Vampires, Desire & the Queer Imagination

About this event

Explore the hidden queer history of vampire mythology, from folklore to modern pop culture. Followed by Q&A. Why has the vampire, more than almost any other monster, become such a powerful queer icon? From the earliest folklore to the gothic literature that shaped the genre, vampires have long embodied themes of forbidden desire, transformation and otherness – themes that resonate deeply with queer experience. In this talk, we’ll explore the history and legacy of the queer vampire: from the reactionary to the revolutionary. Touching on texts from John Polidori's The Vampyre (1819) and its depiction of Lord Byron as a sinful monster, to Sheridan Le Fanu's Carmilla (1872) and its sapphic legacy all the way to Tony Scott's The Hunger (1983) and Marceline the Vampire Queen from Cartoon Network's Adventure Time , this talk will trace the queerness of vampires and what it tells us about fear, desire and sexuality. Doors open at 7pm , talk starts at 7:30pm - come down early to grab a good seat! Dr Kaja Franck is a Senior Lecturer in English Literature and Programme Lead for the MA: Literature & Culture at the University of Hertfordshire. Her research centres on monsters and monstrous animals, and she has shared her work at conferences across the world. Recent publications include chapters on troll horror, Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series (2005-8), Sous La Seine (2024) and John Polidori’s The Vampyre (1819), alongside organising international conferences on werewolves, vampires and haunted seascapes in literature and popular culture. Her monograph, The Ecogothic Werewolf in Literature: Wolves, Woods and Wilderness, was published last year. She has a soft spot for terrible shark horror.