Saying 'I Do' to a Vampire: Cultural Memory in Bulgarian Vampire Courtship Lore

• In Event: Ritual Otherworlds in Oral Traditions of Matrimony, War, and Death

Abstract

Scholars have pointed to the Slavic lands where vampires roamed through the night in pursuit of blood as the birthplace of the modern Western vampire. Bulgarian vampires still lurk in the memories of the country’s vampire lore. Many Bulgarian folk pieces describe the relationship between a female and an “undead” male. In some, women are betrothed to vampires, while in others the vampire returns seeking love. This paper examines such pieces in light of traditional Bulgarian customs related to the periods before, during, and after the wedding demonstrating that Bulgarian vampire courtship lore is a domain of transgressive and progressive young men and women. Even though some would argue that such texts serve as cautionary tales, this paper argues that the vampire figure in these pieces becomes a shared medium that allows both men and women to discuss controversial issues such as sex, violence, property rights, religion, medicine, and contagion.

Author

• Viktoria Basham, Salisbury U