The dark and supernatural seducer of myth and folklore tells us a lot about a culture's tendencies and viewpoint when it comes to sex, marriage and forming a society. It also explains at least partially how that group of people view and treat women. Almost every culture in every time period has or has had a 'daemon lover' myth but the moral behind these stories varies greatly. Today, it can be found reflected in the huge body of paranormal romance. In the 1920s, if found its reflection first in films such as the 1922 'Nosferatu' and then followed the progress of the film industry - the daemon lover becoming more suave, sophisticated and appealing with each incarnation. Before the daemon lover ever touched the silver screen, he (and it almost always is a 'he') starred in literature and, in particular, in the gothic novel. This week Jules and Madeleine dig into the archetype - why is the presence of such a character so prevalent? Why has his image gone through so many permutations? And what exactly does his presence in speculative fiction say about our mindset today?
Title music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic
Dissecting Dragons: Episode 110: Saying What You Really Mean - The Importance of Theme in Speculative Fiction
Dissecting Dragons: Episode 109: Into the East - Fantasy Settings Tolkien Never Used
Dissecting Dragons: Episode 108: It Must be the Weather - How Nature Reflects Art in Speculative Fiction
Dissecting Dragons: Episode 107: The Balance of Power - Sexism and Sexual Harassment in the Publishing Industry
Dissecting Dragons: Episode 106: Kali-ma, Inanna & Anath - The Creator-Destroyer in Myth and Speculative Fiction
Dissecting Dragons: Episode 105: The Book Hangover - Fictional Worlds that won't Let You Go
Dissecting Dragons: Episode 104: Bones, Boyd and Cottle - The Physician Archetype in Speculative fICTION
Dissecting Dragons: Episode 103: Best Served Cold - Revenge Arcs in Speculative Fiction
Dissecting Dragons: Episode 102: Squibs and Mundanes - Representation of Disability in Speculative Fiction
Dissecting Dragons: Episode 101: Back on the Broom - More Enchanting Children's Fiction
Dissecting Dragons: Episode 100: So You Want to Be a Writer? - Celebrating 100 Episodes of Dissecting Dragons
Dissecting Dragons: Episode 99: Long Live the Resistance - The Problem of Magical Revolution in Speculative Fiction
Dissecting Dragons: Episode 98: In Review: 2017 - the Good, the Bad and the Weird
Dissecting Dragons: Episode 97: Cheese and Crackers - Our Favourite Bad Christmas Films
Dissecting Dragons: Episode 96: Fanfiction Revisited - Cassie Clare, 50 Shades and the Next Top Seller
Dissecting Dragons: Episode 95: The Horse's Point of View - Gender Politics in Speculative Fiction
Dissecting Dragons: Episode 94: Inner Space - Altered Realities in Speculative Fiction
Dissecting Dragons: Episode 93: Damnation, Retribution and Redemption - Hell Planes and Purgatory in Speculative Fiction
Dissecting Dragons: Episode 92: Blood Drinkers and Psychic Thieves - the Vampire in SpeculativeFiction
Dissecting Dragons: Episode 91: Evil Twins and Partners in Crime - Siblings in Speculative Fiction and Real Life
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