The first object of his desire is an effigy of the Virgin Mary that he often adores in sexual terms. Matilda, who initially disguises herself as a man but reveals herself to look exactly like the effigy, becomes the object of the monk’s desires and awakens his transgressive passions. Matilda’s doubling with the beautiful Virgin Mary unveils the illuminating differences between one and the other: whereas the effigy represents a woman that is beautiful, pure, and virginal, Matilda is unveiled as a sensual, seductive, and demonic character. Similarly, in Carmilla, the text’s namesake vampire doubles — and even triples — herself by restructuring her name and omitting her past. But, Carmilla’s tripling leaves a trail that ultimately uncovers her vampiric patterns and leads to her femicidal
The first object of his desire is an effigy of the Virgin Mary that he often adores in sexual terms. Matilda, who initially disguises herself as a man but reveals herself to look exactly like the effigy, becomes the object of the monk’s desires and awakens his transgressive passions. Matilda’s doubling with the beautiful Virgin Mary unveils the illuminating differences between one and the other: whereas the effigy represents a woman that is beautiful, pure, and virginal, Matilda is unveiled as a sensual, seductive, and demonic character. Similarly, in Carmilla, the text’s namesake vampire doubles — and even triples — herself by restructuring her name and omitting her past. But, Carmilla’s tripling leaves a trail that ultimately uncovers her vampiric patterns and leads to her femicidal