Introduction
Although decades of numerous incarnations have slightly diminished the stature of the vampire, the horror, seductiveness and mystery associated with it remains. Over the years, several themes have been associated with the vampires depicted in various films. The dominant metaphorical representations have been animal appetite, sex, evil and venereal disease. In F. W. Murnau’s Nosferatu, the vampire, unlike those in similar films, is unattractive and ghastly yet the fascination that grips those around him is remarkably disturbing. In this context, several metaphors emerge. This paper presents the metaphoric functions of the vampire in the film Nosferatu.
The ...