The Threat of the Lesbian Vampire: in Sheridan Le Fanu's "Carmilla", Whitley Strieber's "The Hunger" and Jewelle Gomez's "The Gilda Stories"

Male vampires have exuded a certain fascination with women and men alike. Perceived as mysterious, powerful and sensual they have been feared not only for their gory diet but also for their ability of seducing innocents. What threat, then, does a female and lesbian vampire pose to her victims? And what exactly is it that evokes fear and awe in those who encounter her? This paper tries to find answers to these questions by analysing three literary works from the 19th and 20th century, i.e. Sheridan Le Fanu's "Carmilla" (1872), Whitley Strieber's "The Hunger" (1981) and Jewelle Gomez's "The Gilda Stories" (1991).