colonialism and myths

Colonialism and Vampire Myths

• Exploration of themes in European empires and colonialism through vampire myths.

Historical Context of Empires

• Roman Empire existed from 27 BCE to 410 CE.
• Count Dracula connects his lineage to various historical empires.
• The Huns were notable equestrian warriors; Attila is an ancestor of Dracula.
• The Ottoman Empire (1350-1918) referenced in relation to Dracula.

British Empire

• "The sun never sets on the British Empire"; peak activity from 1624 to 1997.
• British financial interests in the Ottoman Empire post-1881.

Dracula’s Narrative

• Vampires symbolize political threats in Stoker's narrative.
• Reverse colonialism explored through Dracula's character and actions.
• Transylvania viewed as culturally tumultuous, linking to British anxieties.

Capitalism, Vampires, and Economics

• Franco Moretti likens blood to money; vampires embody capitalist greed.
• The concept of 'dead-undead' capital reflects uninvested profits.
• Karl Marx critiques capitalism's exploitation, using vampire imagery.
• Engels provides grim descriptions of urban worker living conditions.

19th Century Economic Theorists

• Adam Smith: capitalism as a moral philosophy; profit as an incentive.
• Marx: critiques profit accumulation and lack of equitable wage distribution.

Cultural Representations

• Representation of vampiric figures in literature and film reflects societal concerns about capitalism.
• Vampires represent exploitation and economic failure.

Concluding Themes

• The narrative of Dracula serves as a metaphor for the dangers of unchecked capitalist expansion.
• The intersection between vampire myths and economic critique remains relevant.