Author :
Abstract
Bu çalışma, çağımızdaki değişen vampir algısını tartışmayı hedeflemektedir. Bu konudaki araştırmalarıyla tanınan Profosör Nina Auerbach’ın belirttiği gibi, vampir kimliği dönemsel kaygılarla şekillenen, yaratıldıkları çağın sosyo-politik ve ideolojik tutumunu ortaya koyan güçlü metaforlardır. Edebiyattaki vampir kimliği, bir kültürün korku ve travmatik geçmişine ilişkin çok şey ifade eder. On dokuzuncu yüzyıldan bu yana Batı yazınındaki vampir temsili çoğunlukla ürkütücü, yalnız, toplumdan uzak yaşayan bir aristokrat olarak çizilmiştir ama çağımızda, özellikle 2000’lerden bu yana, bu algı çok değişmiştir. Yeni vampir, kapı komşumuz kadar bize yakın yaşayan içimizden biri, sevimli, insani, medeni ve duygusal bir kimliğe bürünmüştür. Kısacası vampir kimliği bir evrim geçirerek, bozulmuş, oynanmış, değiştirilmiştir. İfade ettiği ötekilik durumundan eser kalmamıştır. Bunun sebepleri çeşitlidir ama bu çalışmada değişen vampir kimliğinin nedenleri olarak, kapitalist tüketim toplumu ve değerlerinin pompalandığı küreselleşme olgusu, post-modernite ve okuyucu algısı üzerinde durulacaktır. Bu nedenlerin örneklenecek olduğu yazınsal metinler ise, Stephenie Meyer’in tüm dünyada büyük yankı uyandıran beş kitaplı Alacakaranlık serisi (2005-2008) ile Charlaine Harris’in televizyona uyarlanan ve genellikle True Blood ismiyle bilinen 13 serilik romanlarıdır.
Keywords
Abstract
This study aims to explore the change in vampire identity in contemporary supernatural fiction. As Auerbach (1995) has stated, vampires are personifications of their age and thus, their appeal is generational. Vampires are strong metaphors that tell a lot about national fears and traumatic past of one society. This fascinating dark image talks about ideological and generational spirit of a culture. Earlier, vampires have been literary characters that point to otherness and the fears of one culture. Vampire was an outsider, a threatening stranger with fangs and old-fashioned clothes, living on the outskirts of the town and who killed for a reason behind. However, the monster image has been changed so far. Not to forget their monster nature all together, vampires with leading roles represented in contemporary supernatural fiction have become mainstream, civilized, tamed, vulnerable and almost human in many ways. In order to exemplify this argument, two narratives are chosen: The Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer (Twilight 2005, New Moon 2006, Eclipse 2007, Breaking Dawn 2008) and The Southern Vampire Mysteries (2001-2010) -aka True Blood- by Charlaine Harris. Their evolution or rather demystification of their true vampire nature can be explained in terms of globalization of consumer capitalism, postmodernity and audience reception theory. Additionally, purpose of this study is to discuss the change in contemporary representation of the vampire from “anti-Christ to sympathetic next-door neighbor” (Zanger, 1997) as reflected in the texts, Twilight Saga and True Blood.
Keywords
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