Varner (I mean, Varney) the Vampire

Welcome to Celebrate Poe - episode 349 - Varner (I mean, Varney) the Vampire

Hope you have listened to episode 348 about Varney the Vampire but you might be asking yourself, How does Varney's sympathetic portrayal differ from other vampire stories of the time?

Well, Varney the Vampire stands out as a pioneering sympathetic portrayal of vampires, differing significantly from other contemporary vampire stories. Unlike the purely evil vampires of his time, Varney is depicted as a complex character torn between his monstrous nature and his human desires.  I originally planned to just do one episode on Varney, but for this and many other reasons, I found myself more and more intrigued by the character of Varney

Thank you for experiencing Celebrate Poe.

Transcript

Welcome to Celebrate Poe - episode 349 - Varner (I mean, Varney) the Vampire

Hope you have listened to episode 348 about Varney the Vampire but you might be asking yourself, How does Varney's sympathetic portrayal differ from other vampire stories of the time?

Well, Varney the Vampire stands out as a pioneering sympathetic portrayal of vampires, differing significantly from other contemporary vampire stories. Unlike the purely evil vampires of his time, Varney is depicted as a complex character torn between his monstrous nature and his human desires.  I originally planned to just do one episode on Varney, but for this and many other reasons, I found myself more and more intrigued by the character of Varney

Here is something totally irrelevant - my full name is George Glenn Varner Bartley, but I think I have Varney the Vampire on the brain so much, that last night (when I was trying to record a podcast while I was sleepy) the name came out as Varner the Vampire -

Anyway, the literary character of Varney the Vampire is basically characterized by several unique aspects:

Internal conflict: Varney is tormented by his own existence and haunted by his evil acts, constantly vacillating between being a monster and a victim.

Human motivations: Unlike other vampires focused solely on blood, Varney is driven by distinctly human appetites, seeking wealth and women for reasons beyond mere sustenance.

Moral ambiguity: Throughout the story, Varney's actions range from criminal to altruistic, making him an unpredictable and multifaceted character.

Reluctant vampire: Varney is portrayed as not wanting to harm people but being driven by an insatiable hunger, adding a layer of tragedy to his character.

Now, Varney the Vampire undergoes significant character evolution throughout the story, transforming from a simple monster into a complex, sympathetic figure. Initially, Varney appears as a terrifying creature who torments the Bannerworth family, driven by a need for blood. However, as the narrative progresses, his character becomes more nuanced and multifaceted.

Varney's motives shift from purely seeking blood to pursuing wealth and social standing. He even attempts to marry women for financial gain, revealing more human-like desires.

As the story unfolds, Varney vacillates between evil acts and moments of altruism, creating a morally ambiguous character. This complexity makes him unpredictable and more intriguing to readers.

Varney develops a conscience and becomes haunted by his evil deeds. He experiences remorse and inner torment, struggling with his vampiric nature. This internal conflict adds depth to his character and elicits sympathy from readers.

Varney also becomes increasingly humanized throughout the story. He seeks human fellowship and regrets his unsavory actions. And he is portrayed as a victim of circumstances, unable to escape his curse.

His ability to interact with humans, including marrying multiple times, blurs the line between man and monster. This humanization of Varney was groundbreaking for vampire literature, predating the sympathetic vampire 
later popularized in the 20th century.

Varney's character evolution laid the foundation for modern, complex vampire characters. His struggle with his nature, desire for redemption, and ability to evoke sympathy from readers have influenced numerous contemporary vampire tales, including popular series such as "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," "True Blood," and "The Vampire Diaries".

Varney's character evolves from a one-dimensional monster to a tragic, multifaceted figure, grappling with his vampiric nature and human desires. This transformation not only adds depth to the story but also revolutionized the portrayal of vampires in literature and popular culture.

At first, Varney is presented as a straightforward villain, tormenting the Bannerworth family and causing them distress. He attacks Flora and continues to harass the family, establishing himself as a threat.  But as the story progresses, Varney's motivations become more complex. While early chapters suggest he acts out of a need for blood, later parts of the narrative imply he may be driven by monetary interests. This shift adds layers to his character, making him more than just a mindless predator.

As Varney interacts more with the Bannerworths, he is presented with increasing sympathy. His actions and motivations become more ambiguous, blurring the line between villain and victim. This internal conflict is evident in his loathing of his vampiric condition, which adds a tragic dimension to his character.

Varney's interactions with the Bannerworth family serve as a catalyst for his character development. Through these relationships, he transforms from a one-dimensional monster into a nuanced character struggling with his nature and past. His attempts to connect with the family, despite his vampiric urges, highlight his internal conflict and desire for human connection.

