Varney the Vampyre Analysis
Varney the Vampyre by James Malcolm Rymer is a very early vampire story that predates Bram Stoker's Dracula by 50 years (Dracula n.p.). James Malcolm Rymer was apparently the given name for a writer of many popular novels and stories in London in the 1840s through the 1860s. He wrote and published works under many names however, but one of his specialties was novels and stories about the supernatural, horror, and terror. He was a “hack” writer, meaning that he wrote voluminously on many subjects for popular publications. “Hack” is generally defined as “a mediocre and disdained writer” (“Hack Writer” n.p.). Of Varney the Vampyre, author Anne Rice has written, “600,000 words of tedious dialog, aimlessly meandering storylines, maddening repetition, and enough kernels of genius to consistently inspire horror fiction into the present day” (Rice n.p.). Analysis of Varney the Vampyre will demonstrate the literary elements of the novel's setting, characters, and conflict, based on its first chapter, along with a critique of its writing style.
If one important characteristic and quality that novels, movies, and stories about vampires have in common, it is the need for the setting of a scene in which supernatural events, vampires, and horror is expected. This is a need that is more than fulfilled in the first chapter of Varney the Vampyre. Well over the first page is devoted to establishing an ominous and dramatic setting. “Setting” includes a number of elements generally, and in this chapter specifically. While the exact geographical setting is not described in detail, the first line states, “THE SOLEMN TONES of an old cathedral clock,” (Rymer 1), which suggests that the setting is a possibly metropolitan area, at least semi-urban locale, in which a “cathedral” would be located. “Old” suggests that the specific setting is not in the midst of a bustling new business district, but a part of town that is, like the cathedral, “old”
This suggestion is developed through a description of the specific building or house in which this part of the story takes place: “an antique chamber in an ancient house” (Rymer n.p.). Further, the interior of the house and “chamber” are old and mysterious: “curious and quaint carvings adorn the walls, and the large chimneypiece is a curiosity of itself The ceiling is low, and a large bay window, from roof to floor, looks to the west.filled with a strange, yet beautiful light” (Rymer 1-2). Within this mysterious house is the mysterious “chamber” something strange and frightening is about to happen.
The setting is further described with a huge, damaging, and thunderous storm outside: “one awful, warring hurricane swept over a whole city, producing more devastation in the four or five minutes it lasted, than would a half century of ordinary phenomena” (Rymer 1). This further adds to the ominous and threatening character of the setting.
Thus, with the setting described in repetitive and voluminous detail, the story focuses on the main character, a woman in the bed in the “antique chamber.” To be most effective, a horror or vampire story requires a victim, and a young beautiful, innocent female victim is the best, and that is the focus of the next part of the story: “ A creature formed in all fashions of loveliness lies in a half sleep upon that ancient couch - a girl young and beautiful as a spring morning” (Rymer n.p.). This is obviously the victim.
The next necessary element in the horror or vampire story is the mysterious and horrifying figure of the vampire itself, which is introduced following the description of the girl: “A figure tall and gaunt, endeavouring from the outside to unclasp the window” (Rymer n.p.). This sentence not only introduces the menacing figure of the vampire, but also the fact that he is trying to enter the room of the young girl. Thus, the conflict in the story is also introduced. The vampire is trying to get into the girl's bedroom to suck her blood.
The final element of the vampire story is the vampire actually sucking the blood from the victim, which in Varney, comes at the very end of the first chapter: “He drags her head to the bed's edge. He forces it back by the long hair still entwined in his grasp. With a plunge he seizes her neck in his fang-like teeth - a gush of blood, and a hideous sucking noise follows. The girl has swooned, and the vampyre is at his hideous repast! “ (Rymer n.p.).
Thus, all of the necessary elements of the vampire horror story have been introduced in this four-page chapter.
Additionally, however, it should be noted that the important content could have been better introduced by a much shorter and less wordy chapter. This chapter is almost 2500 words long, with many superfluous sentences and descriptive passages. It is far too long for good storytelling to hold the interest of the reader—particularly the modern reader—with too much wordy description. In the 19th century, (and today as well) writers were often paid by the word or they had expectations from their publishers for a number of words per division of the story (Orthent n.p.). Thus, this may explain why this author was so wordy, using far too many word and sentences in this chapter than are really needed to establish the setting in all it details, the atmosphere, the main characters, the innocent victim and the vampire, and the action of the vampire, in order to assure his income from the novel.
In conclusion, therefore, while this chapter effectively establishes all of the important elements of the vampire horror story, its writing style is far too wordy by modern readers' standards (and was, perhaps, even by Victorian readers' standards) to be most effective in storytelling.
Works Cited
“Dracula.” BramStoker.org. 2016. Web. 6 July 2016.
http://bramstoker.org/novels/05dracula.html
“Hack Writer.” WordPlays.com. 2016 Web. 6 July 2016.
http://www.wordplays.com/definition/hack%20writer
Orthent. “Victorian Authors—Paid by the Word?.” LiveJournal.com. 2010. Web. 6 July 2016. http://little-details.livejournal.com/2685650.html
Rice, Anne. “Varney the Vampire; or, The Feast of Blood.” VictorianGothic.org. 2012. Web. 6 July 2016.
http://www.victoriangothic.org/varney-the-vampire-or-the-feast-of-blood/
Rymer, James Malcolm. “The Dreadful Visitor.- The Vampyre.” Varney the Vampyre Or, The Feast of Blood. 1847.
