The appearance of the vampire in English fiction can be traced to a story idea created by Lord Byron as part of a literary pact during a summer vacation. The fictional- vampire tales of nineteenth-century England, their sources and the function of vampire lore within the stories illustrate the development of the gothic horror genre during the nineteenth century and its relationship to exotic folklore from eastern Europe. Dr Polidori’s story resulted directly from Byron’s idea, but writers such as Sheridan LeFanu and Bram Stoker also responded to the ‘orientalism’ of this folklore and to the increased public appetite for gothic storytelling.
© Juliette Wood