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Contagious Horror: Infectious Themes in Fiction and Film.
1Nebraska Methodist Hospital System, Omaha, Nebraska jssartin@hotmail.com.
Clinical Medicine & Research
|June 5, 2019
Summary
Infectious disease themes have long been prominent in horror literature and film. These narratives often serve as metaphors for societal anxieties, making complex issues accessible to a broad audience.
Area of Science:
- Medical Humanities
- Literature and Film Studies
Background:
- Infectious diseases have a long history in human literature, particularly within the horror genre.
- Themes of contagion, plague, and apocalypse are prevalent in written and visual horror.
- Early examples include Babylonian and Hebrew texts, medieval folklore (vampires, werewolves), and Victorian literature focusing on infection and contamination.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the historical use and significance of infectious disease themes in horror fiction and film.
- To explore how these themes function as metaphors for societal concerns.
Main Methods:
- Content analysis of literary and cinematic works across different historical periods.
- Examination of recurring motifs related to infectious diseases in horror narratives.
Main Results:
- Infection themes have been consistently utilized in horror since antiquity.
- 20th-century film prominently featured plague and apocalyptic scenarios.
- These narratives effectively translate societal anxieties into engaging storytelling.
Conclusions:
- Infectious disease tropes in horror are enduring and versatile narrative devices.
- Horror fiction and film leverage infection themes to explore and communicate societal fears and challenges to a wide audience.
