Biography
Howard Phillips Lovecraft was an American author of horror, fantasy, and science fiction. He was born on August 20th, 1890 in Providence, Rhode Island to Winfield Scott Lovecraft and Sarah Susan Phillips Lovecraft. His father was a traveling salesman and his mother was a homemaker. Lovecraft was a precocious child, reading and writing at an early age. He was a voracious reader, devouring books on a variety of topics, including science, philosophy, and the occult.
Lovecraft’s parents both died when he was a child, leaving him to be raised by his maternal grandfather, Whipple Van Buren Phillips. His grandfather’s death in 1904 left Lovecraft an orphan, and he was sent to live with his two aunts. During this time, he began to write stories, many of which were published in amateur press magazines.
Lovecraft’s writing career began to take off in the 1920s, when his stories began to appear in Weird Tales and other pulp magazines. His most famous works include The Call of Cthulhu, The Shadow Over Innsmouth, and At the Mountains of Madness. These stories went on to established Lovecraft as one of the most influential horror writers of the 20th century.
Lovecraft’s works were highly influential in the development of the horror and science fiction genres. His stories often featured cosmic horror, in which humanity is insignificant in the face of the vast and unknowable universe. He was also a pioneer in the use of psychological horror, in which the fear of the unknown is used to create a sense of dread and unease.
Lovecraft married Sonia Greene in 1924, but the marriage ended in 1929. He moved to New York City in the 1930s and continued to write until his death in 1937. He is buried in Swan Point Cemetery in Providence, Rhode Island.
Lovecraft’s legacy lives on in the form of numerous adaptations of his works, including films, television shows, and video games. He is also credited with inspiring a variety of authors, including Stephen King, Neil Gaiman, and Alan Moore. His influence can be seen in a variety of genres, from horror to science fiction to fantasy.
Some Notable Works
The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath
The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath is a novella by H.P. Lovecraft, first published 1927. It follows the story of Randolph Carter, an American dreamer who embarks on a quest to find the mysterious city of Kadath in the Dreamlands.
Carter has been dreaming of Kadath for years, and he finally decides to set out on a journey to find it. He travels through many strange lands, encountering bizarre creatures and surreal landscapes along the way. He eventually reaches the city of Ulthar, where he meets an old man who tells him that he must seek out the gods of Kadath in order to gain access to the city.
Carter then sets off on a perilous journey across the Dreamlands, facing many dangers and obstacles along the way. He eventually reaches the peak of Mount Ngranek, where he finds himself face-to-face with Nyarlathotep, an ancient god who guards the entrance to Kadath. After a fierce battle, Carter is able to defeat Nyarlathotep and gain access to Kadath.
Once inside, Carter discovers that Kadath is a beautiful city filled with wonders beyond his wildest dreams. He also learns that it is home to many powerful gods and creatures from all over the Dreamlands. After exploring for some time, Carter eventually returns home with newfound knowledge and wisdom from his journey.
The Call of Cthulhu
The Call of Cthulhu is a short story by H.P. Lovecraft, first published in 1928. It tells the story of an unnamed narrator who discovers a mysterious cult worshipping an ancient entity known as Cthulhu.
The narrator begins to investigate the cult and its activities, eventually uncovering evidence that suggests Cthulhu is an ancient alien god-like creature that will one day awaken from its slumber and bring about the end of the world.
As he delves deeper into the mystery, he finds himself drawn into a terrifying world of madness and horror. In the end, he is left with no choice but to confront Cthulhu itself in order to save humanity from destruction.
The Dunwich Horror
The Dunwich Horror is a horror novel by H.P. Lovecraft, first published in 1929. The story follows Wilbur Whateley, a deformed albino child living with his family in the isolated town of Dunwich, Massachusetts. Wilbur is the son of an unknown father and a witch named Lavinia Whateley, and he has been raised to summon an ancient being known as Yog-Sothoth.
Wilbur’s activities attract the attention of Professor Armitage and his colleagues from Miskatonic University, who are researching the Necronomicon, an ancient book of forbidden knowledge. When Wilbur attempts to open a portal to Yog-Sothoth, Armitage and his team intervene and manage to close it before any harm can be done. However, Wilbur’s twin brother, an invisible entity known as the Dunwich Horror, escapes through the portal and begins wreaking havoc on the town.
