Known for creating one of the most iconic fictional figures of all time, Bram Stoker is considered a literary idol to many. Bram Stoker was born in Dublin, Ireland on November 8th, 1847. He was named after his father Abraham Stoker and was the third child in a set of seven.
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When Bram Stoker was very young he became extremely ill and was bed ridden until he was seven years old. The illness remains unknown, but luckily Stoker recovered and was able to start attending school. After high school Stoker went on to attend Trinity College in Dublin from 1864 to 1870. Bram Stoker graduated witha Bachelors of Mathematics and went on to be an auditor for the College Historical Society.
Early on in his writing career he became interested in critiquing plays and began working for the Dublin Evening Mail. This career began his interest in writing and in 1872 he published his first story titled The Crystal Cup. After publishing a few short stories he began working on his first novel, a non fiction piece titled The Duties of Clerks of Petty Sessions in Ireland.
In the late 1870’s Bram Stoker became engaged and married a young woman named Florence Balcombe. After they were wed the couple moved to London where Bram Stoker began managing the Irving’s Lyceum Theater. This new job allowed Stoker to work closely with Henry Irving allowing him meet some of London’s most important society members.
Stoker began his fascination with horror stories in the 1890’s while being a staff member on The Daily Telegraph. He published a few horror novels before he began working on his most famous piece. Some of these works include The Lady of the Shroud and The Lair of the White Worm. Stoker’s most influential work, Dracula, was published in 1897 by Archibald Constable and Company. Dracula remains Stoker’s most notable novel.
On April 20th, 1912 Bram Stoker passed away, he had suffered multiple strokes before his death. The author was eventually cremated and his ashes were put on display at Golders Green Crematorium. Bram Stoker will always be remembered for creating Dracula, one of the most iconic fictional characters to exist. His work has inspired many authors to create even more terrifying horror stories.