# Corruption of Innocence in The Vampire

> Theme guide for The Vampire by John William Polidori.

The vampire Lord Ruthven systematically preys upon the virtuous and innocent, particularly young women and naive individuals like Aubrey, corrupting them or leading them to ruin, while showing contempt for genuine virtue.

## Where it surfaces

- [The Vampire](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_vampire_se/chapters/the-vampire): Lord Ruthven's charity and gambling lead to the destruction of families and individuals, highlighting the theme of innocence corrupted by evil.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_vampire_se/themes/corruption_and_innocence
- Themes index: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_vampire_se/themes