Comparing 'Carmilla And The Lady Of The House Of Love'

Literary elements of a genre have had an advancement throughout time. Sheridan Le Fanu’s, “Carmilla,” and Angela Carter’s, “The Lady of the House of Love” are both Gothic short stories that explore the different characterizations of a character. Both Gothic short stories also share the themes of love, sexuality, and the supernatural. Characterization is what shapes a protagonist and antagonist within a story. Themes give stories background and structure which help to maintain the basis of a story. “Carmilla” and “The Lady of the House of Love,” both have different literary elements such as dealing with their identities and desires through characterization and themes such as sexuality and loss of innocence that show a change in the genre over

Carmilla is the antagonist within the story. “The Lady of the House of Love” protagonist, the countess, is a vampire who is conflicted about her nature and the curse that has been placed upon her. The story, “Carmilla,” has an innocent protagonist who has never really been beyond her manor, However, Carmilla has been all over the world due to her years of age. In “The Lady of the House of Love,” the countess is innocent of the dangers that lie behind true love. Additionally, she draws three identical tarot cards every day that depict her life; however, one day she draws a love tarot card. She believes that she will find true love which leads to the ultimate demise, death. Another addition to characterization is sexualized female monsters. Carmilla seduces for personal gain. Whereas, the countess seduces on the pure need of needing to stay alive. Nasrullah Mambro, article, “Analysis of Angela Carter’s The Lady of the House of Love,” states that, “The countess’s desire for a mate who is more than a meal is evidenced by her donning of both a wedding gown and negligee, the

Furthermore, in “Carmilla,” Laura is exposed to Carmilla at a young age and once they are reunited Laura is corrupted by finding out what a monster Carmilla really is. In “Lady of the House of Love,” the countess is the innocent one because she does not know what true love is, and once she believes she has found it she dies. Sexuality is another primary theme in both stories. Carmilla is trying to adapt to her sexuality by seducing a female. In an article by Katherine Hagopian, “Apuleius and Gothic Narrative in Carter’s the Lady of the House of Love,” states that, “Angela Carter’s “The Lady of the House of Love” clearly owes it seductive and destructive vampire “lady” to a number of precedents in both fantasy and vampire literature” (Katherine). Moreover, the countess uses sexual advances to lure men into her home to have sexual intercourse and then kill them to stay alive. However, throughout the short story, the countess wonders why her family was cursed and why she had to live the life she