Dorian Gray, Dracula, and the Gothic Novel

My essay compares The Picture of Dorian Gray to Dracula by Bram Stoker 

Timeline

Chronological table

Displaying 1 - 4 of 4
Date Event Created by Associated Places
4 Dec 1878

Bram Stoker Marries Florence Anne Lemon Balcombe

Stoker marries Florence Anne Lemon Balcombe in December of 1878. Interestingly enough, Wilde had seriously dated her short before and supposedly Mrs. Stoker was still in love with him throughout her marriage to Stoker. Wilde had said she had the most beautiful face of any woman and there was no ill will after they broke up, yet Wilde told a mutual friend he wished to stop contact with her to avoid a scandal. The Stoker's only had one child and their marriage was pretty much platonic afterwords.

Enias White
The middle of the month Jul 1890

Oscar Wilde Publishes The Picture of Dorian Gray

In 1890, Wilde published the first version of his only novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray. 

Enias White
25 May 1895

Oscar Wilde Arrested for Gross Indecency

In May of 1895, Oscar Wilde was arrested for gross indecency because of his relationship with Sir John Sholto Douglas' son. In relation to my essay, it is noted in a few places that Bram Stoker started writing Dracula a month after Wilde's arrest in which he includes lots of homosexual undertones and the anxiety he had surrounding it. Also of note, Stoker redacts any mention of Wilde in his publications and doesn't mention him in his list of famous friends even though they had been friends since they were young. 

Enias White
26 May 1897

Dracula Gets Published

Dracula by Bram Stoker was published in 1897, 7 years after he started writing it and a little over 15 years after the publication of Dorian Gray. The first edition had a yellow cover with bold red lettering, supposedly it was a deliberate nod to the disreputable french novels with the same colored covers. Notable, the book Dorian is "poisoned" by in Dorian Gray is one of those disreputable French novels. The book takes on the legends and folklore around vampires and is the basis of most modern vampire literature and film. It takes the format of a series of diary entries and letters written by a few different characters. 

Enias White