[UA] The Outsider: miscellaneous observations

[Tim Toner]

----- Original Message -----
From: Greg Stolze <holycrow at mindspring.com>
To: <ua at lists.uchicago.edu>
Sent: Thursday, May 31, 2001 6:02 AM
Subject: Re: [UA] The Outsider: miscellaneous observations


> >
> >The Vampire -- another Cain aspect -- emphasizes the
> >frightening/seductive power of the Outsider, the infectiousness of his
> >condition, and his invulnerability. The Whore plays the same sexual
> >role.
>
> Actually, the Cain(e) --> Vampire connection is, I *think*, mostly a White
> Wolf confabulation.  The actual vampire myth is probably more related to
> Christ than to any Old Testament figure.  (Repelled by crosses, steals the
> blood of life instead of giving it, has terrestrial immortality instead of
> celestial.)  Vampire as sex figure didn't show up until Bram Stoker, who
> really reinvented the trope.  Before Bram, vampires were more like a
George
> Romero zombie, I think.  (Though the sexual vs. celibate thing certain
adds
> another point of contrast with Christ.)

Depending on which way you roll with it, Cain was the father of all
abominations loosed on the earth.  He certainly was by the time of Beowulf,
which can make for a nice vampire story right there.  Whether he got with
Lilith to make all these critters depends on which branch of folklore you
embrace.  I agree that vampires were not what they were prior to Stoker
(though it can be argued that Byron's fragment, expanded by Polidori, was a
step in the right direction), but they seem to be different beasties than
all the others in that they were born human, and then something
happened--exactly what happened to Cain, regardless of whether you go to
JHVH or Rein8Hagen for your inspiration.  I'll whip out my books when I get
home, and give a complete report.

Of course, all the 'lower races' bore the mark of Cain in one form or
another, making them ready-made Outsiders.  I don't think someone spends the
time to create a whole myth about why you're so pathetic, unless you had
something that threatened them in the first place.


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