Difference between revisions of "H. P. Lovecraft"
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[[Image:998907809.jpg|right|thumb|H.P Lovecraft]] | [[Image:998907809.jpg|right|thumb|H.P Lovecraft]] | ||
| − | '''H. P. Lovecraft''' (1890-1937) was an [[United States of America|American]] author of fantasy and horror tales. He is the author who created the [[Cthulhu]] mythos, a fantasy world adapted by many subsequent authors. Lovecraft horror took many influences from [[Edgar Allan Poe]]. Lovecraft often openly attacked Christianity, with themes in his writings replicating his beliefs in the inability for human consciousness to comprehend the nature of reality | + | '''H. P. Lovecraft''' (1890-1937) was an [[United States of America|American]] author of fantasy and horror tales. He is the author who created the [[Cthulhu]] mythos, a fantasy world adapted by many subsequent authors. Lovecraft horror took many influences from [[Edgar Allan Poe]]. Lovecraft often openly attacked Christianity, with themes in his writings replicating his beliefs in the inability for human consciousness to comprehend the nature of reality,<ref>[http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=tfrbBSFn_p8C&pg=PA103&dq=lovecraft+religion&as_brr=3&cd=7#v=onepage&q=lovecraft%20religion&f=false Books.google.co.uk]</ref> while admitting that they are necessary for preservation of moral values in a society.<sup>[Reference?]</sup> Many of his writings concern immensely powerful beings who are either actively malicious toward or simply indifferent to humanity, who are subjects of cultic worship. In the stories, mere knowledge of these beings endangers the sanity of those who discover it. |
| − | Like | + | Lovecraft was also an [[Anglophile]], and despite being from New England his writings often use British spellings. |
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| + | Like many members of the [[Progressive Movement]], Lovecraft openly held racist [[Eugenicist]] beliefs in addition to believing that the inhabitants of the world were stratified in terms of cultural development. He perceived that white western culture, particularly that of the Anglo-Saxon nations was superior to that of other cultures. Lovecraft also expressed disdain for 'racial inbreeding' as well as for lower class economic migrants in America. <ref>[http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=fzSrmR1PRO0C&pg=PA103&dq=lovecraft+racism&hl=en&ei=H4DtS6eQFZ6XONvBmbAI&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CCwQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=lovecraft%20racism&f=false Books.google.co.uk]</ref> This was reflected in some of his stories, as he depicted 'degenerate' racial hybrids as worshipers of monstrous false gods such as Cthulhu. | ||
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| + | Lovecraft was a close friend of author [[Robert Howard]] creator of [[Conan The Barbarian]], and the two corresponded regularly. | ||
==Works== | ==Works== | ||
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== Also See == | == Also See == | ||
* [[Eugenics]] | * [[Eugenics]] | ||
| + | * [[Cthulhu]] | ||
== References == | == References == | ||
Revision as of 18:37, August 10, 2010
H. P. Lovecraft (1890-1937) was an American author of fantasy and horror tales. He is the author who created the Cthulhu mythos, a fantasy world adapted by many subsequent authors. Lovecraft horror took many influences from Edgar Allan Poe. Lovecraft often openly attacked Christianity, with themes in his writings replicating his beliefs in the inability for human consciousness to comprehend the nature of reality,[1] while admitting that they are necessary for preservation of moral values in a society.[Reference?] Many of his writings concern immensely powerful beings who are either actively malicious toward or simply indifferent to humanity, who are subjects of cultic worship. In the stories, mere knowledge of these beings endangers the sanity of those who discover it.
Lovecraft was also an Anglophile, and despite being from New England his writings often use British spellings.
Like many members of the Progressive Movement, Lovecraft openly held racist Eugenicist beliefs in addition to believing that the inhabitants of the world were stratified in terms of cultural development. He perceived that white western culture, particularly that of the Anglo-Saxon nations was superior to that of other cultures. Lovecraft also expressed disdain for 'racial inbreeding' as well as for lower class economic migrants in America. [2] This was reflected in some of his stories, as he depicted 'degenerate' racial hybrids as worshipers of monstrous false gods such as Cthulhu.
Lovecraft was a close friend of author Robert Howard creator of Conan The Barbarian, and the two corresponded regularly.
Works
- Dagon
- The Call of Cthulhu
- The Other Gods
- The Shadow Over Innsmouth
- At the Mountains of Madness