Armitage and his team must now find a way to stop the Dunwich Horror before it destroys everything in its path. With help from Lavinia Whateley and her magical powers, they set out to confront the creature in its lair deep within the hills of Dunwich. After a fierce battle, they manage to defeat it and close the portal once again. In the aftermath of their victory, Armitage discovers that Wilbur was actually trying to protect humanity from Yog-Sothoth rather than unleash it upon them.
The Whisperer in Darkness
The Whisperer in Darkness is a 1931 horror novella by H.P. Lovecraft. The story follows Albert Wilmarth, a professor of literature at Miskatonic University in Arkham, Massachusetts. Wilmarth has been studying the folklore of the area and has come to believe that strange creatures known as the “Old Ones” are living in the nearby Vermont hills.
When Wilmarth begins receiving mysterious letters from a man named Henry Akeley, he travels to Akeley’s home in Vermont to investigate further. There, he discovers that Akeley has been in contact with the Old Ones and is trying to protect himself from them by using a strange device called the “Whisperer in Darkness”.
Wilmarth soon finds himself caught up in a terrifying battle between humanity and the Old Ones, as he struggles to uncover the truth behind Akeley’s mysterious activities. In the end, Wilmarth must decide whether or not to trust Akeley and his warnings about the Old Ones, or risk his own life to save humanity from their evil plans.
The Curse of Yig
The Curse of Yig is a horror story by H.P. Lovecraft and Zealia Bishop. It tells the story of a family living in Oklahoma who are terrorized by a mysterious creature known as Yig, an ancient Native American god of snakes.
The story begins with the family’s patriarch, Dr. McNeill, receiving a strange letter from his brother-in-law, John Balsam, who has been researching Native American folklore in Oklahoma. In the letter, Balsam warns McNeill about Yig and his curse that will befall anyone who disturbs him or his sacred grounds.
McNeill dismisses the warning until he discovers that his daughter, Luella, has been having nightmares about Yig and his snake minions. He then decides to investigate further and discovers that Balsam had been killed by a giant snake while exploring an ancient Indian burial mound near their home.
McNeill soon realizes that Yig is real and is determined to protect his family from the creature’s wrath. He enlists the help of a local medicine man to perform a ritual to ward off Yig’s curse but it fails and Luella is taken away by the snake god.
McNeill and his wife set out to rescue their daughter but they are too late; she has already been transformed into a giant snake herself. In desperation, McNeill calls upon the power of another Native American god, Quetzalcoatl, to break Yig’s curse and restore Luella back to her human form.
Quetzalcoatl agrees and uses his power to transform Luella back into her human form but not before exacting a heavy price from McNeill: he must never again disturb Yig or his sacred grounds or else suffer dire consequences. The story ends with McNeill vowing never to forget this lesson and warning others against disturbing Yig or his sacred grounds.
Dagon
Dagon is a short story by H.P. Lovecraft about a man who is shipwrecked off the coast of the Pacific Ocean and finds himself stranded on an island. He discovers that the island is inhabited by strange creatures, including a giant creature resembling a fish-man hybrid.
The man soon realizes that he has stumbled upon an ancient civilization of fish-like creatures, which he calls “Deep Ones.” He also discovers that they worship an ancient god called Dagon, and that they are planning to take over the world.
The man eventually escapes from the island and returns home, but his experience has left him deeply disturbed and haunted by nightmares of Dagon and his followers.
The Cthulhu Mythos
The Cthulhu Mythos is the shared fictional universe created by Lovecraft and expanded upon by other writers. It is a universe populated by a variety of powerful and mysterious entities, including ancient gods, powerful aliens, and cosmic horrors. The Cthulhu Mythos is often referred to as a “cosmic horror” due to its focus on the insignificance of humanity in the face of the vast and unknowable universe.
The core concepts of the Cthulhu Mythos involve the idea of ancient gods and powerful aliens that exist outside of our reality. These entities are often referred to as “Great Old Ones” or “Outer Gods” and are said to be the source of many of the other gods in the Mythos. These entities are often described as being incredibly powerful and malevolent, and they are often associated with chaos and destruction.
