H. P. Lovecraft
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| + | "THE OLDEST and strongest emotion of mankind is [[fear]], and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the [[unknown]]. --"[[Supernatural Horror in Literature]]" (1927) by H. P. Lovecraft | ||
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| + | "I have examined maps of the city with the greatest care, yet have never again found the [[street|Rue]] d’Auseil. These maps have not been modern [[map]]s alone, for I know that names change. I have, on the contrary, delved deeply into all the antiquities of the place; and have personally explored every region, of whatever name, which could possibly answer to the street I knew as the Rue d’Auseil. But despite all I have done it remains an humiliating fact that I cannot find the house, the street, or even the locality, where, during the last months of my impoverished life as a student of [[metaphysics]] at the university, I heard the music of Erich Zann." --"[[The Music of Erich Zann]]" (1922) by H. P. Lovecraft | ||
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| - | '''Howard Phillips Lovecraft''' ([[August 20]], [[1890]] – [[March 15]], [[1937]]) was an [[United States|American]] author of [[fantasy fiction|fantasy]], [[horror fiction|horror]] and [[science fiction]]. | + | '''H. P. Lovecraft''' (1890 – 1937) was an [[American author]] of [[fantasy fiction|fantasy]], [[horror fiction|horror]] and [[science fiction]], noted for creating the ''[[Cthulhu Mythos]]'' and writing the essay "[[Supernatural Horror in Literature]]" (1927). Michel Houellebecq's biography ''[[H. P. Lovecraft: Against the World, Against Life]]'' (1991), focuses on Lovecraft's xenophobia and masochism. |
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| + | == Analysis == | ||
| - | He is notable for blending elements of [[science fiction]] and horror; and for popularizing "cosmic horror": the notion that some concepts, entities or experiences are barely comprehensible to human minds, and those who delve into such risk their [[sanity]]. Lovecraft has become a [[cult following|cult figure]] in the horror genre and is noted as creator of the "[[Cthulhu Mythos]]," a series of loosely interconnected fictions featuring [[nonhuman]] [[creature]]s, as well as the famed ''[[Necronomicon]],'' a [[grimoire]] of magical rites and forbidden lore. His works typically had a tone of "cosmic [[pessimism]]," regarding mankind as [[insignificant]] and [[powerless]] in the universe. | + | Lovecraft is noted for blending elements of [[science fiction]] and horror; and for popularizing "cosmic horror": the notion that some concepts, entities or experiences are barely comprehensible to human minds, and those who delve into such risk their [[sanity]]. Lovecraft has become a [[cult following|cult figure]] in the horror genre and is noted as creator of the "[[Cthulhu Mythos]]," a series of loosely interconnected fictions featuring [[nonhuman]] [[creature]]s, as well as the famed ''[[Necronomicon]],'' a [[grimoire]] of magical rites and forbidden lore. His works typically had a tone of "cosmic [[pessimism]]," regarding mankind as [[insignificant]] and [[powerless]] in the universe. |
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| + | Lovecraft's readership was limited during his life, and his works, particularly early in his career, have been criticized as occasionally ponderous, and for their uneven quality. | ||
| + | == Influences on Lovecraft == | ||
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| + | Some of Lovecraft's work was inspired by his own nightmares. His interest started from his childhood days when his grandfather would tell him Gothic horror stories. | ||
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| + | Lovecraft's most significant literary influence was [[Edgar Allan Poe]]. He had a British writing style due to his love of British literature. Like Lovecraft, Poe's work was out of step with the prevailing literary trends of his era. Both authors created distinctive, singular worlds of fantasy and employed [[archaism]]s in their writings. This influence can be found in such works as his novella ''[[The Shadow Over Innsmouth]]'' where Lovecraft references Poe's story ‘’[[The Imp of the Perverse]]’’ by name in Chapter 3, and in his poem "Nemesis", where the “''…ghoul-guarded gateways of slumber''” suggest the "''…ghoul-haunted woodland of Weir''” found in Poe's "[[Ulalume]]”. A direct quote from the poem and a reference to Poe's only novel ''[[The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket]]'' is alluded to in Lovecraft's [[magnum opus]] ''[[At the Mountains of Madness]]''. Both authors shared many biographical similarities as well, such as the loss of their fathers at young ages and an early interest in poetry. | ||
