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Vampyre & Ernestus Berchto -OS
Book by Polidori, John W.
Hardcover
First published December 12, 1993
3 people are currently reading
99 people want to read
About the author
John William Polidori
335 books168 followersJohn William Polidori was an Italian English physician and writer, known for his associations with the Romantic movement and credited by some as the creator of the vampire genre of fantasy fiction.
Polidori was the oldest son of Gaetano Polidori, an Italian political émigré scholar, and Anna Maria Pierce, a governess. He had three brothers and four sisters.
He was one of the earliest pupils at recently established Ampleforth College from 1804, and in 1810 went up to the University of Edinburgh, where he wrote a thesis on sleepwalking and received his degree as a doctor of medicine on 1 August 1815 at the age of 19.
In 1816 Dr. Polidori entered Lord Byron's service as his personal physician, and accompanied Byron on a trip through Europe. At the Villa Diodati, a house Byron rented by Lake Geneva in Switzerland, the pair met with Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin, and her husband-to-be, Percy Bysshe Shelley, and their companion (Mary's stepsister) Claire Clairmont.
One night in June, after the company had read aloud from the Tales of the Dead, a collection of horror tales, Byron suggested that they each write a ghost story. Mary Shelley worked on a tale that would later evolve into Frankenstein. Byron wrote (and quickly abandoned) a fragment of a story, which Polidori used later as the basis for his own tale, The Vampyre, the first vampire story published in English.
Rather than use the crude, bestial vampire of folklore as a basis for his story, Polidori based his character on Byron. Polidori named the character "Lord Ruthven" as a joke. The name was originally used in Lady Caroline Lamb's novel Glenarvon, in which a thinly-disguised Byron figure was also named Lord Ruthven.
Polidori's Lord Ruthven was not only the first vampire in English fiction, but was also the first fictional vampire in the form we recognize today—an aristocratic fiend who preys among high society.
Dismissed by Byron, Polidori travelled in Italy and then returned to England. His story, "The Vampyre", was published in the April 1819 issue of New Monthly Magazine without his permission. Whilst in London he lived and died in Great Pulteney Street (Soho). Much to both his and Byron's chagrin, "The Vampyre" was released as a new work by Byron. Byron even released his own Fragment of a Novel in an attempt to clear up the mess, but, for better or worse, "The Vampyre" continued to be attributed to him.
His long, Byron-influenced theological poem The Fall of the Angels, was published anonymously in 1821.
He died in August 1821, weighed down by depression and gambling debts. Despite strong evidence that he committed suicide by means of prussic acid, the coroner gave a verdict of death by natural causes.
His sister Frances Polidori married exiled Italian scholar Gabriele Rossetti, and so John is the uncle of Maria Francesca Rossetti, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, William Michael Rossetti and Christina Rossetti, though they were born after his death.
His sister Charlotte made a transcription of his Diaries, but censored "peccant passages" and destroyed the original. Based only on the transcripton, The Diary of John Polidori was edited by William Michael Rossetti and first published in 1911 by Elkin Mathews (London). A reprint of this book, The diary of Dr. John William Polidori, 1816, relating to Byron, Shelley, etc was published by Folcroft Library Editions (Folcroft, Pa.) in 1975. Another reprint by the same title was printed by Norwood Editions (Norwood, Pa.) in 1978.
A number of films have depicted John Polidori and the genesis of the Frankenstein and "Vampyre" stories in 1816: Gothic directed by Ken Russell (1986), Haunted Summer directed by Ivan Passer (1988) and Remando al viento (English title: Rowing with the Wind) directed by Gonzalo Suárez (1988). He also appears as a minor and unsympathetic character in the Tim Powers horror novel The Stress o
Polidori was the oldest son of Gaetano Polidori, an Italian political émigré scholar, and Anna Maria Pierce, a governess. He had three brothers and four sisters.
He was one of the earliest pupils at recently established Ampleforth College from 1804, and in 1810 went up to the University of Edinburgh, where he wrote a thesis on sleepwalking and received his degree as a doctor of medicine on 1 August 1815 at the age of 19.
In 1816 Dr. Polidori entered Lord Byron's service as his personal physician, and accompanied Byron on a trip through Europe. At the Villa Diodati, a house Byron rented by Lake Geneva in Switzerland, the pair met with Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin, and her husband-to-be, Percy Bysshe Shelley, and their companion (Mary's stepsister) Claire Clairmont.
One night in June, after the company had read aloud from the Tales of the Dead, a collection of horror tales, Byron suggested that they each write a ghost story. Mary Shelley worked on a tale that would later evolve into Frankenstein. Byron wrote (and quickly abandoned) a fragment of a story, which Polidori used later as the basis for his own tale, The Vampyre, the first vampire story published in English.
Rather than use the crude, bestial vampire of folklore as a basis for his story, Polidori based his character on Byron. Polidori named the character "Lord Ruthven" as a joke. The name was originally used in Lady Caroline Lamb's novel Glenarvon, in which a thinly-disguised Byron figure was also named Lord Ruthven.
Polidori's Lord Ruthven was not only the first vampire in English fiction, but was also the first fictional vampire in the form we recognize today—an aristocratic fiend who preys among high society.
Dismissed by Byron, Polidori travelled in Italy and then returned to England. His story, "The Vampyre", was published in the April 1819 issue of New Monthly Magazine without his permission. Whilst in London he lived and died in Great Pulteney Street (Soho). Much to both his and Byron's chagrin, "The Vampyre" was released as a new work by Byron. Byron even released his own Fragment of a Novel in an attempt to clear up the mess, but, for better or worse, "The Vampyre" continued to be attributed to him.
