The Hunt for an Eternal Legacy:
Putin and the Vampire Legend in Modern Russia
FOLKLORICA 201
8, Vol. X
XII25
'The Hunt for an Eternal Legacy: Putin and the Vampire Legend in Modern
Russia
Colleen Lucey
University of Arizona
Tucson, AZ, USA
Russia
Colleen Lucey
University of Arizona
Tucson, AZ, USA
Melissa Miller
University of Notre Dame Notre Dame, IN, USA
Abstract
Today’s image of the vampire in Russia is a fascinating case study in how people both bring Slavic folklore to life in the digital age and how they make use of developing technologies to participate in political protest. For instance, online commentators and political cartoonists portray Russia’s current president, Vladimir Putin, as a modern-day vampire who feeds on the dual policies of expansionism and political repression. On the other hand, his uncanny ability to avoid the signs of aging bolsters his hold on power and further aligns Putin with the vampire and the character’s subsequent iterations in popular culture. Using the vampire t o convey political and social anxieties predates Putin’s presidency. Given the vampire’s possession of taboo knowledge and its ability to wreak havoc on communities, the figure appears as a simulacrum for a politically savvy, yet heinously unjust, ruler.
Today’s image of the vampire in Russia is a fascinating case study in how people both bring Slavic folklore to life in the digital age and how they make use of developing technologies to participate in political protest. For instance, online commentators and political cartoonists portray Russia’s current president, Vladimir Putin, as a modern-day vampire who feeds on the dual policies of expansionism and political repression. On the other hand, his uncanny ability to avoid the signs of aging bolsters his hold on power and further aligns Putin with the vampire and the character’s subsequent iterations in popular culture. Using the vampire t o convey political and social anxieties predates Putin’s presidency. Given the vampire’s possession of taboo knowledge and its ability to wreak havoc on communities, the figure appears as a simulacrum for a politically savvy, yet heinously unjust, ruler.
From the tyrannical Vlad Dracula (1431-1476) who impaled his advisories, to the display of Vladimir Lenin’s (1870-1924) embalmed, seemingly “undead” body on Moscow’s Red Square, longevity of the state has paralleled the search for ultimate sovereignty, both in life and in death.
This article examines a variety of folktales, fiction (including Stoker's Dracula and
Pelevin's Empire V ) and media (including film and memes). We argue that the supernatural in modern Russia in the form of the vampire legend performs
paradoxical functions, in that it both serves to legitimize the autocratic state, while at the same time is weaponized (by journalists, artists, Internet users) to critique the Putin regime.
“Unfortunately, he is a vampire.”
-
Liudmila Putina describing her husband Vladimir Putin
Pelevin's Empire V ) and media (including film and memes). We argue that the supernatural in modern Russia in the form of the vampire legend performs
paradoxical functions, in that it both serves to legitimize the autocratic state, while at the same time is weaponized (by journalists, artists, Internet users) to critique the Putin regime.
“Unfortunately, he is a vampire.”
-
Liudmila Putina describing her husband Vladimir Putin
In the summer of 2008, the Russian tabloid Tainy zvёzdSecrets of the Stars featured a youthful, smiling Vladimir Putin on its cover (Figure 1). the issue created a frenzy at kiosks
Figure 1: Image reproduced courtesy of Bauer Media Group, Russia.
around the country, setting a new sales record as the Russian public eagerly purchased available copies. What drove citizens from all parts of the country to buy this particular tabloid?
Certainly, it promised titillating reading material: unpublished photos of the president; provocative details on his past relations with women; and two pin-up posters of a topless Putin to share with friends and family.
Figure 1: Image reproduced courtesy of Bauer Media Group, Russia.
around the country, setting a new sales record as the Russian public eagerly purchased available copies. What drove citizens from all parts of the country to buy this particular tabloid?
Certainly, it promised titillating reading material: unpublished photos of the president; provocative details on his past relations with women; and two pin-up posters of a topless Putin to share with friends and family.
But one cover story likely caught the eye of potential buyers —an exposé from none
other than the president’s wife, Lyudmila Putina. According to the tabloid, she had shocking news to share with the public: her husband was a vampire.
No comments:
Post a Comment