#robbert eggers

the other day i was reading the script, and I noticed that in the character introduction, Ellen was referred to as a somnambulist. which surprised me. Of all the ways to describe her, why this one? but hear me out....

a somnambulist is simply a sleepwalker, But metaphorically, it often represents someone trapped between waking and dreaming, reality and illusion, life and death. - you are not for the living -

but in the romanian folklore the sleepwalkers represent the moroi vii (living ghosts). living people who are believed to have an unnatural connection to the spirit world. they are also belived to be the people who display unnatural behaviors, such as being weak during the day but strangely energized at night, experiencing vivid dreams, or affecting people around them with their emotions or presence.

they were also described as soul that wanders—they might unconsciously leave their body during sleep, sometimes appearing as shadows or specters to others -This could explain why Thomas sees Ellen while he’s in the castle -

and some villages feared that moroii vii could harm others through envy, curses, or draining energy from those around them. Others believed that they were just unfortunate souls suffering from an affliction.

(But what i find even more intriguing is that Nosferatu doesn’t just portray ellen as a liminal figure. The entire film is steeped in liminality. Thomas, for instance, is constantly in an in-between state—his stay in the hotel, his journey to the castle, his time in Orlok’s domain.)

anyway...now going back to strigoi , they are a risen from the dead creatures who are driven by a deep, endless hunger, not just for blood but also for what they lost in death—love, warmth, human connection. but i also found that Some legends say that if a Strigoi drinks the blood of a loved one, they may be at peace for a while, but they will always need more. - does that reminds you of a scean maybe ? -

i will leave it at this...i mean....you get it ?

So in the end, this was the most fulfilling answer I could find to this question of why was she was called a somnambulist . Of course, there are still others—questions that linger, ones I might share here eventually, considering my Nosferatu obsession isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Anyway, I’d love to hear your thoughts on it.

truly yours,