His long, Byron-influenced theological poem The Fall of the Angels, was published anonymously in 1821.
He died in August 1821, weighed down by depression and gambling debts. Despite strong evidence that he committed suicide by means of prussic acid, the coroner gave a verdict of death by natural causes.
His sister Frances Polidori married exiled Italian scholar Gabriele Rossetti, and so John is the uncle of Maria Francesca Rossetti, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, William Michael Rossetti and Christina Rossetti, though they were born after his death.
His sister Charlotte made a transcription of his Diaries, but censored "peccant passages" and destroyed the original. Based only on the transcripton, The Diary of John Polidori was edited by William Michael Rossetti and first published in 1911 by Elkin Mathews (London). A reprint of this book, The diary of Dr. John William Polidori, 1816, relating to Byron, Shelley, etc was published by Folcroft Library Editions (Folcroft, Pa.) in 1975. Another reprint by the same title was printed by Norwood Editions (Norwood, Pa.) in 1978.
A number of films have depicted John Polidori and the genesis of the Frankenstein and "Vampyre" stories in 1816: Gothic directed by Ken Russell (1986), Haunted Summer directed by Ivan Passer (1988) and Remando al viento (English title: Rowing with the Wind) directed by Gonzalo Suárez (1988). He also appears as a minor and unsympathetic character in the Tim Powers horror novel The Stress o
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
June 8, 2009
While "The Vampyre" is more influential than it is good, "Ernestus Berchtold" is actually quite accomplished: a tragic story set during the late 18th and early 19th century when the French armies under Napoleon were causing havoc in Europe and the Swiss and other people were fighting to remain (or become) free. Ernestus is both heroic and unwittingly tragic, a 'victim' of the fates in much the same way that Oedipus was, but without Oedipus's culpability.
August 5, 2014
This is quite a lovely edition of what is, unfortunantly, not very good stories. The Vampyre is one of those stories that was essential in making vampire fiction what it is today, but the horrible synthesizer music of the 80's was also necessary to make music good, doesn't mean I have to like it.
I was surprised by Ernestus Berchtold though. It's the type of story that isn't to my taste, but was quite well done was, for me, was more memorable than The Vampyr.
I was surprised by Ernestus Berchtold though. It's the type of story that isn't to my taste, but was quite well done was, for me, was more memorable than The Vampyr.
July 22, 2023
John Polidori's gothic tale depicts one of my favorite vampires. Lord Ruthven sets the stage for modern vampires, seductive, aristocratic, ruthless, and violent. Great tale!
February 21, 2022
it's okay
February 1, 2025
Okay so this novel is literally perfect because I am watching Nosferatu tonight. I only read The Vampyre by Polidori which I believe is before Dracula and Carmilla
I have yet to read Dracula but I did read Carmilla this short 40 page story was assigned for me to read in my Romantic Novel class and THE GOTHIC ELEMENT OF VAMPIRES AHHH!!! I listened to the audiobook which is interesting because language changes throughout the versions I think. I know my edition in the Broadview likes to keep the scholarly parts so I'm wondering why Lord Strongmore is changed to Lord Ruthven in my audiobook.
Nonetheless, the aristocratic vampire figure is quite interesting! I really enjoyed this novella and am giving it a 4 stars. This short faced paced novella (40 pages) goes by quick. I found that because my audiobook and edition of my copy the language was difficult as I was listening and following along and it messed me up quite a bit because the words didn't match but nonetheless WOW WOW WOW! THAT ENDING WAS TRULY ASTONISHING.
I don't think anyone is surprised that I like this novella because I AM A SUCKER FOR VAMPIRES!
ANYWAYS IM DUMPING A DAMON SALVATOR MEME IN HERE BECAUSE IM ALMOST DONE Re-Watching The Vampire Diaries
I have yet to read Dracula but I did read Carmilla this short 40 page story was assigned for me to read in my Romantic Novel class and THE GOTHIC ELEMENT OF VAMPIRES AHHH!!! I listened to the audiobook which is interesting because language changes throughout the versions I think. I know my edition in the Broadview likes to keep the scholarly parts so I'm wondering why Lord Strongmore is changed to Lord Ruthven in my audiobook.
Nonetheless, the aristocratic vampire figure is quite interesting! I really enjoyed this novella and am giving it a 4 stars. This short faced paced novella (40 pages) goes by quick. I found that because my audiobook and edition of my copy the language was difficult as I was listening and following along and it messed me up quite a bit because the words didn't match but nonetheless WOW WOW WOW! THAT ENDING WAS TRULY ASTONISHING.
I don't think anyone is surprised that I like this novella because I AM A SUCKER FOR VAMPIRES!
ANYWAYS IM DUMPING A DAMON SALVATOR MEME IN HERE BECAUSE IM ALMOST DONE Re-Watching The Vampire Diaries
Read
December 16, 2023Didn't entirely finish this book, but I only came for Vampyre tbh. I have the intention of coming back to the romantic era more in general where I plan to revisit Dr. Polidori's work in the future. Pretty fun
October 17, 2024
WHAT A DICK
November 10, 2012
A wandering and confused tale for the first half. Best for historical research on John William Polidori, author of "The Vampyre," which, through the character of Lord Ruthaven, became a prototype of the modern vampire.
October 31, 2011
"The Vampyre" is more interesting for its cultural and literary echoes than for its prose. I found Ernestus Berchtold rough going.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews