite new and sensational to Victorian readers. Impressive, so far.
Mod
I finished this section and it is the best of all stories.
Mod
Carmilla is the story that is most often published on its own, since it is an original concept.
Mod
Lori wrote: "Glad you enjoyed it! I found the contrasts interesting between Carmilla and other vampire stories that came later (she didn't look like a corpse, didn't stay indoors or sleep during the day, and ap..."Indeed. It has not yet the cliches of the genre.
I have to finish it to decide if I like it, but so far the diagnostic is a positive one.
Rosemarie wrote: "I liked the last two stories in the collection.Carmilla is the story that is most often published on its own, since it is an original concept."
It was getting better story after story, for me.
Mod
Not for me. I did not see as a spoiler. Don't worry! :)
What happened to Bertha Rheinfeldt?
General Spielsdorf is off to hunt “a monster.” Will we hear from him again?
Who or what is Carmilla? (The story is well-known enough that many of us might already know.)
When Carmilla says her home is to the west, where do you think she’s referring to?
What are your thoughts of the speech she gave when Laura wanted to know more about her?
Why did Carmilla react so violently to the funeral?
What do Laura’s dreams mean?
Whose voice warned her of the “assassin”?
Do you believe Laura’s father’s explanation for Carmilla’s nocturnal disappearance?
Are there any other details from this section that struck you?
What do you think will happen next?
I found out by chance that classic horror film scores set an optimal atmosphere for these stories. My daughter was watching a movie, so I put on my headphones, found a playlist of the film scores on YouTube, and started reading. I especially enjoy the score from the 1931 Dracula movie, but it’s only available in short clips in YouTube.