When Was Bram Stoker's Dracula Written?

This world-famous horror classic was first published in 1897. It has been selling ever since and has spawned a number of film and TV adaptations, as well as sequels such as "The Brides of Dracula" and parodies like "love at First bite." It is often assumed that Stoker followed existing legends much more closely than he did. In fact, while the vampire legend is certainly an ancient one in Eastern Europe, Stoker invented many of the details himself, such as Dracula's need to sleep in a coffin containing his native soil. On the other hand, it is true that part of the inspiration for the character came from the medieval Romanian ruler Vlad, known as the Impaler for his method of dealing with his enemies. Another inspiration may have been the story of Countess Elizabeth Bathory of Hungary, who killed young girls so she could bathe in their blood.

Whatever his sources, Stoker's own creation of Dracula has probably done more to keep the vampire legend alive today than any real-life original.