Stoker's Life of Theatre

Theatre: A Major Influence on a Major Author

Bram Stoker, an Irish author who is best known for his novel Dracula, has had a major impact on literature and other works of art. More specifically, Stoker spent most of his adult life immersed in theatrical settings even after his novel became popular. It is believed Stoker is the author behind a various and play reviews and essays even though the writers are anonymous. He wrote several pieces about theatrical aspects in his essays, "The Art of Ellen Terry", "The Censorship of Stage Plays", and "Irving and Stage Lighting" (9). Evidence has led critics to believe that Bram Stoker's work was majorly influenced by a variety of other pieces Stoker worked on in his theatre administrative position.

The Building Blocks to a Successful Theatre Career: The Dublin Evening

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Bram Stoker began his career in theatre by reviewing plays at the Dublin Evening without pay from 1872-1878 (9). According to Richard Foulkes, critic of Catherine Wynne's Stoker and the Stage: Two Volumes, many of Stoker's production reviews came from the Dublin Evening Mail (3). His reviews highlighted actors and acting styles of the Victorian time period. He also reviewed many aspects such as: scenery, new interpretations, plot summaries, and new dramas. Wynne argues that all of this information demonstrates Stoker's knowledge of numerous aspects of the theatre and his love for the craft. Many of his essays, short stories, novels and reviews show Stoker's familiarity of the theatre which may of influenced a majority of his works (9). Another significant part of Stoker's professional experience is his creation of The Primrose Path. Richard Foulkes said this was Stoker's first piece he utilized a gothic style which would ultimately lead Stoker to his creation of his famous novel, Dracula (3).

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A Life Full of The Lyceum Theatre

Right before Stoker made this crucial move to London to work for Irving, he married his wife Florence Balcombe (5). Then, shortly after, the newly weds had their first son, Irving Noel Thornley, who was named after Henry Irving who opened the path for success to Stoker (1). an aspiring actressAfter writing free play reviews for a short-while, he was invited backstage to some of Dublin's most prestigious performances and his career took off. Henry Irving, a Victorian-Age stage actor, found an interest in Stoker's work and invited him to work for his theatre company in London. This led Stoker to move to London to become the business manager for the Lyceum Theatre for the next 27 years (5). Here, Bram Stoker began to learn more about what hooked the audience, drama, plot and thrillers within not only theatre but literature as well. According to Oscar de Muriel, this knowledge Stoker acquired from the theatre allowed him to create the blood-curdling dramatic work that is Dracula. In fact, his techniques still keep readers engaged in his novel, Dracula, even in today's modern society.  Interestingly enough, Muriel found that Stoker began to research Dracula around the same time Shakespeare's MacBeth premiered at the Lyceum theatre. Throughout Stoker's novel, Dracula, there are numerous references to Shakespeare's works and Muriel believed that  MacBeth inspired Stoker because Lady MacBeth and Dracula are easily compared for their "vampire tendencies" (5).

Walt Whitman (4)

Theodore Roosevelt (12)

         Important Influences
                    for Stoker

WilliamMcKinley (2)

Moreover, during Bram Stoker's career at the Lyceum Theatre in London, he met a variety of important people. According to Carol A. Senf, author of Bram Stoker's Reflections on the American Character, Stoker traveled all over the world for the theatre and he met a multitude of different people and many of which had a high artistic and political influence(8). He became knowledgable on numerous cultures and their values. In fact, Stoker spent more four years in the United States between 1883-1904 during several theatrical tours. This is believed to have an influence on his American characters throughout various novels he wrote (8). Also, while traveling for his job, he met two presidents, William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt, along with his idol Walt Whitman.  Nearly 30 years later, after Stoker's career ended at the Lyceum Theatre,  and Merriman says, "...Stoker would publish Reminisces of Henry Irving (2 Volumes, 1906) and Snowbound: The Record of Theatrical Touring Party (1908) which includes such theatre-based stories such as, 'The Slim Syrens', 'Mick the Devil', and A Star Trap'" (5). This indicates Stoker retained and used a lot of his knowledge from his years as an acting manager.

After all of Stoker's experiences and encounters with significant people, theatre seems to have had a major impact on his career as a successful author. It is evident Stoker acquired knowledge that became vital for his major achievements. Stoker obviously had a passion for the craft since he spent most of his life immersed in it and many of his creative pieces include theatrical aspects that offer evidence for this as well. The theatre, for Stoker, created a knowledge base and atmosphere for him to create some of the greatest works of all time!

Works Cited

1. “Bram Stoker : Biography.” Bram Stoker Biography, Writings, Lyceum Theatre, www.fampeople.com/cat-bram-stoker.

2.Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “William McKinley.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 11 Sept. 2018, www.britannica.com/biography/William-McKinley.

3. Foulkes, Richard. “Bram Stoker and the Stage: Reviews, Reminiscences, Essays and Fiction.” Theatre Notebook, no. 2, 2013, p. 121. EBSCOhost, proxy-bloomu.klnpa.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?
direct=true&db=edsglr&AN=edsgcl.345461407&site=eds-live&scope=site.

4. Mathers, Paul. “Paulus Torchus.” On Walt Whitman, 1 Jan. 1970, ticklemebrahms.blogspot.com/2010/05/on-walt-whitman.html.

5. Merriman, C D. “Biography of Bram Stoker.” The Literature Network: Online Classic Literature, Poems, and Quotes. Essays & Summaries, www.online-literature.com/stoker/.

6. “Morning Open Thread: SHAKESPEARE'S Triumphant Women, Part One.” Daily Kos, www.dailykos.com/stories/2016/4/18/1514520/-Morning-Open-Thread-SHAKESPEARE-S-Triumphant-Women-Part-One.

7. Muriel, Oscow de. “Bram Stoker, Crime Fiction, and the Theater - How Forensic Science, Jack the Ripper, and MacBeth Influenced Stoker's Masterpiece.” CrimeReads, 14 June 2018, crimereads.com/bram-stoker-crime-fiction-and-the-theater/.

8. Senf Carol, A. Bram Stoker’s Reflections on the American Character. no. 3, 2016, p. 303. EBSCOhost, proxy-bloomu.klnpa.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edspmu&AN=edspmu.S1559271516300016&site=eds-live&scope=site.

9. Senf, Carol A. “Stoker & the Stage: Two Volumes.” English Literature in Transition 1880-1920, no. 4, 2013, p. 532. EBSCOhost, proxy-bloomu.klnpa.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edsglr&AN=edsgcl.337717367&site=eds-live&scope=site.

10. “The British Newspaper Archive Blog.” Read the Latest News, blog.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/page/5/.

11. “The Primrose Path.” Bram Stoker - The Primrose Path, bramstoker.org/novels/01path.html.

12. “Those Who Would Save America, and Those Who Would Gladly Destroy It.” Mastersen's Musings, 13 Nov. 2017, sasoc.wordpress.com/2011/12/18/those-who-would-save-america-and-those-who-would-gladly-destroy-it/.