Meaghan Allen

My research intends to make manifest the many medieval facets in contemporary horror by using television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003) as my primary case study. To achieve this, my thesis uses blood as a core concept and lens in reading Buffy as a modern medieval text.

The universe of Buffy the Vampire Slayer exists because of blood – its absence, its presence, its transgression of boundaries, bodies, and dimensions. Close readings of select Buffy episodes alongside medieval medicine, theology, natural philosophy, and hagiography gesture toward the Series' rich medieval inheritance, an inheritance often articulated through the religious and horror cultural lexicon. As a generally established part of the Western cultural vocabulary, the cultural lexicon shows how explicitly religious concepts such as blood (its consumption, its spillng, its preservation); death, resurrection, and redemption; eschatological time and hell dimensions; and the metaphysics of the soul are contingent upon the theological traditions they originate from to possess meaning.

This thesis argues that the shared values, metaphors, and symbols regarding blood in Buffy are reliant upon, and have evolved from, the multivalent medieval theories regarding blood. Reading Buffy medievally not only emphasises the Series’ broad religious overtones, giving them more weighted meaning, but it also highlight’s the tradition of female heroism and warriordom, a central component of Buffy and medieval Christianity. As such, this thesis contributes new material and perspectives to the already vast Buffy academic canon (known as Buffy Studies) by spending time with and extrapolating the Series’ oft-neglected medieval influence by closely reading the heart of the series--blood.

Born and raised in Pasadena, California, Meaghan has pursued research in numerous fields: Mid 19th-Century Sensational Literature; Polish posters from 1955-1989; Feminist art in 1970s Poland; and now Medieval Hagiography & Contemporary Gothic/Horror. When not researching Meaghan enjoys spending time with friends, spoiling her pet cat Bowie, watching slasher films, being outdoors, spreading her love for actor Nicolas Cage, and co-hosting her pet project Modern Medieval: The Podcast.