And while initially portrayed as seeking blood, Varney's actions are later suggested to be motivated by financial interests, potentially linked to the family's recent fall from wealth. As the story progresses, Varney is presented with increasing sympathy as a victim of circumstances, unable to escape his condition. And Varney's loathing of his vampiric condition and his attempts to save himself create increased internal turmoil, making him a more complex and relatable character.

Initially, Varney appears as a monstrous figure, tormenting the Bannerworth family and attacking Flora Bannerworth. However, as his interactions with the family increase, his character develops more depth and even becomes somewhat sympathetic.

You can say that  Varney's motivations for targeting the Bannerworths are multifaceted: In the early chapters, Varney's actions are driven by the typical vampire need for blood - ordinary vampire stuff.

Later in the story, it is suggested that Varney is motivated by financial gain in his interactions with the Bannerworths.  Interesting enough, Varney bears a strong resemblance to a portrait of Marmaduke Bannerworth in Bannerworth Hall, implying a possible familial connection. This resemblance leads to speculation about Varney's true identity and his relationship to the Bannerworth family.

As the story progresses, Varney's character becomes more nuanced:

He is portrayed as loathing his vampiric condition, suggesting internal conflict about his actions towards the Bannerworths.  And Varney is presented with increasing sympathy as a victim of circumstances, trying but failing to save himself.

Ultimately, Varney's relationship with the Bannerworths serves as a catalyst for exploring themes of identity, redemption, and the nature of monstrosity. His actions, while initially predatory, become increasingly ambiguous as the story unfolds, reflecting the author's uncertainty about whether to portray Varney as a literal vampire or a human acting like one.

Varney's character undergoes significant evolution through his interactions with the Bannerworth family, transforming from a simple monster into a complex and somewhat sympathetic figure. Initially, Varney appears as a ruthless predator, tormenting the Bannerworths and violently attacking Flora. However, as the story progresses, his motivations become clearer and his character gains more depth.

As the story progresses, Varney transitions from a one-dimensional villain to a multifaceted character with conflicting emotions and motivations. He begins to experience remorse for his actions, demonstrating an internal struggle between his monstrous nature and his desire for redemption.

And as the story progresses, Varney’s interactions with the Bannerworth family becomes more nuanced. He admits to being a distant relation and a friend of their father, suggesting a deeper connection to the family. As readers learn more about Varney's backstory and witness his inner turmoil, he becomes a more tragic and sympathetic figure.

This evolution in Varney's character reflects the Victorian era's growing interest in exploring the complexities of human nature and the blurred lines between good and evil.

Varney’s APPEARANCE even evolves to reflect his character development.

You see, Varney’s appearance reflects his inner struggles through a combination of physical and behavioral characteristics that emphasize his otherworldly nature and internal torment. His figure is described as "unusually long and thin," projecting an enormous shadow that merges with the darkness. This exaggerated, almost inhuman form suggests an inner distortion or conflict.

Varney's face is depicted with a "livid parlor," indicating a deathly pallor that hints at his undead state and the turmoil within. His eyes are particularly striking, described as "the only living things in that impassive face," with "vertically slit pupils" like those of a predator. This contrast between his lifeless appearance and his vivid, alien-like eyes symbolizes the struggle between his human past and his monstrous present.

The vampire's movements are also telling. He is described as having "fleshless hands" and moving with a combination of grace and menace. This duality in his physicality reflects the internal conflict between his refined human nature and his predatory vampiric instincts.

Varney's appearance serves as a visual manifestation of the "cureless disquiet" that plagues him, embodying the Gothic themes of inner torment and the struggle between humanity and monstrosity.

Pretty heavy stuff for a one cent penny dreadful.

Even the description of his face vividly symbolizes his inner turmoil through several striking features:

His face is described as "perfectly white—perfectly bloodless," reflecting his undead state and the internal conflict of being caught between life and death.

His eyes are likened to "polished tin," suggesting a lack of humanity and warmth, symbolizing his struggle with his monstrous nature.

His teeth are portrayed as "fearful looking" and "projecting like those of some wild animal, hideously, glaringly white, and fang-like." This feature represents his predatory instincts and the bestial side of his nature that he cannot escape.

Varney is described as having "long nails that literally appear to hang from the finger ends," emphasizing his otherworldly and decaying state.

His movement is described as a "strange, gliding movement," further accentuating his unnatural state and the disconnect between his human past and vampiric present.

These physical characteristics not only make Varney a terrifying figure but also symbolize his internal struggle as a sympathetic vampire who hates his condition yet is enslaved by it.

