History Creator / JohnWilliamPolidori

-->--'''John William Polidori''', ''The Vampyre''

-->--'''John William Polidori'', ''The Vampyre''

While Polidori was skilled in medicine, he had dreams of becoming an author. Creating connections with Lord Byron and his social circle seemed like the perfect opportunity.

However, his relationship with Byron was mutually toxic to say the least. Polidori viewed Byron as a [[UpperClassTwit snob]], while Byron viewed Polidori as a prick. In the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Year_Without_a_Summer summer of 1816]], Byron and Polidori joined Creator/PercyByssheShelley, his wife-to-be Creator/MaryShelley, and Mary's stepsister Claire Clairmont at Villa Diodati in Geneva, Switzerland. Because of the constant rain, the quintet entertained themselves with literature, notably ''Fantasmagoriana''. Inspired by the ghost story collection, Byron proposed a ghost writing contest between them.

There are two sources as to what Polidori wrote. One source is Mary Shelley's recollection of the contest as annotated in the 1831 edition of ''Frankenstein''. According to her, Polidori's draft involved a woman whose head was reduced to a skull as a result of her spying through a keyhole and observing something dreadful. Shelley was not impressed and notes that Polidori blanked on how the story should end. The other source is Polidori's foreword to ''Ernestus Berchtold'', which he claims is the novel that grew from his contest draft. There is no skull-headed lady in ''Ernestus Berchtold'', but if both accounts are truthful,[[note]]Polidori kept a diary during his stay in Geneva and only mentions writing on June 18 and 19.[[/note]] then it is to be noted that ''Ernestus Berchtold'' does contain a woman, Julia Berchtold, spying through a hole in the wall on an occult ritual involving a wish-granting spirit. It frightens her, but it does not alter her physically.

There are two sources as to what Polidori wrote and while not contradictory they are at odds with each other. One source is Mary Shelley's recollection of the contest as annotated in ''Frankenstein''. According to her, Polidori's draft involved a woman whose head was reduced to a skull as a result of her spying through a keyhole and observing something dreadful. Shelley was not impressed and notes that Polidori blanked on how the story should end. The other source is Polidori's foreword to ''Ernestus Berchtold'', which he claims is the novel that grew from his contest draft. There is no skull-headed lady in ''Ernestus Berchtold'', but if both accounts are truthful, then it is to be noted that ''Ernestus Berchtold'' does contain a woman, Julia Berchtold, spying through a hole in the wall on an occult ritual involving a wish-granting spirit. It frightens her, but it does not alter her physically.

There are two sources as to what Polidori wrote and while not contradictory they are at odd with each other. One source is Mary Shelley's recollection of the contest as annotated in ''Frankenstein''. According to her, Polidori's draft involved a woman whose head was reduced to a skull as a result of her spying through a keyhole and observing something dreadful. Shelley was not impressed and notes that Polidori blanked on how the story should end. The other source is Polidori's foreword to ''Ernestus Berchtold'', which he claims is the novel that grew from his contest draft. There is no skull-headed lady in ''Ernestus Berchtold'', but if both accounts are truthful, then it is to be noted that ''Ernestus Berchtold'' does contain a woman, Julia Berchtold, spying through a hole in the wall on an occult ritual involving a wish-granting spirit. It frightens her, but it does not alter her physically.

Polidori wrote a draft that is now lost, but which is shortly described in Mary Shelley's recollection of the contest. It involved a woman whose head was reduced to a skull as a result of her spying through a keyhole and observing something dreadful. Shelley was not impressed and notes that Polidori blanked on how the story should end. Meanwhile, Byron wrote a draft about a vampire that did seem promising. Polidori asked permission to turn it into a novella, which Byron was okay with.

After the travels, Polidori separated from Byron. In 1819, ''Literature/TheVampyre'' would be published in the ''New Monthly Magazine'' [[ContentLeak without Polidori's permission]]. Even worse, the short story was advertised as "A Tale by Lord Byron". The story became an instant hit thanks to the popularity of Byron and the public's love for GothicHorror. Byron would publish his unfinished vampire short story ''A Fragment'' in an attempt to clear up confusion, but ''The Vampyre'' continued to be attributed to him.

