Nice job again 👏 👍. Some fodder for the coffee klatch :
Horrifying as they may be, the estrie myth is, in some ways, refreshing. Folktales reflect the fears (and often xenophobia) of their native culture, so it comes as no surprise that many other Western vampire stories echo antisemitic stereotypes and conspiracy theories.
In Bram Stoker’s “Dracula,” the titular bloodsucker embodies a number of Jewish stereotypes: he’s an Eastern European man with bushy hair, an “aquiline” nose and an aversion to crosses. He obsessively counts, operates on a lunar calendar and generally threatens societal norms.
And most damning is his chosen prey: Christian women. Since the death of William of Norwich in 1144, people have accused Jews of using the blood of Christians for ritual sacrifice. Given the rest of the evidence, it’s not a far leap to connect Dracula and blood libel. Yikes.
But whereas Dracula represents the gentile fear of Jews, estries are actually an authentic piece of our culture, a lesson in Judaism’s lesser-known supernatural history.
They’re bloodthirsty monsters… but they’re our monsters.
Nice job again 👏 👍. Some fodder for the coffee klatch :
Horrifying as they may be, the estrie myth is, in some ways, refreshing. Folktales reflect the fears (and often xenophobia) of their native culture, so it comes as no surprise that many other Western vampire stories echo antisemitic stereotypes and conspiracy theories.
In Bram Stoker’s “Dracula,” the titular bloodsucker embodies a number of Jewish stereotypes: he’s an Eastern European man with bushy hair, an “aquiline” nose and an aversion to crosses. He obsessively counts, operates on a lunar calendar and generally threatens societal norms.
And most damning is his chosen prey: Christian women. Since the death of William of Norwich in 1144, people have accused Jews of using the blood of Christians for ritual sacrifice. Given the rest of the evidence, it’s not a far leap to connect Dracula and blood libel. Yikes.
But whereas Dracula represents the gentile fear of Jews, estries are actually an authentic piece of our culture, a lesson in Judaism’s lesser-known supernatural history.
They’re bloodthirsty monsters… but they’re our monsters.
Very interesting!