Carmilla

About “Carmilla”

Carmilla is a novella by Sheridan Le Fanu, first published as a serial in The Dark Blue from 1871 to 1872. It is told from the perspective of a young woman who is targeted by a female vampire named Carmilla, later identified as Mircalla, Countess Karnstein. The name Carmilla is an anagram of Mircalla. The story features a female vampire who shows romantic feelings toward the protagonist, making her a prototype of the lesbian vampire. The novella does not directly address homosexuality as a negative quality, keeping the theme subtle and morally unclear. It has been frequently reprinted and adapted into various forms of media.