Polidori made no money off the story and garnered little attention. Two years after the disastrous publication of ''The Vampyre'', weighed down with depression and gambling debts, Polidori would commit suicide in his father's London home by ingesting cyanide. He died at the age of 25, a month before his 26th birthday.

But he'd be wrong. His relationship with Byron was mutually toxic to say the least. Polidori viewed Byron as a [[UpperClassTwit snob]]; Byron viewed Polidori as a prick. In the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Year_Without_a_Summer summer of 1816]], Byron and Polidori would join Creator/PercyByssheShelley, his wife-to-be Creator/MaryShelley, and Mary's stepsister Claire Clairmont at Villa Diodati in Geneva, Switzerland. There, Byron would host a ghost writing contest between the group. Polidori produced what would be ''Literature/TheVampyre'', Mary Shelley produced what would be ''Literature/{{Frankenstein}}''.

After the travels, Polidori separated from Byron. In 1819, ''Literature/TheVampyre'' would be published in the ''New Monthly Magazine'' [[ContentLeak without Polidori's permission]]. Even worse, the short story was advertised as "A Tale by Lord Byron." The story became an instant hit thanks to the popularity of Byron and the public's love for GothicHorror. Byron would publish his unfinished vampire short story ''A Fragment'' in an attempt to clear up confusion, but ''The Vampyre'' continued to be attributed to him.

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!!Tropes about Polidori or his works

* AuthorAvatar: ''The Vampyre'' is about a young man travelling across Europe with an aristocrat who flirts with everyone. The young man was originally flattered to travel with the aristocrat, but then grew to dislike him. Sounds familiar? Aubrey even has a sister just like Polidori!
* OneHitWonder: Polidori wrote a few other plays and poems while he was alive, but none would amass as much attention as ''The Vampyre''. A poem published posthumously in 1821, ''The Fall of the Angels'' only received one contemporary review, which was negative.

John William Polidori (7 September 1795 – 24 August 1821) was an English writer and physician of the [[{{Romanticism}} Romantic era. He is most known for writing the first modern vampire story, ''Literature/TheVampyre'', and for being Creator/LordByron's personal physician in 1816.

John William Polidori (7 September 1795 – 24 August 1821) was a [[{{Romanticism}} Romantic era]] English writer and physician, most known for writing the first modern vampire story, ''Literature/TheVampyre'', and for being Creator/LordByron's personal physician in 1816.

John William Polidori (7 September 1795 – 24 August 1821) was an English writer and physician, most known for writing the first modern vampire story, ''Literature/TheVampyre'', and for being Creator/LordByron's personal physician in 1816.

Polidori made no money off the story and garnered little attention. Two years after the disastrous publication of ''The Vampyre'', weighed down with depression and gambling debts, Polidori would commit suicide in his father's London home by ingesting cyanide. He died at the young age of 25, a month before his 26th birthday.

Upon hearing of his late physician's death, Lord Byron wrote, "it seems that disappointment was the cause of this rash act. He had entertained too sanguine hopes of literary fame."

Polidori was buried in the St. Pancras Old Churchyard, the same churchyard where Mary Shelley and Percy Shelley held meetings to plan their elopement.

But he'd be wrong. His relationship with Byron was mutually toxic to say the least. Polidori viewed Byron as a [[UpperClassTwit snob]]; Byron viewed Polidori as a prick. In the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Year_Without_a_Summer summer of 1816]], Byron would join Creator/PercyByssheShelley, his wife-to-be Creator/MaryShelley, and Mary's stepsister Claire Clairmont at Villa Diodati in Geneva, Switzerland. There, Byron would host a ghost writing contest between the group. Polidori produced what would be ''Literature/TheVampyre'', Mary Shelley produced what would be ''Literature/{{Frankenstein}}''.

After the travels, Polidori separated from Byron. In 1819, ''Literature/TheVampyre'' would be published in the ''New Monthly Magazine'' [[ContentLeak without Polidori's permission]]. Even worse, the short story was advertised as "A Tale by Lord Byron." The story became an instant hit thanks to the popularity of Byron and the Victorian public's love for GothicHorror. Byron would publish his unfinished vampire short story ''A Fragment'' in an attempt to clear up confusion, but ''The Vampyre'' continued to be attributed to him.