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| + | He was influenced by [[Arthur Machen]]'s carefully constructed tales concerning the survival of ancient evil into modern times in an otherwise realistic world and his beliefs in hidden mysteries which lay behind reality. Lovecraft was also influenced by authors such as Oswald Spengler and [[Robert W. Chambers]]. Chambers was the writer of ''[[The King in Yellow]]'', of whom Lovecraft wrote in a letter to [[Clark Ashton Smith]]: "Chambers is like [[Rupert Hughes]] and a few other fallen Titans – equipped with the right brains and education but wholly out of the habit of using them". Lovecraft's discovery of the stories of [[Edward Plunkett, 18th Baron of Dunsany|Lord Dunsany]], with their pantheon of mighty gods existing in dreamlike outer realms, moved his writing in a new direction, resulting in a series of imitative fantasies in a "Dreamlands" setting. | ||
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| + | Lovecraft also cited [[Algernon Blackwood]] as an influence, quoting ''[[The Centaur (Algernon Blackwood)|The Centaur]]'' in the head paragraph of "[[The Call of Cthulhu]]". He declared Blackwood's story "[[The Willows (story)|The Willows]]" to be the single best piece of weird fiction ever written. | ||
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| + | Another inspiration came from a completely different source: scientific progress in biology, astronomy, geology, and physics. His study of science contributed to Lovecraft's view of the human race as insignificant, powerless, and doomed in a [[materialistic]] and [[mechanistic]] universe. Lovecraft was a keen amateur astronomer from his youth, often visiting the [[Ladd Observatory]] in Providence, and penning numerous astronomical articles for local newspapers. His astronomical telescope is now housed in the rooms of the [[August Derleth]] Society. | ||
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| + | Lovecraft's materialist views led him to espouse his philosophical views through his fiction; these philosophical views came to be called [[cosmicism]]. Cosmicism took on a dark tone with his creation of what is today often called the Cthulhu Mythos, a pantheon of alien extra-dimensional deities and horrors which predate humanity, and which are hinted at in eons-old myths and legends. The term "Cthulhu Mythos" was coined by Lovecraft's correspondent and fellow author, August Derleth, after Lovecraft's death; Lovecraft jocularly referred to his artificial mythology as "Yog-Sothothery". | ||
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| + | Lovecraft considered himself a man best suited to the early 18th century. His writing style, especially in his many letters, owes much to [[Augustan literature|Augustan]] British writers of the [[Age of Enlightenment|Enlightenment]] like [[Joseph Addison]] and [[Jonathan Swift]]. | ||
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| + | Among the books found in his library (as evidenced in ''Lovecraft's Library'' by S. T. Joshi) was ''[[The Seven Who Were Hanged]]'' by [[Leonid Andreyev]] and ''[[A Strange Manuscript Found in a Copper Cylinder]]'' by [[James De Mille]]. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Lovecraft's style has often been criticized by unsympathetic critics, yet scholars such as S. T. Joshi have shown that Lovecraft consciously utilized a variety of literary devices to form a unique style of his own – these include conscious [[archaism]], prose-poetic techniques combined with essay-form techniques, [[alliteration]], [[Anaphora (rhetoric)|anaphora]], [[crescendo]], [[transferred epithet]], [[metaphor]], [[Symbolism (arts)|symbolism]] and [[colloquialism]]. | ||
| - | Lovecraft's readership was limited during his life, and his works, particularly early in his career, have been criticized as occasionally ponderous, and for their uneven quality. {{GFDL}} | + | == See also == |
| + | *[[Lovecraftian horror ]] | ||
| + | *[[Lovecraft's vocabulary]] | ||
| + | *[[Supernatural Horror in Literature]] | ||
| + | * ''H. P. Lovecraft: Contre le monde, contre la vie'' (1991; [[Michel Houellebecq]]; Trans. as ''H.P. Lovecraft: Against the World, Against Life'' by [[Dorna Khazeni]], Intro by [[Stephen King]], 2005), an analysis of the life and work of [[H. P. Lovecraft]]. | ||
| + | *[[The Music of Erich Zann]] | ||
| + | {{GFDL}} | ||
| + | [[Category:Canon]] | ||
Current revision
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"THE OLDEST and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown. --"Supernatural Horror in Literature" (1927) by H. P. Lovecraft "I have examined maps of the city with the greatest care, yet have never again found the Rue d’Auseil. These maps have not been modern maps alone, for I know that names change. I have, on the contrary, delved deeply into all the antiquities of the place; and have personally explored every region, of whatever name, which could possibly answer to the street I knew as the Rue d’Auseil. But despite all I have done it remains an humiliating fact that I cannot find the house, the street, or even the locality, where, during the last months of my impoverished life as a student of metaphysics at the university, I heard the music of Erich Zann." --"The Music of Erich Zann" (1922) by H. P. Lovecraft |
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H. P. Lovecraft (1890 – 1937) was an American author of fantasy, horror and science fiction, noted for creating the Cthulhu Mythos and writing the essay "Supernatural Horror in Literature" (1927). Michel Houellebecq's biography H. P. Lovecraft: Against the World, Against Life (1991), focuses on Lovecraft's xenophobia and masochism.