The Cthulhu Mythos also features a variety of other entities, including “Lesser Gods”, “Great Old Ones”, and “Outer Gods”. These entities are often described as being powerful and mysterious, and they are often associated with dark and sinister forces. These entities are often said to be the source of many of the other gods in the Mythos.
The Cthulhu Mythos also features a variety of otherworldly locations, such as the city of R’lyeh, the sunken city of Y’ha-nthlei, and the Dreamlands. These locations are often described as being incredibly strange and alien, and they are often associated with dark and sinister forces.
The Cthulhu Mythos also features a variety of powerful artifacts, such as the Necronomicon, the Shining Trapezohedron, and the Silver Key. These artifacts are often described as being incredibly powerful and mysterious, and they are often associated with dark and sinister forces.
The Cthulhu Mythos also features a variety of strange and mysterious creatures, such as Deep Ones, Mi-Go, and Shoggoths. These creatures are often described as being incredibly strange and alien, and they are often associated with dark and sinister forces.
Finally, the Cthulhu Mythos also features a variety of strange and mysterious cults, such as the Cult of Cthulhu and the Esoteric Order of Dagon. These cults are often described as being incredibly sinister and dangerous, and they are often associated with dark and sinister forces.
The Cthulhu Mythos is an incredibly vast and complex universe, and it has been expanded upon by numerous authors over the years. It is a universe that is filled with mystery and horror, and it is a universe that has captivated consumers for generations.
The Elder & Outer Gods
Azathoth (The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath, 1926): Azathoth is a powerful cosmic entity that resides in a chaotic void at the center of the universe. He is often referred to as the “Daemon Sultan” and is said to be surrounded by a court of lesser entities. Azathoth is the father of all other gods in Lovecraft’s works. He is the progenitor of Cthulhu, Nyarlathotep, Yog-Sothoth, Shub-Niggurath, Hastur, Dagon, Yig, Tsathoggua, and Nodens.
Cthulhu (The Call of Cthulhu, 1928): Cthulhu is a powerful, ancient being that resides in the depths of the Pacific Ocean. He is described as a monstrous entity with an octopus-like head and dragon-like wings. Cthulhu is the progeny of Azathoth and Hastur.
Nyarlathotep (The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath, 1926): Nyarlathotep is a mysterious entity that appears in various forms throughout the works of Lovecraft. He is often referred to as the “Crawling Chaos” and is said to be an agent of the Outer Gods. Nyarlathotep is the offspring of Azathoth and created Yog-Sothoth.
Yog-Sothoth (The Dunwich Horror, 1929): Yog-Sothoth is an omnipresent entity that exists outside of time and space. He is often referred to as the “All-in-One”. Yog-Sothoth is the child of Nyarlathotep..
Shub-Niggurath (The Whisperer in Darkness, 1931): Shub-Niggurath is an entity of immense power that is said to be the mother of all other gods in Lovecraft’s works. She is often referred to as the “Black Goat of the Woods” and is said to be surrounded by a court of lesser entities. Shub-Niggurath is the creation of Yog-Sothoth.
Hastur (The Whisperer in Darkness, 1931): Hastur is an ancient, powerful entity that is said to be the ruler of a dimension outside of our own. He is often referred to as the “Unspeakable One”. Hastur is the spawn of Shub-Niggurath and the parent of Cthulhu.
Dagon (Dagon, 1917): Dagon is an ancient, aquatic god that is said to reside in the depths of the ocean. He is often referred to as the “Lord of the Deep”. Dagon is the spawn of Shub-Niggurath.
Yig (The Curse of Yig, 1928): Yig is an ancient, serpent-like god that is said to be the father of all other gods in Lovecraft’s works. He is often referred to as the “Father of Serpents”. Yig is the son of Shub-Niggurath.
Tsathoggua (The Whisperer in Darkness, 1931): Tsathoggua is an ancient, bat-like god that is said to reside in a subterranean realm. This entity is often referred to as the “Sleeping God”. Tsathoggua is another spawn of Shub-Niggurath.
Nodens (The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath, 1926): Nodens is an ancient, powerful entity that is said to reside in a realm outside of our own. He is often referred to as the “Lord of the Great Abyss”. Nodens is the spawn of Shub-Niggurath.