Dracula" is without a doubt one of the most recognizable characters in all Gothic and horror literature. The novel was published in 1897 by Irish writer Bram Stoker (1847-1912). His work was compared by critics to Edgar Allan Poe and Mary Shelley s in both themes and atmosphere, but Stoker s style of epistolary storytelling created a more compelling narrative. The name Dracula became a synonym for vampirism and the archetype of the regal and sophisticated vampire. This novel has become an inspiration for many dark stories and has been reimagined in countless ways.