Analysis
Lovecraft is noted for blending elements of science fiction and horror; and for popularizing "cosmic horror": the notion that some concepts, entities or experiences are barely comprehensible to human minds, and those who delve into such risk their sanity. Lovecraft has become a cult figure in the horror genre and is noted as creator of the "Cthulhu Mythos," a series of loosely interconnected fictions featuring nonhuman creatures, as well as the famed Necronomicon, a grimoire of magical rites and forbidden lore. His works typically had a tone of "cosmic pessimism," regarding mankind as insignificant and powerless in the universe.
Lovecraft's readership was limited during his life, and his works, particularly early in his career, have been criticized as occasionally ponderous, and for their uneven quality.
Influences on Lovecraft
Some of Lovecraft's work was inspired by his own nightmares. His interest started from his childhood days when his grandfather would tell him Gothic horror stories.
Lovecraft's most significant literary influence was Edgar Allan Poe. He had a British writing style due to his love of British literature. Like Lovecraft, Poe's work was out of step with the prevailing literary trends of his era. Both authors created distinctive, singular worlds of fantasy and employed archaisms in their writings. This influence can be found in such works as his novella The Shadow Over Innsmouth where Lovecraft references Poe's story ‘’The Imp of the Perverse’’ by name in Chapter 3, and in his poem "Nemesis", where the “…ghoul-guarded gateways of slumber” suggest the "…ghoul-haunted woodland of Weir” found in Poe's "Ulalume”. A direct quote from the poem and a reference to Poe's only novel The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket is alluded to in Lovecraft's magnum opus At the Mountains of Madness. Both authors shared many biographical similarities as well, such as the loss of their fathers at young ages and an early interest in poetry.
He was influenced by Arthur Machen's carefully constructed tales concerning the survival of ancient evil into modern times in an otherwise realistic world and his beliefs in hidden mysteries which lay behind reality. Lovecraft was also influenced by authors such as Oswald Spengler and Robert W. Chambers. Chambers was the writer of The King in Yellow, of whom Lovecraft wrote in a letter to Clark Ashton Smith: "Chambers is like Rupert Hughes and a few other fallen Titans – equipped with the right brains and education but wholly out of the habit of using them". Lovecraft's discovery of the stories of Lord Dunsany, with their pantheon of mighty gods existing in dreamlike outer realms, moved his writing in a new direction, resulting in a series of imitative fantasies in a "Dreamlands" setting.
Lovecraft also cited Algernon Blackwood as an influence, quoting The Centaur in the head paragraph of "The Call of Cthulhu". He declared Blackwood's story "The Willows" to be the single best piece of weird fiction ever written.
Another inspiration came from a completely different source: scientific progress in biology, astronomy, geology, and physics. His study of science contributed to Lovecraft's view of the human race as insignificant, powerless, and doomed in a materialistic and mechanistic universe. Lovecraft was a keen amateur astronomer from his youth, often visiting the Ladd Observatory in Providence, and penning numerous astronomical articles for local newspapers. His astronomical telescope is now housed in the rooms of the August Derleth Society.
Lovecraft's materialist views led him to espouse his philosophical views through his fiction; these philosophical views came to be called cosmicism. Cosmicism took on a dark tone with his creation of what is today often called the Cthulhu Mythos, a pantheon of alien extra-dimensional deities and horrors which predate humanity, and which are hinted at in eons-old myths and legends. The term "Cthulhu Mythos" was coined by Lovecraft's correspondent and fellow author, August Derleth, after Lovecraft's death; Lovecraft jocularly referred to his artificial mythology as "Yog-Sothothery".
Lovecraft considered himself a man best suited to the early 18th century. His writing style, especially in his many letters, owes much to Augustan British writers of the Enlightenment like Joseph Addison and Jonathan Swift.
Among the books found in his library (as evidenced in Lovecraft's Library by S. T. Joshi) was The Seven Who Were Hanged by Leonid Andreyev and A Strange Manuscript Found in a Copper Cylinder by James De Mille.
Lovecraft's style has often been criticized by unsympathetic critics, yet scholars such as S. T. Joshi have shown that Lovecraft consciously utilized a variety of literary devices to form a unique style of his own – these include conscious archaism, prose-poetic techniques combined with essay-form techniques, alliteration, anaphora, crescendo, transferred epithet, metaphor, symbolism and colloquialism.
See also
- Lovecraftian horror
- Lovecraft's vocabulary
- Supernatural Horror in Literature
- H. P. Lovecraft: Contre le monde, contre la vie (1991; Michel Houellebecq; Trans. as H.P. Lovecraft: Against the World, Against Life by Dorna Khazeni, Intro by Stephen King, 2005), an analysis of the life and work of H. P. Lovecraft.
- The Music of Erich Zann
