Carmilla By J.Sheridan Le Fanu

 

I am iffy, if the Irish author, Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu, wouldn’t have died early, hadn’t he sued Bam Stoker and many others, for blatantly nicking the plot premise of “Carmilla” and replicating into Dracula and so many others (both written and motion)!! 😊

 

Carmilla, a mid-1800s, first novel on female vampirism, tastefully captures the European wilderness, with the narrow roads, gothic bridge and the drawbridges. This gothic masterpiece, has been classified as one, displaying lesbianism, and accused of homophobia, which is quite vexing and questionable for me!

 

Can’t two females, devoid of love, with a lacking childhood, find solace and ardour, in each other’s company?

Yes, the love between the two, has been portrayed a wee erotically, but I didn’t find anything obscene or smut!

 

I read the scenes between, the two repeatedly, and didn’t find anything vulgar, but for acute fondness for each other. Laura keeps talking of her antipathy for Carmilla, but capitulates to her open and warm-hearted ardour and affection. This cyclic emotional-wheel of antipathy, extrication and fondness, has been portrayed throughout the novel. For me, it was nothing more than - Two solitary souls, living a solitary life, finding company in each other!

 

One might conjecture, that in the mid 1800s, such fondness in friendship, between same sex, was uncommon, and hence reprimanded!

 

Without divulging the intricate details, an abridged plot-overview-

Laura, the protagonist, begins narrating her story. She resides, along with her father, General Spielsdorf, in Styria (a region in Austria) in a castle/schloss. She is accompanied along with Madame Perrodon, the governess; and Mademoiselle De Lafontaine, her “finishing governess.” She lost her mother in her infancy.

One fine day, she is out with the maids, and they see a carriage over turned, the mistress of the cart wasn’t to continue with her journey, but Laura requests her to let her daughter, Carmilla stay with them in the castle to recover from the accident!

“If you confide this young lady to our care it will be her best consolation.”

The two, start living together, getting enraptured with each other, and become best friends.

Carmilla is open, warm, and effusive with Laura, but Laura is inhibited and wonders at Carmilla’s level of confidence. She feels a tiny degree of repulsion but the attraction overwhelms her.

Laura, finds oddity in certain habits of Carmilla, like she locks the door from the inside at night, she displays languor and lassitude. There are moments, when Carmilla is utterly consumed by a passion for Laura, and kisses, grasps, and tells her they will be one. But I see Laura just being used as a prop by Carmilla, who is still battling with her emotions towards Carmilla!

Eventually, Camilla’s health starts deteriorating, Laura too falls sick, and strange bewildering things start taking precedence . Read to know more! 😊😊

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Stars-Distribution: -

I give 4-stars to this Victorian gothic tale!

More than a vampire-tale, this effectually sways the readers hypnotically, across various other issues, of culture, gender, sexuality.

More than the gothic element, I found, Laura's adoration and yearning for companionship vs actual attraction towards Carmilla, far more appealing and compelling!

The trail of death left behind by the vampire, is defined as a disease which passes like a parasite, from one to another. This tale has all the vampiric credentials, but I see it as more of a cultural breakthrough, about gender and sexuality. It may garner a lot of literary criticism, for the scenes between the girls, but I found them aesthetically narrated, propelling from a place of lack of love!!

There is a constant unwillingness and antipathy from Laura(keeps trying to extricate herself from Carmilla’s hypnotic charm), but Carmilla’s affections keeps wooing and overwhelming her.

There is a magnetism and repulsiveness. One can revel in their fondness and antipathy! The bond between the two is uncanny!

 

In my view, the novella, reflects cultural advances in the Victorian era, and is just not a mere female vampire tale, but a metaphor to showcase female prowess and sexuality! The novella is intriguing and pretty much plausible.

I wouldn’t have docked a star, only if it was captured as a novel and not a novella! I didn’t want it to end so soon.