4) Reconciling “Shame”
(Trigger Warning: implied sexual assault)
In Eggers’ Nosferatu, Ellen implies she had a prior sexual entanglement with Count Orlok. While we don’t know many details (or frankly, if it’s even true), she cites this experience as a source of anxiety and trauma regarding her marriage with Thomas. Vampires are culturally sexual monsters, often using sexuality as a corrupting influence over the puritanical Christians, which over time led to fetishizing vampire lore as reflecting freedom from cultural, sexual repression. Considering Harker’s trauma and Eggers’ intent to maintain Count Orlok’s mantra of corruption, someone could read that Count Orlok sexually assaulted Ellen Harker, and her anxiety stems from a perceived shame from the experience. Harker’s arc involves combating Orlok by owning her sexuality rather than Orlok retaining power and control over her
