Random Thoughts: (1) The real "odd tale out" in IN A GLASS DARKLY is "The Room in the Dragon Volant", which contains no supernatural elements at all; I suspect Le Fanu deliberately places this tale before "Carmilla", because he wants to preserve the latter's status as a mystery story in which "vampire" is the twist. "Green Tea" is actually the only tale in the collection in which Hesselius makes a direct appearance. (2) The Sesame Street "Count" is just a pun inspired by Bela Lugosi's Count Dracula; the folklore connection to vampires counting is just an amusing coincidence. (3) The word "aroused" had no erotic associations in 1872 - that's a modern idea - all Carmilla means by "aroused" is that she woke up, which is a lie anyhow. She is trying to draw parallels between Laura's experience and her own (Laura, you'll recall, awoke in terror), in order to put Laura off her guard. She is playing the role of fellow-sufferer. She is tries to create another such parallel when she claims to remember Laura as a beautiful adult woman. One should not read too much into her tale, other than the fact that Carmilla is being a complete phony here, and lying through her sharp pointy teeth. (4) One significance of Carmilla being an ancestor of Laura is that vampires are compelled to exterminate their line. This rule is stated in Calmet's THE PHANTOM WORLD, which is Le Fanu's main source. We also see this illustrated by the vampire in Lord Byron's 1813 poem "The Giaour". (5) Laura's vision of Carmilla in a blood-drenched night dress symbolizes that Carmilla is a murderer, but Laura misreads the vision as Carmilla possibly being a victim of murder. I can't see why one would try to read a third interpretation into it. To be sure, blood is sexy by association, just as all things human are sexy by association. But that approach to literature has long since descended into absurdity. (6) You say, "There is no way that Carmilla's attraction for Laura is not on some level sexual". And yet Laura explicitly concludes that Carmilla's weird passion is NOT the "passion of a lover". The mystery of Carmilla's weird "passion", which in some ways resembles erotic love but is not erotic love, is solved by the final revelation that Carmilla is a hungry predator -- an "epicure" who likes to savor her food. Carmilla "loves" Laura in much the same way that a cat "loves" a mouse. Carmilla hints at this when she talks about how selfish her "love" for Laura is. It seems to me that, like most modern critics, you miss the central twist of the narrative. (7) Yes, Laura returns Carmilla's AFFECTION; but affection and sex are not the same thing, nor is loneliness the same as horniness. Certainly, the Victorians did not view sex and affection as the same thing, as they saw women as particularly affectionate (compared to men), but not as having a male-level sex drive. Laura's failure to immediately and fully accept the final revelations suggests psychological denial, and is consistent with the symptoms of serious trauma. There are perhaps even residual elements of psychological denial in the tone of the three opening chapters, which are written almost as though Laura still prefers to believe the friendly illusion that Carmilla presented to her. (8) Carmilla's response to Laura's dad does not reject spiritualism; it merely twists the father's expression of faith in God, into an expression of self-justification for serial murder. (9) Phallic implications of wooden stakes? Beheading a symbolic castration? Give me a break, please.
@@ataventurine7515 A resemblance is not an equation. Yes, she says it is LIKE the ardor of a lover, (and yet, also unlike), and then goes on to conclude that it is NOT the ardor of a lover (notwithstanding the resemblance). This mystery is solved when we find out that it is in fact the hunger of a predator.
How do you know that the creators of the Count in Sesame Street were not inspired by the folklore idea that vampires are compelled to count rice thrown in their path? Kissing someone all over their cheek is sexual. Saying that someone is “all mine” is sexual. Also, Laura’s physical description of Carmilla is sexual. As for blood, on a woman’s dress, it reminds us of menstruation - a sign of sexual maturity. It also reminds us of the breaking of the hymen, a sign of a woman’s first sexual intercourse. Thus blood is not only a sign of injury and violence, but also of sexuality.
@@SimonAshworthWood The Sesame Street "Count" is an obvious a pun on the word "count". Apply Occham's Razor, and there is no need for further explanations. Kissing on the cheek is not generally regarded as sexual, and certainly was not so-regarded in 1871; and in this case is intended to put Laura into a semi-paralytic state from the narcotic power of Carmilla's kiss/touch. It is also an opportunity for this "epicure" to savor her food. It is possible to feel possessive about one's food - that's the joke here. Carmilla's behavior seems erotic but is not - exactly as the text says. You can prove anything is sexual by playing loose games of association, and calling it symbolism. The blood denotes murder. Apply Occham's razor, and there is no need for further explanations.
The fact that middle class people in the Victorian age believed that “homosexuality is unnatural” shows they didn’t observe other species of animals very much.
