“The Vampyre” is a short story written by John Polidori that significantly influenced the genre of vampire fiction. However, it was initially falsely attributed to the famous poet Lord Byron. This misattribution can be traced back to several key factors:
First, the context in which the story was conceived played a significant role in this confusion. During the summer of 1816, often referred to as the “Year Without a Summer” due to severe climate abnormalities caused by a volcanic eruption, Byron and several friends, including Polidori and Mary Shelley, were staying at the Villa Diodati near Lake Geneva. On one stormy night, the group decided to write ghost stories, a circumstance that led to Mary Shelley starting “Frankenstein” and Polidori penning “The Vampyre.”
Second, both Byron’s and Polidori’s manuscripts were interlinked through their association and literary activities during their stay. When Polidori’s “The Vampyre” was published in 1819, it was mistakenly attributed to Byron because Byron’s name carried significant notoriety and literary prestige. The publisher, Henry Colburn, likely used Byron’s name to capitalize on this fame for better sales and public recognition.
Thirdly, there were tangible reasons for this mix-up at the time of publication. One such reason was that Byron had indeed written a short fragment of a vampire story during their stay at Villa Diodati. This fragment inspired but differed significantly from Polidori’s full-length story. Due to this fragment being incomplete and unpublished for some time, people easily assumed any vampire literature from that period was linked to Byron.
Lastly, some critics argue that Polidori’s close relationship with Byron contributed to the confusion. As Byron’s personal physician and traveling companion, Polidori’s work was often overshadowed by Byron’s celebrity status. Public perception naturally gravitated towards attributing notable works emerging from their close circle to Byron rather than lesser-known figures like Polidori.
In retrospect, “The Vampyre” stands out not merely as an early work of vampire lore but also as an example of how literary credit can become entangled with fame and historical circumstance. Through scholarly efforts over time, John Polidori has rightfully received recognition for his pioneering contribution to gothic fiction.
