There's no denying that vampires are part of the cultural consciousness these days. With the release of New Moon this weekend however, werewolves are poised to compete for their slot in the zeitgeist. In previous times zombies, witches, ghosts and unicorns have held similar fascinations. So what is it about supernatural and metaphysical beings that strikes a chord with readers and viewers (and has done for centuries)? Let's take a quick look at the symbolism and cultural context of today's top mystical mythicals and see!
Werewolves
So they howl at the moon and threaten to rip us to shreds! Werewolves, like most metaphysical monsters represent both human fears and the oft-forgotten aspects of ourselves that have fallen by the wayside. After all, these predators are also protectors, and their image invokes tribal connection, leadership and strength. Sound interesting? That's no surprise since these are three qualities we're deeply in need of as a culture - after all, we've spent the last decade (at least) being sucked dry... not by vampires, but by government, by big business and by our own willingness to forego reality (and concern about consequences) in favor of spending like crazy to keep up with the Joneses... and the Smiths... and the Hiltons.
There's no question we could use a little wolf-energy these days. And interestingly enough, while today's werewolves are bound to a lunar cycle, traditionally, this was not the case. Rather than monsters, werewolves were shapeshifters - able to transform themselves into the form of their choosing. Use this as your guideline to reshape your life accordingly!
Vampires
At once beautiful and dangerous, Vampires present us all with a primal problem. They're nearly impossible to resist, but they require our blood - as nourishment to survive! Is it any wonder that the last ten years (wherein the buy bigger, buy more, buy more often culture took over) saw the rise of these breathtaking bloodsuckers? It's like we knew we were setting ourselves up for trouble, but we couldn't resist!
Economy aside however, vampires hold lasting appeal since they tap into our fears about sex as innately dangerous by perfectly symbolizing the sex/death (love/lust) conundrum. Traditionally focused on feminine wiles (in early literature, only female vampires were inordinately beautiful), fang-forward folklore has recently been redirected (courtesy of women writers) to represent more masculine threats. But unlike their female predecessors, current male vampire predators have been imbued with self-control, creating the man who can control his monster... and be a non-threatening partner. At the same time, Vampires have also come to be known as a symbol of "the other," with direct correlations to social movements like civil and gay rights. The conclusion? While they may be innately dangerous, modern vampires are being used to illustrate individual control over darkness - and destiny. If vampires, however different (or similar) can co-exist with their warm-blooded cousins (effectively coming out of the coffin), what room is there for intolerance of any kind?
Interested in tapping into your archetypal qualities, monstrous and mainstream? Tell us what you think about symbols in books and movies, spirituality, sex or love!