Varney the Vampire
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Varney the Vampire or The Feast of Blood was a mid-Victorian era gothic horror story by James Malcolm Rymer (alternatively attributed to Thomas Preskett Prest), first published in 1845 in a series of pamphlets generally referred to as penny dreadfuls because of their inexpensive price and typically gruesome contents. It was at one time popularly but wrongly believed to be the first example of vampire fiction.
The story is set in the reign of King George II and concerns the persecution of the Bannerworth family by Sir Francis Varney, a vampire. Varney is presented sympathetically, a victim of circumstances. He tries to save himself but is unable and ultimately commits suicide by throwing himself into Mount Vesuvius.
Trivia
Varney is obviously the inspiration for Varnae, the first vampire in the Marvel Comics Universe.External links
- [The complete text at the University of Virginia]
- [Images and Illustrations from The Varney Image Page]
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