Robert Paull Vampires Constructed Response 1B. Edith Wharton’s House of Mirth illustrates a variety of prominent vampire characteristics, including their charisma and seductiveness, as well as their parasitic tendencies. Bertha Dorset embodies all of these qualities, implying that she is a vampire, making the criticism that high society is monstrous. Dorset is extremely seductive, having multiple affairs with different men throughout the novel. This trait is highly prevalent in tales of vampires; they are frequently characterized by their alluring personalities, often used to trap victims. Bertha’s effortless captivation of any man she chooses reflects her vampiristic charisma. At the Bellomont, Lily observes Bertha “...glittering in serpentine …show more content…
Although Bertha has no intention of pursuing a relationship with Percy Gryce, she effortlessly entrances him when she needs him. Wharton also emphasizes Bertha’s other-worldly appearance, adding to the monstrous, yet enticing effect. In conclusion, Bertha’s seductive nature demonstrates her metaphorical, vampiristic identity. Dorset also exploits people for her own personal gain and cuts them off when she has gotten what she needs from them. Bertha invites Lily to travel overseas with her and her husband, George Dorset, to distract George from her affair with Ned Silverton. However, to divert suspicion away from her own relationship, Bertha accuses Lily of having an affair with her husband and refuses to allow Lily back onto their yacht. Vampires are often portrayed as parasites who take advantage of others. Wharton writes, “For though [Lily] knew she had been sacrificed to Bertha Dorset’s determination to win back her husband. it was the price she had chosen to pay for three months of luxury and freedom” (1988). While Bertha needs Lily to distract her husband, she keeps her close and spoils her. However, as soon as her husband grows suspicious, she does not hesitate to throw Lily under the bus, and