Don’t Forget Carmilla, Don’t Burn These Gays 

Vampires are a spooky season staple. When asked to picture one of these bloodsuckers, people think about Bram Stoker’s Dracula or even Stephenie Meyer’s Edward Cullen. But, it’s rare that their predecessor, Carmilla, is ever brought up.  

It’s time to change that and give this lesbian vampire story the love it deserves. 

“Carmilla” by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu is a Victorian Gothic story, published in 1872. The novella focuses on the young protagonist, Laura, and her experience with the immoral yet irresistible vampire, Carmilla. It’s considered one of the first ever examples of vampire literature, but it’s often forgotten in lieu of others. 

“Carmilla” has all the classic, fan-favorite tropes of a vampire story. It features a nocturnal creature, with sharp fangs and an aversion to religious symbols. This immortal being haunts the night in search of blood, using her supernatural, shape-shifting abilities to aid her. There’s even a dark romance. 

The novella also includes the well-loved characteristics of the gothic genre, with its isolated, eerie castle-like setting, full of mystery and the persistent feeling of impending doom. Le Fanu might not be Stephen King, but he sure knows how to send a shiver down the spine with the atmosphere he creates. 

Le Fanu completely embraces the theme of exploring the anxieties of the time through Carmilla’s deviant behavior and Laura’s same-sex desires. 

Of course, the novella may disappoint some readers in its adherence to Victorian ideals, especially with the overarching message being that female desire — especially queer female desire — is dangerous, and women need men to save them from these transgressions.

But, Le Fanu — most likely unintentionally — allows for another interpretation to seep through, one that modern audiences might favor. 

In portraying the negative consequences of male authority and forced isolation over women, “Carmilla” can also be considered a cautionary tale against making women repress their desires, even if they go against the norm. 

No matter the interpretation, the story is ultimately explicitly queer. Le Fanu doesn’t shy away from Carmilla’s seduction of Laura, even going as far as including kissing, love confessions and many sexually-charged interactions between the two. Even at the very end, Laura’s lesbian longings are still present. 

This relationship obviously isn’t something one should model their own after, but it’s great representation for toxic lesbian vampires. 

The complexity of “Carmilla” is part of what makes it such a compelling read, and why it deserves to be appreciated alongside other media in addition to other vampire tales. It’s not everyday one stumbles upon an intricate story like this. 

“Carmilla” is also credited for introducing the theme of using vampirism as an allegory for queerness. 

Back in the day, it was quite convenient for authors to use monstrous figures, like vampires, to reflect and demonize the transgressions of the time. Why would someone want to be a lesbian if it meant death and villany? 

Today, this concept has more or less been reclaimed to depict queer love stories, like “Interview with the Vampire” or “First Kill.” Yet, it’s rare for people to recognize “Carmilla” as the trailblazer.

This erasure of “Carmilla” isn’t necessarily surprising, as even now, lesbians are frequently pushed to the side in media and everyday life. 

It’s time to finally give “Carmilla” its dues for playing a key role in pioneering queer vampire fiction and vampire stories in general. 

There are many wonderful vampire tales out there, but maybe consider adding “Carmilla” to your to-be-read list. It’s the perfect spooky novella for fall. Also, Carmilla, like many other popular vampires, is extremely attractive, which is always a nice touch.