Bram Stoker: Dracula is Just the Beginning

Abraham “Bram” Stoker, best known for writing the Gothic horror novel “Dracula,” also published numerous other fiction, nonfiction and short stories during his career. But for all his accomplishments, Stoker will long be recalled as the author of “Dracula” and the creator of the modern idea of vampires.

Stoker , who was born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1847, was bed-ridden as a child but made a complete recovery by the time he was able to attend school. Showing no ill effects from the childhood illness, Stoker went on to some athletic success at Trinity College in Dublin. (Source)

Lyceum Theatre

Stoker married Florence Balcombe in 1878 and the couple moved to London where Stoker became the manager of the Lyceum Theatre. The theater was owned by Henry Irving, who Stoker had met years earlier as a theater critic in Dublin.

Irving, who was a famous actor, traveled the world and Stoker was able to travel with him. The relationship allowed Stoker to travel to the United States with Irving. (Source)

Dracula

Stoker had published two books by 1890, when he started researching for his next novel. While he had traveled the world with Irving, Stoker never visited Eastern Europe — rather he studied about its history at the library — and set his novel in that part of the world. (Source).

While Stoker did not invent vampires, his 1897 book did create the modern definition of the creatures that walk at night and have a thirst for blood. (Source)

Excepts from the novel Dracula show this:

As the Count leaned over me and his hands touched me … a horrible feeling of nausea came over me, which , do what I would, I could not conceal,” – Chapter 2.

When the Count saw my face, his eyes blazed with a sort of demonic fury, and he suddenly made a grab at my throat. I drew away, and his hand touched the string of beads, which held the crucifix. It made an instant change in him, for the fury passed so quickly that I could hardlyl believe that it was ever there,” – Chapter 2.

The blood is the life,” Chapter 11.

I shall cut off her head and fill her mouth with garlic, and I shall drive a stake through her body,” Chapter 15. (Source)

The novel is told in a series of letters, log entries for a ship and diary entries — which is referred to as an epistolary format — as it tells the story of Count Dracula and his attempt to move from his castle in Transylvania to England. Along the way the count has a battle between a small group of men and women, led by Abraham van Helsing. (Source)

While the work is known mostly for being part of the horror genre, it touches on numerous other themes including Victorian culture, sexual conventions and colonialism — to name a few. (Source)

Other works

While most noted for Dracula, Stoker published 13 other novels. “The Primrose Path” and “Under the Sunset” were published prior to the release of “Dracula.”

He also published several short stories and four nonfiction books, the most notable is titled “Personal Reminisces of Henry Irving.” The book, published after Irving’s death in 1906, is informational about the actor’s life and their friendship (Source).

Posthumous

Stoker suffered a number of strokes before his death in 1912.

Like his most famous character, death was just the beginning for Stoker. When the first film adaptation of his Dracula character, in the film “Nosferatu,” was released in 1922 the legend of Dracula — and to a point Stoker — took on a new life. The film, which starred Max Schreck as Count Orlock, was produced without the permission of Stoker’s Widow, which led to a long legal case (Source). Eventually, Florence Stoker won the case, and all copies of film were to be destroy. Some escaped their impending doom, however, adding to the legend. The first authorized copy of the film titled “Dracula” came out 10 years later, starring Bela Lugosi in the famous role (Source).

In the following years, several books, magazine articles, video games and films have have included the character Dracula, not to mention the various other vampire stories, plays, books and movies — “Twilight,” “Interview With A Vampire” — which borrow from the legend created in the Stoker story . (Source).

Sources:

Bram Stoker, The Literature Network

Bram Stoker, The Free Online Library

Bram Stoker, Classic Literature Library

Bram Stoker, Encyclopedia of World Biography

‘Dracula’ Bram Stoker, Web Literature

‘Dracula’ Quotes, About.com


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