I Am Legend

Article written by Fave

B.A. in History and International Studies from University of Ilorin, Kwara State.

For centuries, human beings have shared dreadful tales of the restless dead who returned as creatures of the night for the blood of their loved ones. In ‘I Am Legend,’ Richard Matheson explores the effects of these creatures taking over the world.

The existence or inexistence of vampires has plagued human folktales and literature since the Middle Ages. The belief that their friends and family members could die and then return as ghoulish monsters of the night to kill them and suck their blood has haunted the dark corners of human consciousness. In ‘I Am Legend,’ Richard Matheson digs into those dark corners and drags our nightmares into the sterile and scientific 21st century.

Key Facts about I Am Legend

• Title: ‘I Am Legend.’
• Author: Richard Matheson.
• Book Inspiration: Richard Matheson’s inspiration for writing ’I Am Legend′ includes ‘Dracula’ by Bram Stoker, European vampire legends, and hysteria about global diseases.
• Publication Date: August 7, 1954.
• Literary Period: Contemporary period.
• Point of View: Third-person.
• Total Number of Pages: 158.
• Genre: Science fiction, vampire fiction, post-apocalyptic, horror, dystopian.
• Setting: Cimarron Street, Los Angeles.
• Climax: The climax occurs when Robert Neville sees the strange shape of a woman walking towards him. When he calls out to her, she runs away from him.
• Antagonists: Vampires.
• Protagonist: Robert Neville.

Richard Matheson and I Am Legend

Pouring out his curiosity about how dreadful it would be in a world filled with vampires, Richard Matheson brought ‘I Am Legend‘ his sci-fi vampire novel, to life. The concept of vampires has been a gruesome and intriguing topic plaguing humanity for years.

Richard Matheson imagined a world devastated by an unknown plague, where vampires ruled the night. This concept originated in Eastern Europe, where dreadful creatures like the shtriga, vrykolakas, and strigoi lurked in the folk tales of the natives. The author not only imagined how the plague and the vampires could destroy the world as we know it; he also imagined how it would affect the lives of the individuals fortunate enough to survive it.

Widely recognized as the progenitor of modern zombie and worldwide pandemic trope in books and movies, Richard Matheson expressed great imagination and excellent writing prowess by showing the full range of emotions felt by Robert Neville. His fear, his dread, his hopelessness, and his self-loathing.

Books Related to I Am Legend

As a horror and sci-fi piece of literature, there are other books closely related to ’I Am Legend.’ Some of these books include:

• ‘Cell’  by Stephen King tells the story of a graphic artist who is in Boston one autumn afternoon when without warning, chaos begins. This havoc starts with the ring of a cell phone and follows the hurdles the artist encounter as he struggles to reunite with his young son amidst the viciousness.
•  ‘The Strain’ by Guillermo del Toro is the first part of The Strain Trilogy. It is followed by ‘The Fall’ and ‘The Night Eternal.’ A plane stops working suddenly after a successful flight from overseas. When it is forced open, all the passengers are found lifeless. The representatives of the Center for Disease Control examine the bodies and are shocked by the things they discover. Everyone is dead, but no sign of how they died. There is also a frightening feeling in the air, and as they unpack the bodies on the plane, they find a huge, ornately carved coffin. Only one man knows what this means and what is about to happen because he has experienced it before. He tries to warn others, but they do not listen until it is too late.
• ‘The Stand’ by Stephen King is a post-apocalyptic novel. In the book’s post-apocalyptic world, survivors must reconstruct society from scratch. One group flocks around an elderly female prophet named Mother Abagail. She is a warm-hearted 108-year-old woman who encourages others to build a peaceful community in Boulder, Colorado. Another group follows the leadership of a totalitarian leader named Randall Flagg. Randall enjoys anarchy and violence. ‘The Stand’ tells the story of the struggle between good and evil.

The Lasting Impact of I Am Legend