The concept of vampire, which comes from the French vampire, is often misleading. The term can refer to a mythological creature or an actual animal. It also has a symbolic use that applies to certain individuals.
As a fictional being, the vampire is a nocturnal specter that sucks the blood of living beings as a means of subsistence. Vampires are often associated with the undead: that is, with people who, after death, remain active as vampires. While there are various depictions, vampires are often depicted as having sharp fangs, long fingernails, and pale skin. These creatures, according to folklore, do not cast a shadow and do not reflect in mirrors.
As a result of all the legends, rumors and fictional stories that have been written about vampires, there are many other ideas about their characteristics, behaviors and peculiarities. Among them, the following stand out:
– They rest during the day and inside a coffin.
-They are thin and have very pale skin.
-They can’t stand garlic, so on more than one occasion those who tried to kill them were depicted wearing a rope of garlic around their necks.
-They hate crosses, so wearing them is a way to make them run away or not attack. And it is considered that this is because they have a demonic origin. Consequently, the holy water also causes great harm to them and they cannot enter a church.
-The way to kill a vampire is to drive a wooden stake through his heart.
– It is considered that someone can become a vampire for various reasons: because he was bitten by one, because of a curse after committing a serious crime, because he died a violent death, because his funeral ritual was not carried out correctly or because he was predisposed from who was born One of the most popular vampires is Dracula, a character created by the writer Bram Stoker in 1897 and inspired by Vlad Tepes, Prince of Wallachia in the fifteenth century. Dracula not only appears in Stoker’s novel, but he also stars in numerous films and television series. Throughout the history of cinema, there have been many movies that revolve around vampires. From the adaptation of Bram Stoker’s book, made in 1992 by Francis Ford Coppola, to “Interview with the Vampire” (1994) through “Nosferatu” (1922). Vampire is also the name given to the species of bats that feed by hematophagy: absorbing blood from other animals. These vampires that inhabit the American continent can transmit rabies. Finally, another meaning of the word is symbolic and allows mentioning an individual who tends to take advantage or abuse others out of greed. For example: “The country is being victimized by financial vampires”, “López is a vampire who squeezes his employees until they quit”, “Beware of the vampires who approach you to take away the money you just inherited”.
