Know Your History – 26th May – Dracula was first published

On this day… 26^th May, 1897 – Dracula was first published

Dracula is an 1897 Gothic horror novel by Irish author Bram Stoker.

Famous for introducing the character of the vampire Count Dracula, the novel tells the story of Dracula’s attempt to move from Transylvania to England so he may find new blood and spread the undead curse, and the battle between Dracula and a small group of men and women led by Professor Abraham Van Helsing.

Bram Stoker wrote 12 novels, including Dracula and The Jewel of Seven Stars, and also published collections of short stories. Dracula (1897) was originally titled The Undead. As Dracula says: “My revenge is just begun! I spread it over centuries, and time is on my side.” To date, more than 1000 novels and 200 films have been made about the vampire Dracula.

Did You Know?..

In 1878 Stoker married actress Florence Balcombe, they settled in London and together had a son named Irving Noel Thornley. During this time, he became friends with fellow Irishmen Oscar Wilde and William Butler Yeats, as well as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of the famous Sherlock Holmes.

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