Biography of the writer

Biography of the writer

  Bram Stoker was born on November 8, 1847 in Dublin. His parents were Abraham Stoker (1799–1876), from Dublin, and Charlotte Matilda Blake Thornley (1818–1901), from Ballyšedonnona (County Donegal). 


  Stoker was the third of seven children (the eldest was a famous surgeon, Baronet Sir Thornley Stoker). Bram Stoker's parents were Protestants and, together with their children, visited the parish of the Church of Ireland (belonging to the Anglican Church) in Clontarf.

  In childhood, due to illness, he could not stand up and walk until the age of seven. This sad circumstance left a mark in the writer's work - Count Dracula, the character of his main novel, spends a lot of time in a dream. However, having overcome the disease, Stoker, while studying at the University of Dublin, was a good player and athlete.

  After graduating with honors from the Faculty of Mathematics at Trinity College, Stoker-football player for a long time modestly worked in the public service, simultaneously speaking on the pages of the Dublin newspaper The Evening Mail as a journalist (with writings such as Job description of the petty clerk) and theater critic. At this time, he began a friendship with the English actor Henry Irving. In 1878, Irving, once again coming to Stocker for a review, proposed Stoker to become Managing Director of the Lyceum Theater, and Stoker moved to London. For 27 years, Stocker was the manager of Irving until his death in 1905. Stoker was very worried about the death of a friend - he had a stroke, and for a day he did not regain consciousness.

  The friendship with Irving helped Stocker enter the high society of London and meet Arthur Conan Doyle and James Whistler. Stoker was married to Florence Belkhem, with whom Oscar Wilde was in love, with whom he was also close friends.

  Although Stoker is the author of many works, fame, however, he brought the famous novel "Dracula", published in 1897 and written under the influence of the works of Joseph Sheridan Le Fan (1814-1873) and his Gothic vampire novella "Carmilla" (1872). Stoker worked on the novel for eight years, studying European folklore and vampire legends.

  Bram Stoker died in London on April 20, 1912 due to progressive paralysis.