For centuries the myth of Vampirism has fascinated and scared people at the same time. This may be ascribed to the seductive, mysterious and dangerous nature of vampires as well as the uncertainty of their actual existence. As a matter of course, people are frightened by things they cannot define scientifically or by common sense. If they do really exist though, then what are vampires precisely? Are they supernatural creatures, monstruous animals, or simply evil and twisted criminals? People have always tried to explain wrongdoings of mankind in various different ways. In the Middle Ages the common believe was that evil forces led innocent people to commit crimes. However, during the Age of Enlightenment people began to break away from religious interpretation patterns of crime and address themselves to the task of explaining criminal behaviour with empirical facts. During the centuries after the Middle Ages several theories of criminal behaviour came into being. The classical criminologists defined criminal behaviour as a free choice of people, whereas positivist biologists were convinced of the fact that people are born with a criminal predisposition and could not affect that with their free will in any way.
This paper is dealing with one special example of vampirism, the lesbian vampire Carmilla, who seduces and kills innocent women with her „deadly eroticism“1. Joseph Sheridan LeFanu (1814 - 1873)2 published this chilling vampire shortstory in 18723, it was probably his most famous Gothic tale.
Chapter II of this paper is going to deal with the developement of the aforementioned two main criminalistic theories (the classical and the positivist theory of crime) and their principal statements, concentrating on the Criminal Woman, the Prostitute and the Lesbian.
In the next chapter the theories of the biological movement will be applied to LeFanu's shortstory about the vampire Carmilla, to determine whether she can be defined as a Born Criminal according to the Biologists of the 19th century. The term „born criminal“ was coined by Cesare Lombroso, when he discovered the features of the typical criminal man. In this paper, while examining whether Carmilla is a born criminal or not, the term will be used not only according to Lombroso's theory, but will also include some other opinions about criminal women, (criminal) features of the theory of degeneration and the reception of lesbianism in the Viktorian Age. [...]
Table of Contents
I) Introduction
II) Theories of Crime
1) The Classical Movement in Criminology
2) The Positivist Biological Movement in Criminology
a) The Born Criminal & the Degenerate
b) The Criminal Woman
c) The Prostitute
d) Lesbianism in the Victorian Age
III) Carmilla as the typical 19th-century criminal?
IV) Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
This paper examines Joseph Sheridan LeFanu's short story Carmilla through the lens of 19th-century criminological theories to determine whether the titular character can be classified as a "born criminal." The research focuses on comparing the literary portrayal of the vampire with the historical pseudo-scientific concepts of criminal behavior developed by Cesare Lombroso and his contemporaries.
- Classical versus Positivist Biological theories of crime.
- Lombrosian concepts of the "Born Criminal" and "Degeneration."
- Gender-specific criminal stereotypes: The Criminal Woman and The Prostitute.
- Victorian perspectives on Lesbianism as a biological/psychiatric aberration.
- Application of biological criminal indicators to the character of Carmilla.
Excerpt from the book
Carmilla as the typical 19th-century criminal?
Vampires are usually defined as bloodsucking, hideous monsters. In Carmilla, Joseph Sheridan LeFanu concentrates on describing the vampire as a beautiful woman. Carmilla obviously uses her beauty as a devise to deceive and disguise her deadly ambitions. From the first moment on everybody is fascinated of her great beauty: Madame Perrodon states: „I like her extremely. […] she is, I almost think, the prettiest creature I ever saw; […] and so gentle and nice.“ She has „a sweet voice“, a „slender pretty figure“, „delightfully pretty and intelligent [cheeks]“, „that graceful languor that was peculiar to her“ and „magnificently thick and long [hair]“. „[H]er eyes [were] large, dark and lustruous.“ „Clearly these are the physical traits conventional with Victorian True Womanhood.“ Naturally, they all infer a good character from her pretty outer appearance. In the Victorian Age „it was possible to believe that non-respectable women could be recognized and set apart from the respectable, and visual representations played an important role in the production of these beliefs.“ As Lombroso points out, prostitutes do not have an atavistic look, as they need a certain degree of beauty to be able to carry on the prostitution. They use their looks to manipulate men to get them to sleep with them. Carmilla also uses her beauty to seduce Laura: „The sense of attraction immensely prevailed. She interested and won me; she was so beautiful and so indescribably engaging.“ Bertha was also blinded by Carmilla's extraordinary beauty: „But though it was new to us, the features were so engaging, as well as lovely, that it was impossible not to feel the attraction powerfullly.“ Prostitutes trie to manipulate their clients, or „victims“ in the same way. Lombroso pointed out, that prostitutes do not have the atavistic look, as other criminal women do, so as not to frighten off potential customers, but to lure and debauch them.
Summary of Chapters
I) Introduction: Outlines the historical fascination with vampirism and introduces the goal of applying 19th-century criminological theories to LeFanu’s Carmilla.
II) Theories of Crime: Details the transition from classical criminology, based on free will, to the biological positivism of Cesare Lombroso, focusing on the criminal body and behavior.
III) Carmilla as the typical 19th-century criminal?: Analyzes whether the protagonist fits the specific biological and behavioral profiles defined by 19th-century scientists for criminals and prostitutes.
IV) Conclusion: Summarizes findings, noting that while Carmilla exhibits some "born criminal" traits, she does not perfectly match every aspect of the theoretical biological model.
Keywords
Carmilla, Joseph Sheridan LeFanu, Criminology, Cesare Lombroso, Born Criminal, Prostitution, Victorian Age, Degeneration Theory, Vampire, Lesbianism, Gothic Literature, Criminal Woman, Atavism, Biological Positivism, Monstrosity.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this paper?
The paper explores the intersection of 19th-century criminological discourse and Gothic literature, specifically testing if the vampire Carmilla qualifies as a "born criminal" under the definitions provided by Cesare Lombroso.
Which theoretical approaches are utilized?
The work utilizes the Classical Movement in criminology and the Positivist Biological Movement, focusing heavily on the latter's pseudo-scientific theories regarding atavism and degeneration.
What is the central research question?
The central question is whether the character Carmilla can be defined as a "born criminal" according to the biological and social categorization standards of the 19th century.
Which specific criminological classifications are discussed?
The text specifically addresses the "Born Criminal," the "Criminal Woman," the "Prostitute," and the Victorian medicalization of "Lesbianism" as an innate disorder.
How is the main body of the work structured?
The main body follows a path from the theoretical background of crime in the 19th century to the specific case study of Carmilla, concluding with a synthesis of how well she fits these specific labels.
What are the primary keywords associated with this work?
Key terms include Carmilla, Lombroso, Born Criminal, Degeneration, Prostitution, Victorian Age, and Gothic Literature.
Does the author conclude that Carmilla is definitely a "born criminal"?
The author concludes that while Carmilla mirrors several traits associated with the "born criminal" and the "prostitute," she does not fit the entire profile, suggesting that she is more complex than a mere scientific specimen.
How does the paper differentiate between Carmilla's beauty and her criminal nature?
It argues that, similar to the Lombrosian concept of the prostitute, Carmilla uses her non-atavistic beauty as a tool for manipulation, effectively masking her internal "atavistic" or monstrous features.
- Quote paper
- Dorothea Wolschak (Author), 2011, Joseph Sheridan LeFanu's "Carmilla". The typical 19th century born criminal?, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/275965
