Carmilla

Take one of Laura’s dreams and do an in-depth analysis of all of its features. Pay special attention to what the dream elements say about her psychology and her relationship with other characters.

Based on solely the information and descriptions in Carmilla, what is the nature of vampires? What causes vampirism, what are vampires’ characteristics, and what are their motivations?

How is motherhood portrayed in Carmilla? Compare it to the way fatherhood is portrayed.

How might Laura’s vampiric illness be a metaphor for repressed sexual desires?

How might Laura’s vampiric illness be a metaphor for repressed violent desires?

Detail how place/setting is portrayed in the book. How is the natural countryside depicted? How are the castles depicted? In what ways do these depictions interact and add meaning to the story?

Assume that Carmilla is a character created by Laura and that Carmilla is her alter ego. What does this second personality (Carmilla) reveal about the first personality (Laura)? 

Carmilla is an account presented by the unnamed narrator of the prologue as being composed by a young woman named Laura, though the prologue narrator has received the account not from Laura, but from a mysterious Doctor Hesselius. How does the filtered nature of the narrative affect our understanding of the story? For instance, does it make the story more believable or not?