I think the way that Varney is described is fascinating - with his
appearance reflecting his inner conflict through a combination of contrasting features that mirror his dual nature as both a predator and a remorseful figure. He is described as  "a young man, with a pale face, a stately brow, and a strange expression about the eyes, which no one cared to look on twice". This description captures the essence of Varney's internal struggle:

The pale face suggests his vampiric nature and otherworldliness, hinting at his predatory side. The stately brow indicates nobility and intelligence, reflecting his aristocratic background and capacity for complex emotions.
The strange expression in his eyes that people avoid looking at twice suggests an unsettling quality, possibly reflecting the turmoil of his inner conflict between his monstrous urges and his desire for redemption.

One area that I thought was especially interesting was how Varney dealt with remorse.  This is because we usually don’t view vampires as experiencing remorse for their actions.  But Varney definitely has an inner conflict resulting from his actions and does not come across as a purely evil creature.  The makes Varney become far more relatable.

And this possibility of remorse makes Varney come across as a sympathetic victim, struggling with the consequences of his past actions.

Varney's remorse stems from his tragic backstory, where he was cursed with vampirism after betraying a royalist to Oliver Cromwell and accidentally killing his own son in a fit of anger. This deep-seated guilt and regret likely influenced his subsequent choices and actions.

The impact of Varney's remorse on his decision-making can be understood through the lens of how regret affects behavior. Ultimately, Varney's remorse leads him to make the drastic decision to end his existence by throwing himself into Mount Vesuvius. This extreme action demonstrates how overwhelming guilt can lead to self-destructive choices.

Before his final act, Varney chooses to leave a written account of his origin with a sympathetic priest. This decision suggests that his remorse drives him to seek understanding and perhaps forgiveness from others.

And in Varney's case, his ultimate decision to end his existence could be seen as an attempt to finally escape the weight of his remorse and the consequences of his past actions.

Varney's remorse significantly impacts his self-perception, leading to self-loathing and a desire for self-destruction. Throughout the narrative, Varney is portrayed with increasing sympathy as a victim of circumstances, unable to escape his vampiric condition. His attempts to save himself from his cursed state are ultimately futile, causing him great distress and internal conflict.

His final, desperate act demonstrates the overwhelming guilt and self-hatred that have consumed his self-perception, driving him to seek permanent oblivion as the only escape from his tormented existence.

I would like to end this episode with a section from the original Varney the Vampire that describes that final act.
"Late in the evening, about four days since, a tall and melancholy-looking stranger arrived, and put up at one of the principal hotels at Naples. He was a most peculiar looking man, and considered by the persons of the establishment as about the ugliest guest they had 
ever had within the walls of their place. 

"In a short time he summoned the landlord, and the following conversation ensued between him and the strange guest. 

"’I want,’ said the stranger, 'to see all the curiosities of Naples, and among the rest Mount Vesuvius. Is there any difficulty?!'] 

"'None,' replied the landlord, 'with a proper guide.!'] 

"A guide was soon secured, who set out with the adventurous Englishman to make the ascent of the burning mountain. 

"They went on then until the guide did not think it quite prudent to go any further, as there was a great fissure in the side of the  mountain, out of which a stream of lava was slowly issuing and speading [sic] itself in rather an alarming manner. 

"The ugly Englishman, however, pointed to a secure mode of getting higher still, and they proceeded until they were very near the edge of the crater itself. The stranger then took his purse from his pocket and flung it to the guide saying, — 

"'You can keep that for your pains, and for coming into some danger with me. But the fact was, that I wanted a witness to an act which I have set my mind upon performing.' 

"The guide says that these words were spoken with so much calmness, that he verily believed the act mentioned as about to be done was some scientific experiment of which he knew that the English were very fond, and he replied, — 

'"Sir, I am only too proud to serve so generous and so distinguished a gentleman. In what way can I be useful?' 

"'You will make what haste you can,['] said the stranger, [']from the mountain, inasmuch as it is covered with sulphurous vapours, 
inimical to human life, and when you reach the city you will cause to be published an account of my proceedings, and what I say. You 
will say that you accompanied Varney the Vampyre to the crater of Mount Vesuvius, and that, tired and disgusted with a life of horror, 
he flung himself in to prevent the possibility of a reanimation of his remains.' 

["]Before then the guide could utter anything but a shriek, Varney took one tremendous leap, and disappeared into the burning mouth 
of the mountain.!"] 

Join us for episode 350 - yes, sort of a milestone for Celebrate Poe, for the episode Dark Shadows and more of Varner - I mean, Varney the Vampire

Sources include: Varney the Vampire in Three Volumes; or, The Feast of Blood by James Malcolm Rymer and Thomas Peckett Prest

Thank you for listening to Celebrate Poe.