In the dimly lit halls of American literature, one name stands out as a harbinger of chilling tales — Howard Phillips Lovecraft, affectionately known as H.P. Lovecraft. As we celebrate the centenary of some of his most iconic works, let’s talk about his gift to the literary world.
Born on 20 August 1890, Lovecraft led a relatively reclusive life, often plagued by health problems and financial difficulties. His early years were marked by a deep love of classic literature, particularly the works of Edgar Allan Poe, whose macabre tales had a profound influence on his writing style.
While his works were primarily in the realm of pulp fiction during his lifetime, they would go on to reshape the entire landscape of horror literature. Lovecraft’s writing bore the hallmark of a dense, archaic language, a facet that lent an eerie realism to the bizarre and otherworldly tales.
I had long been familiar with Lovecraft, but had never delved into any of his books. Two or three years ago, with Halloween approaching, I decided to give his work a chance. I thought it would be appropriate to read one of his works during this spooky season. I knew his work was known to be quite scary, but I didn’t expect it to be as chilling as it turned out to be.
Despite the fear, I found myself completely absorbed in the pages, eager to discover more of the story. After that first encounter, I went on to read many of his works, but I must say that my favourite was “At the Mountains of Madness”.
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On the other hand, Lovecraft’s magnum opus lay in his creation of the Cthulhu mythos, a sprawling fictional universe teeming with ancient god-like entities, cosmic fear, and the utter insignificance of humanity in the face of unfathomable forces.
Chief among these creations is Cthulhu, a colossal, tentacled deity who slumbers beneath the ocean, awaiting the day when he will awaken to wreak havoc on the world.
His stories were often explorations of the limits of human understanding, themes of existentialism, forbidden knowledge and the fragility of the human mind. The protagonists often stumble upon secrets that shatter their perception of reality and plunge them into madness or despair. The way he handles these themes both frightens you to find out what is hidden and makes you rethink your own importance in the face of terrifying creatures.
While Lovecraft’s writing received only modest recognition during his lifetime, his legacy has grown exponentially in the decades since his death in 1937. The Lovecraftian horror genre has left an indelible and obvious mark on literature, film, video games and tabletop role-playing games.
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Filmmakers such as Guillermo del Toro have drawn inspiration from Lovecraft’s eldritch horror in films like “Pan’s Labyrinth”. Video games like “Bloodborne” and “Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth” immerse players in the nightmarish worlds of Lovecraftian lore. We can also see this theme in “Stranger Things” in general, but the existence of the Demogorgon in particular gives it away.
The year 2023 marks the centenary of some of Lovecraft’s seminal works, including “Hypnos”, “The Lurking Fear”, “Memory” and “What the Moon Brings”, all published in May 1923.
As we celebrate a century of Lovecraft’s legacy, it’s clear that his tales of cosmic horror are more relevant than ever. In a world where the boundaries of science and understanding are constantly being pushed, the fear of the unknown and the dread of our own insignificance remain powerful and timeless themes.
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