The Vampire

<p><strong>The Vampire (1819)</strong> by John William Polidori is a foundational work of vampire fiction and one of the earliest modern treatments of the myth.</p><p>The story follows <strong>Lord Ruthven</strong> a mysterious aristocratic stranger who captivates society with his charm while secretly preying on the vulnerable. The young and idealistic <strong>Aubrey</strong> becomes fascinated with Ruthven and travels with him across Europe gradually uncovering his dark supernatural nature. Despite Aubrey's attempts to warn others he is bound by a fatal oath of secrecy. Ruthven ultimately uses this silence to destroy those around Aubrey-including Aubrey's beloved-before vanishing leaving tragedy in his wake.</p><p>The tale established the archetype of the <strong>cultured seductive vampire</strong> influencing later works like <em>Dracula</em> and shaping gothic literature for generations.          </p><p></p><p></p><p></p>