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Episode 4

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Published on:

22nd Oct 2025

Vampire Beauty: The Gothic Body

Welcome, my ghouls!

In this episode, I explore the Gothic body, where beauty, death and desire intertwine. From vampire myths to historical obsessions with youth and purity, I uncover how the pursuit of eternal beauty has always revealed something darker about power, fear, and control.

***Listener Discretion is Strongly Advised***

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Sources & References:

Kubiesa, Jane M. (2021). Cultural Representations of the Transformative Body in Young Adult Multi-Volume Vampire Fiction, 2000–2010. University of Sheffield.

Kavka, Misha. (2002). The Gothic on Screen. In The Cambridge Companion to Gothic Fiction, edited by Jerrold E. Hogle. Cambridge University Press.

Sontag, Susan. (1978). Illness as Metaphor. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

Illness & Illustration: The Beauty Myths of Tuberculosis & Vampires. Infectious Science. Retrieved from [Infectious Science website].

Vampire Panic. (n.d.). Science History Institute. Retrieved from [sciencehistory.org].

Flückinger, Johannes. (1732). Visum et Repertum: Report on the Case of Arnold Paole. Austrian Army Medical Corps.

Elizabeth Báthory in Popular Culture. Wikipedia. Retrieved from [wikipedia.org].

Smith, Robyn. (2020). Looking Like the Other: The Evolution of Vampire Fashion. Online article.

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About the Podcast

Beauty Unlocked the podcast
Buckle up and get ready as I delve into a variety of topics regarding physical beauty.

We'll take a look at our society's obsession with physical beauty and the consequences these impossible beauty standards have had on us.
Let's face it; this fascination regarding physical beauty and body image isn't a recent phenomenon; it has been around for centuries, crossing borders, and has affected men and women alike.
The realization of this podcast has come about by my own experiences having to deal with society's perverse notion of physical "perfection" and researching an array of topics that have intrigued me over the years.
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About your host

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Carissa Vikis

Hey there!
I'm Carissa, host, content creator, and producer of the indie podcast Beauty Unlocked.
Growing up, I was frequently compared and criticized for my looks and weight. This started the vicious cycle of being self-critical and loathing my body. I knew I wasn't the only one suffering from society's ridiculous notion of what "we should look like." I started digging deeper and researching various topics, and the rest is h(er)story!
Beauty Unlocked The Podcast aims to educate and bring awareness of our society's obsession with physical beauty and the emotional consequences these impossible beauty standards have. Beauty Unlocked's social media platform showcases not only my work but that of other artists, illustrators, and fellow podcasters that I admire and that share a similar message of inspiration, empowerment, positivity, and raising awareness on a variety of social issues.