The original Nosferatu was far from the idyllic life of a modern vampire. Since the idea of vampirism was first conceived, the vampire has gotten more and more beautiful and glamorous: Eternal life in the world’s most glamorous cities, free enjoyment of the night, powers far beyond mortal ability, and the pursuit of carnal pleasures. The appeal of vampires lies in their feral nature; Their potential for an uninhibited life. Modern vampires satisfy their carnal cravings for blood, sex, and excitement in the dead of night. They actively chase the decadent, sinful things that we humans have been conditioned to shun and fear. We are not to indulge in our cravings for things like alcohol, food, and drugs because of the various effects it will have on our bodies. The same shame of our bodies tames our sexual desires, as society teaches us to avoid acting on our sexual urges and that one’s sexuality is something to be ashamed of. As for the night, we have been made to believe that only danger lies in the darkness of night and that one risks injury, robbery, or rape when venturing out alone. Vampires shun the idea of human limitation, shame, or fear and just do what all humans have the desire to do: they live. They drink blood from whomever they please, they use their charms to sleep with whomever they wish, and with their power they fear no harm in the night.
This sort of life may seem to humans as the epitome of perfection- taking what one wants, acting only on desire, living an eternal life -but a new sort of perfection has emerged among modern vampires: The vegetarian vampire. Some vampires actually treasure their relationships with humans, weather they be sexual relationships, feeding, or just simple companions. They have no desire to hurt humans, despite their perceived superiority. They instead shun such labels and choose to keep a small piece of their humanity intact. Instead of preying on humans for sustenance, they choose the path of a “vegetarian” vampire, drinking the blood from small animals or taking to a blood substitute. All of a sudden, the vampire’s greatest flaw is neutralized, making the concept even more attractive. Now, vampires are no longer merely hyper-sexualized beings of superior power; they are accessible, emotional, and empathetic; they are able to connect with humans at a much closer level. Restraint is what separates a modern vampire from the monster of olden days. With that, the modern concept of the vampire becomes more and more idealized, bringing us to the romanticized bastard of the vampire world: The VampMeyer.
Within Twilight lies vampires devoid of all flaws and the human girl who exists to constantly remind the reader that they are indeed perfect. The Cullen family is gorgeous, wealthy, and uninterested in drinking blood from humans; They have eternal youth and amazing individual powers. On top of all of that, the final flaw of the vampire has been put to rest: Instead of burring in the sun, the skin of these perfectly unique creatures shines like diamonds. With such perfection, it is honestly no wonder that the Twilight franchise has managed to gain such a following. Bella Swan is merely pointing out what we are all thinking: Vampires are the perfect creatures.
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