Byron
Posted by Lesley on April 02, 1998 at 15:03:02:
In response to Byron & The Vampyre, written by Carolyn on April 01, 1998 at 17:35:46
My information comes from Danse Macabre by Stephen King, a nonfiction book about horror literature in the 20th century. In it he makes a few side trips into history and there is a short account of Byron et al's little meeting.
] During Byron's stay in Geneva with the Shelley's did he start a book about a vampire (his entry into the "ghost story" contest that produced Frankenstein). Is this correct?
Yes, but it was actually a short story called "The Burial."
] Was the story was later finished by his agent/friend/enemy who changed the vampire to resemble Byron? Does anyone know the name of the agent/friend/enemy?
The name of the friend was Dr. John Polidori, who was his physician. He wrote a novel called The Vampyre which resembled "The Burial."
] I have been to a number of Byron sites but they seem to ignore this work. And vampire sites make no mention of it either (that I can find).
It is known that Byron and Polidori fell out shortly after their stay in Switzerland, although no one really knows if it was over P's plagerism.
Polidori retired from doctoring and decided to write full time eventhough his novel wasn't very successful. None of his others were, either. Dr. Polidori shot himself after accumulating large gambling debts.
- And Caro... Lesley 15:05:53 4/02/98
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- Lesley Carolyn 16:40:11 4/02/98
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- Danse Macabre quote Lesley 02:03:28 4/03/98
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- Thanks, Lesley nfm Carolyn 08:01:36 4/07/98
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- Thanks, Lesley nfm Carolyn 08:01:36 4/07/98
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- Danse Macabre quote Lesley 02:03:28 4/03/98
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- Lesley Carolyn 16:40:11 4/02/98
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