The Vampyre by John Staag is a horrifying poem of love, death and the supernatural, masterfully embodies the essence of Gothic horror, William Bove writes
I am terribly excited to judge the Vampyre by the English poet John Staag (1770–1823) – not to be confused with the story of the same name by John Polidori, who was the private doctor of Lord Byron.
Staag’s poem is saturated with the wonderful themes that are so intrinsic for Gothic horror and Gothic romance: the mysterious, the grotesque, the abandonment. You will also find the staples of the genre – love, true love, death, the supernatural and the elements of nature – all richly woven during work.
These last themes are my personal favorites and often appear in my own writing.
Like many poems of its kind, the Vampyre does not waste time to dive into its central horror. Yet it never rushes the reader. It takes its time to build theme, tone and mood, with the help of symbolism and lively images to lead us carefully – and chilling – the darkness.
The poem opens with a mysterious disease that stands out Herman, our tragic protagonist. His wife, Gertrude, can do nothing but look while her husband weakens night after night.
Herman’s skin gets cold. His body, once strong, decreases with every stanza. The blush of life flees his face like a scared child. His soul ebs away, swallowed by the night.
Darkness plays a double role here – as a literal setting and as a symbolic descent in horror. Herman’s disease thrives after sunset. As the nights get longer, his vitality fades.
Gertrude can only hold wake, helpless, while Herman centimeters is closer to death. In his last hours he entrusts her: he is visited by a childhood friend, Sigismund – long ago, but now back.
Death seems, is not a party for the appetite of the Ondoden.
Herman reveals that Sigismund visits every night to remove him from the blood of his life. The true nature of the disease is exposed. Sigismund is a vampire. And neither Herman nor Gertrude can stop him.
In his feverish sleep, Herman describes a trance-like state and compares death itself. While the world is asleep, Sigismund glides out of his grave and chases him.
In this way Herman is not only robbed of life, but of peace in dying.
The grotesque manifests itself in both Herman’s deteriorating body and the vorarily deeds of Sigismund. Desolation takes it if Herman is only confronted before death, despite the love and presence of Gertrude.
He is forced in a terrible insulation, a liminal space between life and death, prey to a phantom friend who became a predator.
We are made to witness Herman’s loneliness and stealing his soul.
“From the Drear mansions of the grave, from the low regions of the dead,
The spirit of Sigismund roamed and chases me terribly in my bed!
There is located in Hellse shape, (not understood by means of me)
Close to my side lies the cobulus and drinks my vital blood away! ‘
These lines form the turning point of the poem. Sigismund keeps being on a sad spirit. He becomes a creature of horror – coming up of his grave to hunt the living. The realization affects cold fear.
And Gertrude can only look.
“Sucks the streaming life from my veins and left the fountain off my heart!”
There can be no doubt. Sigismund is a vampire.
Herman gives Gertrude grim instructions to protect himself. He tells her that once he dies, he will get up again and come for her. To prevent this, she must pierce his heart with a spear – ensure that he will never get up again.
Here the themes of love, death and sacrifice are strongly intertwined.
Shortly after the supernatural reveals itself, natural remedies are presented: a spear and ultimately the wooden post.
A plan is made in the night of his death. Gertrude will wait. While Herman takes his last breath, she has to light a lantern and uncover the monster.
And she does that too.
“Disgued his unfulfilled eyes, which shines with wild horrible gaze;
And a moment with surprise, seen, surprised.
His jaws were cadaver -like with Clott’d Carnage O’er and O’er,
And all his horrible whole appeared Distent and filled with human gore! “
A grotesque view unfolds. Sigismund, browned on blood, monstrous and primal, revealed. His bloated, dripping shape becomes the stuff of the Gothic legend.
It is the stew of horror itself – a feast for the imagination and a triumph of gothic stories.
“With horrible frown, the ghost fled; she screamed out loud;
The unfortunate Herman in his bed, all pale, lay a lifeless body! “
After Herman’s funeral, the last action unfolds. Gertrude and the others enter the grave and drive wooden bets through the hearts of both Sigismund and Herman. Only then will the peace be restored.
Fun fact: In his early years, John Staag lost his sight in an accident and earned him the nickname ‘The Blind Bard’. The Vampyre is his most celebrated work.
What did you think of this article about the Vampyre? Have you read other Gothic horror poems that you follow so deeply? Tell us in the comments!
