What is a Vampire?

Question

I know what a vampire is, but what is your definition? There was a documentory on last night about vampires and it got me wondering what everyone's seperate definition was. The actual definition the show gave was rather vague and encompassed serial killers like Elizabeth Bathery into the myths and stories about vampires.

So what are the charactoristics that you think make up a vampire? And do you believe that any historical figures could be classified as a vampire? (i.e. Elizabeth Bathery, Vlad Dracula).

I want everyone ELSES opinion. Don't give me links, I want to know what YOU personally think!!

The show stated Bathery and Vlad because of their blood lust. The definition given was someone who drank blood from other creatures. In some cases ressurected, which brought up the arguement of Christ being a vampire. Obviously a very weak one but interesting non the less.

Answer 1

Vampire myths vary from culture to culture, but my definition would be...
Dead, resurrected, primarily noctournal, feeds on blood and/or flesh out of a biological requirement, and not due to mental decision or defect.

The ones 'on the prowl' these days...hah. No more vampiric than I'm lycanthropic.

The historic versions...
Countess Bathery never claimed vampirism, to my knowledge. She thought it was a good cosmetic.
Vlad's reputation was based on his ruthlessness, and the occasional dining at a table among his impaled victims. He might dip bread in the blood, but again no claims of vampirism from Vlad himself. These were accuations from the peasants trying to weave a good story.

Answer 2

My definition of a vampire is any creature that subsides on the life energy or blood of others. In other words, a parasite.

Now, according to Western Mythology the popular definition of a vampire is a ghost that drinks the blood of living human beings. Vlad Tepes the Impaler (not blood-sucker), sensationalized by Bram Stoker in his Dracula novel, ironically enough was from Eastern Europe. Stoker was a Westerner, so I guess he confused matters!

There are many vampire legends from all over the world concerning blood sucking creatures. I think these legends are based on fear with the exception of the true story of the vampire bat of Mexico and South America that actually laps up, rather than sucks blood. There are documented cases of cults and individuals (psychos) that drink human blood, but ultimately this is by choice rather than from a true need.

In 1931 in South America the police documented a police officer shooting a man dressed in an evening suit complete with cape that was bent over drinking blood from a human body slumped on the ground. The man ran when shot and was followed by police officers. He was later found dead in a coffin where apparently he slept in his tuxedo and cape. The single shot perforated his liver and ironically enough, he bled to death internally. A psycho, or a true vampire? My guess is psycho, since a regular .38 Special police revolver ended his life and career!

Any creature that takes blood from a living host is by definition a vampire. That does not mean it is the gothic, 'sexy,' glamorized being modern sci fi writers make it out to be.


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Answer 3

in the past there have been "creepy" people who through hysteria of the times or weird rituals have been coined a vampire. There are no such thing, but what people have been twisted to in the books. I would say the closest would be Vlad the Impaler. And this is due to his sheer bloodthirstyness. Some of the other myths stem from his uncanny ability to avaoid death on a few occasions. In a time without internet, phone, tv... people talk of what they see, or what they heard by word of mouth. We have all played the telephone game and you know how stories change and get exaggerated.

Answer 4

Vampires are so unusual and mysterious and eye-catching and darkish and hazardous..... why oh why do no longer they stand center degree and take credit for it? For one factor, being a vampire does not exchange the incontrovertible fact which you exist, you have a existence, outdoors of despite that's you drink. Immortal or in basic terms genetically broken, the international does not exchange in basic terms on the grounds which you could drink blood thoroughly. For one factor, you will possibly have legions of human beings clamoring to work out an 'relatively' creature, which might make you something greater of an exhibit and a 'factor' (a giraffe with 2 heads, to illustrate) and much less of a sentinent being. Even elephants become bored with folk watching them daily. the 2nd factor is, how do you clarify your self while maximum individuals do no longer even understand the small kernals of certainty that make up their own fragmented and elementary lives? If elementary human beings don't understand themselves, what makes one think of somebody genetically altered would be any diverse? enormously ladies get greater dates even though it does no longer recommend they understand greater approximately relationships than every physique else. third, elephants (to proceed a prior metaphor) have a tendency to sense mushy around different elephants. If supermodels do no longer carry out on the close by McDonalds just to speak, what makes you think of a vampire is going to publish a neon sign and say 'right here i'm.' the bigger the secret, the fewer you communicate approximately it. the final factor any real vampire desires is a few beginner asking a query that all and sundry else has asked one hundred,000x in the previous. real-existence is in basic terms approximately consistently a enable-down interior the supernatural community. Its greater advantageous to have your fantasies than locate out with regards to the real issues accessible. greater exciting, much less disappointing, that way too.

Answer 5

A vampire is something that only comes out at night and sucks peoples blood when they are sleeping. You see, they cannot survive without this blood. Vampires cannot stand light! It drives them crazy! Vampires also turn into bats with very big fangs.

Answer 6

A vampire is one who lives off of the blood (or, sometimes, energy) of others, that's the most basic definition. There's too much to list here, try Wikipedia.

Answer 7

well i used to think anne rices vampires would be how real vampires are until i met someone who claims to be one and i believe him it take alot of work to make up everything he has told me and i mean he is sharing this with me free so there is no reason to put so much work into something when you arent getting paid and if it were some kid the laughs would have been over many emails ago

Answer 8

By definition it is a re animatied corpse which feeds on both human and animal blood. But it can also be a metaphor for something that devours you from within

Answer 9

i think a vampire is a human who has a double personality sorta like angel on buffy and angel charactoristics are fangs like pointy teeth i guess dracula could but if people ask me about vampires i dont bring him up i talk about angel even tho i kno buffy and the sets and stuff are made up

Answer 10

I believe a vampire is a person who has a taste for blood, probably Satanic!