Random Thoughts: (1) The real "odd tale out" in IN A GLASS DARKLY is "The Room in the Dragon Volant", which contains no supernatural elements at all; I suspect Le Fanu deliberately places this tale before "Carmilla", because he wants to preserve the latter's status as a mystery story in which "vampire" is the twist. "Green Tea" is actually the only tale in the collection in which Hesselius makes a direct appearance. (2) The Sesame Street "Count" is just a pun inspired by Bela Lugosi's Count Dracula; the folklore connection to vampires counting is just an amusing coincidence. (3) The word "aroused" had no erotic associations in 1872 - that's a modern idea - all Carmilla means by "aroused" is that she woke up, which is a lie anyhow. She is trying to draw parallels between Laura's experience and her own (Laura, you'll recall, awoke in terror), in order to put Laura off her guard. She is playing the role of fellow-sufferer. She is tries to create another such parallel when she claims to remember Laura as a beautiful adult woman. One should not read too much into her tale, other than the fact that Carmilla is being a complete phony here, and lying through her sharp pointy teeth. (4) One significance of Carmilla being an ancestor of Laura is that vampires are compelled to exterminate their line. This rule is stated in Calmet's THE PHANTOM WORLD, which is Le Fanu's main source. We also see this illustrated by the vampire in Lord Byron's 1813 poem "The Giaour". (5) Laura's vision of Carmilla in a blood-drenched night dress symbolizes that Carmilla is a murderer, but Laura misreads the vision as Carmilla possibly being a victim of murder. I can't see why one would try to read a third interpretation into it. To be sure, blood is sexy by association, just as all things human are sexy by association. But that approach to literature has long since descended into absurdity. (6) You say, "There is no way that Carmilla's attraction for Laura is not on some level sexual". And yet Laura explicitly concludes that Carmilla's weird passion is NOT the "passion of a lover". The mystery of Carmilla's weird "passion", which in some ways resembles erotic love but is not erotic love, is solved by the final revelation that Carmilla is a hungry predator -- an "epicure" who likes to savor her food. Carmilla "loves" Laura in much the same way that a cat "loves" a mouse. Carmilla hints at this when she talks about how selfish her "love" for Laura is. It seems to me that, like most modern critics, you miss the central twist of the narrative. (7) Yes, Laura returns Carmilla's AFFECTION; but affection and sex are not the same thing, nor is loneliness the same as horniness. Certainly, the Victorians did not view sex and affection as the same thing, as they saw women as particularly affectionate (compared to men), but not as having a male-level sex drive. Laura's failure to immediately and fully accept the final revelations suggests psychological denial, and is consistent with the symptoms of serious trauma. There are perhaps even residual elements of psychological denial in the tone of the three opening chapters, which are written almost as though Laura still prefers to believe the friendly illusion that Carmilla presented to her. (8) Carmilla's response to Laura's dad does not reject spiritualism; it merely twists the father's expression of faith in God, into an expression of self-justification for serial murder. (9) Phallic implications of wooden stakes? Beheading a symbolic castration? Give me a break, please.
John Whelan Laura did said that Carmilla’s passion is like the ardor of a lover.
@@ataventurine7515 A resemblance is not an equation. Yes, she says it is LIKE the ardor of a lover, (and yet, also unlike), and then goes on to conclude that it is NOT the ardor of a lover (notwithstanding the resemblance). This mystery is solved when we find out that it is in fact the hunger of a predator.
How do you know that the creators of the Count in Sesame Street were not inspired by the folklore idea that vampires are compelled to count rice thrown in their path?
Kissing someone all over their cheek is sexual. Saying that someone is “all mine” is sexual.
Also, Laura’s physical description of Carmilla is sexual.
As for blood, on a woman’s dress, it reminds us of menstruation - a sign of sexual maturity. It also reminds us of the breaking of the hymen, a sign of a woman’s first sexual intercourse. Thus blood is not only a sign of injury and violence, but also of sexuality.
@@SimonAshworthWood The Sesame Street "Count" is an obvious a pun on the word "count". Apply Occham's Razor, and there is no need for further explanations.
Kissing on the cheek is not generally regarded as sexual, and certainly was not so-regarded in 1871; and in this case is intended to put Laura into a semi-paralytic state from the narcotic power of Carmilla's kiss/touch. It is also an opportunity for this "epicure" to savor her food. It is possible to feel possessive about one's food - that's the joke here. Carmilla's behavior seems erotic but is not - exactly as the text says.
You can prove anything is sexual by playing loose games of association, and calling it symbolism. The blood denotes murder. Apply Occham's razor, and there is no need for further explanations.
Carmilla graphic novel ua-cam.com/video/3y7U8WmvLBM/v-deo.html
The fact that middle class people in the Victorian age believed that “homosexuality is unnatural” shows they didn’t observe other species of animals very much.
cannot see your board! a shame!