Cuando se habla del vampiro en la literatura escrita moderna (en la literatura oral –leyendas y cuentos maravillosos– ya existía esa figura, de la que se alimenta la escrita), siempre se comienza a partir del Drácula de Bran Stoker. Sin embargo, la novela de Stoker, que fue publicada en 1897 e inauguró esa prolongada saga vampiresca en la literatura, el cine y otras artes, tiene un antecedente capital: la pequeña novela El vampiro de John Williams Polidori.
When we speak of the vampire in modern written literature (in oral literature - legends and marvelous tales - this figure already existed, from which the written literature feeds), we always start with Bran Stoker's Dracula. However, Stoker's novel, which was published in 1897 and inaugurated this long vampire saga in literature, cinema and other arts, has a capital antecedent: the short novel The Vampire by John Williams Polidori.
Este médico británico, luego derivado en escritor, John Williams Polidori, nacido el 7 de septiembre de 1795, fue el verdadero iniciador de la narrativa del vampiro. Se sabe que fue contratado como médico por Lord Byron, el emblemático representante del romanticismo inglés. Y en uno de los viajes característicos de Byron, instalados en Suiza en 1816, con la visita de Percey Shelley y de la que sería su esposa, luego conocida como Mary Shelley, amigos de Byron, este propuso hacer un ejercicio novelesco de terror. De esa experiencia nació la novela que conoceríamos como Frankenstein o el moderno Prometeo de Mary Shelley, publicada en 1818, y El vampiro (aunque su título original era "Ernestus Berchtold o el moderno Edipo") escrita por Polidori, publicada en 1819. El texto de Polidori inicialmente se vio envuelto en un conflicto autorial; además de haber sido publicado sin su autorización, al hacer uso de referencias a textos de Byron, fue adjudicado a este; los estudiosos sostienen que Polidori estaba, de algún modo, pasando factura a Byron.
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This British doctor, who later became a writer, John Williams Polidori, born on September 7, 1795, was the true initiator of the vampire narrative. It is known that he was hired as a physician by Lord Byron, the emblematic representative of English romanticism. And in one of Byron's characteristic trips, installed in Switzerland in 1816, with the visit of Percey Shelley and the one who would be his wife, later known as Mary Shelley, friends of Byron, he proposed to make a novelistic exercise of terror. From that experience was born the novel that we would know as Frankenstein or the modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley, published in 1818, and The Vampire (although its original title was "Ernestus Berchtold or the modern Oedipus"), written by Polidori, published in 1819. From that experience was born the novel that we would know as Frankenstein or the Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley, published in 1818, and The Vampire (although its original title was "Ernestus Berchtold or the Modern Oedipus") written by Polidori, published in 1819. Polidori's text was initially involved in an authorial conflict; in addition to having been published without his authorization, by making use of references to Byron's texts, was attributed to this; scholars argue that Polidori was somehow passing Byron's bill.
Veamos unos fragmentos de El vampiro, que tienen como protagonistas al joven Aubrey y a Lord Ruthven (supuestamente inspirado en Byron):
Hasta entonces, Aubrey no había tenido oportunidad de estudiar a fondo el carácter de su compañero de viaje, y de pronto descubrió que, aunque gran parte de sus acciones eran plenamente visibles, los resultados ofrecían unas conclusiones muy diferentes, de acuerdo con los motivos de su comportamiento.
(…)
En las obras de beneficencia del Lord había una circunstancia que quedó muy grabada en la mente del joven: todos aquellos a quienes ayudaba Lord Ruthven, inevitablemente veían caer una maldición sobre ellos, pues eran llevados al cadalso o se hundían en la miseria más abyecta.
(…)
Lord Ruthven, en su carruaje, y en medio de la naturaleza más lujuriosa y salvaje, siempre era el mismo: sus ojos hablaban menos que sus labios. Y aunque Aubrey se hallaba tan cerca del objeto de su curiosidad, no obtenía mayor satisfacción de este hecho que la de la constante exaltación del vano deseo de desentrañar aquel misterio que a su excitada imaginación empezaba a asumir las proporciones de algo sobrenatural.
(…)
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Let's look at some excerpts from The Vampire, featuring young Aubrey and Lord Ruthven (supposedly inspired by Byron):
Until then, Aubrey had not had the opportunity to study the character of his traveling companion in depth, and he suddenly discovered that, although many of his actions were fully visible, the results offered very different conclusions, according to the motives of his behavior.
(...)
In the Lord's charitable works there was a circumstance that remained deeply engraved in the young man's mind: all those whom Lord Ruthven helped, inevitably saw a curse fall upon them, as they were taken to the scaffold or sank into the most abject misery.
(...)
Lord Ruthven, in his carriage, and in the midst of the most lusty and savage nature, was always the same: his eyes spoke less than his lips. And although Aubrey was so close to the object of his curiosity, he derived no greater satisfaction from this fact than that of the constant exaltation of the vain desire to unravel that mystery which to his excited imagination was beginning to assume the proportions of something supernatural.
(...)
Se puede apreciar en el relato esa atmósfera que irá creando el enigma, elemento característico esencial de este subgénero de la narrativa universal. Hasta aquí como una antesala para los que no han leído el relato de Polidori y no hacer "spoiler", como dicen. Pueden acceder al texto completo de Polidori en este enlace.
Solo he querido presentarles el relato fundacional de la larga narrativa de vampiros que nos ronda o anima, desde hace años, entre el terror y el cansancio, sea en la literatura o el cine, donde, se han producido obras geniales o subproductos meramente comerciales. Sin embargo, nuestra cultura no puede desconocer esa huella o herida. De Dumas, Poe y Stoker en narrativa, o a Murnau y Ford Coppola en cine, una lista larga de producciones ha invadido, cual vampiros, la vida espectatorial y el imaginario de todos.
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It is possible to appreciate in the story that atmosphere that will create the enigma, an essential characteristic element of this subgenre of the universal narrative. So far as a prelude for those who have not read Polidori's story and not to make "spoilers", as they say. You can access the full text of Polidori in this link.
I just wanted to present the foundational story of the long vampire narrative that has been haunting or animating us, for years, between terror and fatigue, whether in literature or cinema, where, there have been brilliant works or merely commercial by-products. However, our culture cannot ignore this imprint or wound. From Dumas, Poe and Stoker in narrative, or Murnau and Ford Coppola in cinema, a long list of productions has invaded, like vampires, the spectatorial life and the imaginary of all.
Referencia | Reference:
Polidori, John W. (2009). El vampiro. Colombia: Verticales de bolsillo.
https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_William_Polidori
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_William_Polidori