In 1816, Dr. Polidori was given the job of Byronâs personal physician and accompanied him on a trip through Europe. The publisher John Murray offered Polidori ÂŁ500 to keep a diary of their travels. At the Villa Diodati, Byronâs rented villa at Lake Geneva in Switzerland, the pair met with Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin, Percy Bysshe Shelley, and Mary's stepsister, Claire Clairmont.
One night in June, after the company had read aloud from a French collection of German horror tales, Byron suggested they each write a ghost story. There were to be two outstanding works from that evening; âFrankensteinâ by Mary Shelley and Polidoriâs âThe Vampyreâ which would be the first published modern vampire story in English.
Dismissed by Byron, Polidori traveled in Italy and then returned to England. His story, âThe Vampyreâ, was published in the April 1819 issue of New Monthly Magazine without his permission. Much to the annoyance of both Polidori and Byron it was the latter who was credited as author.
Polidori also had published âXimenes, The Wreath & Other Poemsâ in 1819 and his long theological and sacred poem âThe Fall of the Angelsâ in 1821 as well as two plays, essays and his diary.
Despite his youth Polidori was increasingly worn down by gambling debts and depression.
John William Polidori died on 24th August 1821 at the age of only 25 in London. Although his death was recorded as death by natural causes, strong evidence asserts that it was suicide by means of cyanide.
In 1816, Dr. Polidori was given the job of Byronâs personal physician and accompanied him on a trip through Europe. The publisher John Murray offered Polidori ÂŁ500 to keep a diary of their travels. At the Villa Diodati, Byronâs rented villa at Lake Geneva in Switzerland, the pair met with Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin, Percy Bysshe Shelley, and Mary's stepsister, Claire Clairmont.
One night in June, after the company had read aloud from a French collection of German horror tales, Byron suggested they each write a ghost story. There were to be two outstanding works from that evening; âFrankensteinâ by Mary Shelley and Polidoriâs âThe Vampyreâ which would be the first published modern vampire story in English.
Dismissed by Byron, Polidori traveled in Italy and then returned to England. His story, âThe Vampyreâ, was published in the April 1819 issue of New Monthly Magazine without his permission. Much to the annoyance of both Polidori and Byron it was the latter who was credited as author.
Polidori also had published âXimenes, The Wreath & Other Poemsâ in 1819 and his long theological and sacred poem âThe Fall of the Angelsâ in 1821 as well as two plays, essays and his diary.
Despite his youth Polidori was increasingly worn down by gambling debts and depression.
John William Polidori died on 24th August 1821 at the age of only 25 in London. Although his death was recorded as death by natural causes, strong evidence asserts that it was suicide by means of cyanide.