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The Life And Work Of Horror Writer H.P. Lovecraft

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H.P. Lovecraft is now recognized as perhaps the most influential horror writer of the twentieth century.  Yet this recognition was a long time in coming.  During his life he labored away in near complete obscurity, his work appearing only in obscure pulp horror magazines, to be consumed by only the most ardent fans of the genre.  His death at the age of 46 was nearly unnoticed; but his devoted fans kept alive the spirit of his works, and he would eventually be recognized as a titan of horror.

A psychologist reviewing the facts of his early life would find fertile ground for analysis.  He was born in Rhode Island in 1890, the son of parents who could trace their ancestry in New England back to the colonial era.  Yet this genealogy had seen better days; the family was not poor, but neither were they especially well-heeled.  Mental illness seems to have hovered over the household, and this likely formed the source of Lovecraft’s later fascination with decadence, decay, and insanity.  His father was confined to a mental institution in 1893 for an apparent psychotic breakdown.

The boy found escape in reading and the delights of imaginative thought.  He showed a budding literary ability from an early age, but he seems to have been developmentally crippled by his overbearing and domineering mother, who never encouraged him to take risks.

Youthful illnesses did little to help the situation, providing his mother with excuses to keep him firmly under her control.  A series of family and personal problems meant he never officially graduated from high school:  his mother suffered chronic shortages of money, and he himself endured an unspecified nervous breakdown in 1908.  His mother was eventually committed to a mental institution in 1919.  It is not difficult to understand the later preoccupations with madness and decay that appear in his stories.

In appearance he was pale, gaunt, and socially awkward.  Yet in his mind were growing ideas that would revolutionize not just horror fiction, but fiction as a whole.  His first story was published in 1916, and this would be followed by years of submissions to pulp horror magazines.

His first efforts were somewhat derivative, and little more than imitations of Poe.  But gradually he would find his own distinctive voice.  It is not a simple matter to describe H.P. Lovecraft to those unfamiliar with his work; but there are certain recurring themes.  These are:  ancient evils lurking below the surfaces of things; decay and ruin hovering over old New England towns; ancient extraterrestrial beings hidden in obscure parts of the world; and the idea that humanity is utterly insignificant when placed against the vast cosmic forces arrayed against him.

In a letter written to the editor of Weird Tales magazine in 1927, Lovecraft described how he saw his writing:

Now all my tales are based on the fundamental premise that common human laws and interests and emotions have no validity or significance in the vast cosmos-at-large…To achieve the essence of real externality, whether of time or space or dimension, one must forget that such things as organic life, good and evil, love and hate, and all such local attributes of a negligent and temporary race called mankind, have any existence at all.

With a succession of brilliantly imaginative tales that mixed horror, science fiction, and fantasy (e.g., “The Call of Cthulhu,” “The Colour Out of Space,” “The Dunwich Horror,” “The Shadow Out of Time”), Lovecraft created a weird cosmology that had its own logic and followed its own laws.  Central to this mythos was the idea that a race of monstrous extraterrestrial beings had once visited the Earth and ruled over it in remote antiquity.  Eventually, this race would return to bring the world once again under its sway.

Lovecraft had a distinctive style that cannot be mistaken for anyone else.  Proud of his old New England heritage, he made a point of using British archaisms in spelling (even going so far as to prefer “publick” to “public”).  His language was frequently florid (“eldritch” was a favorite word); but it could be argued that his style was suitable for the atmosphere of horror that he sought to create.  Many of his stories featured frenzied narrators (with whom the reader was meant to identify) who find themselves bewildered by the events transpiring around them.  The horrific “payoff” would always come at the very end of the tale, when the narrator (and reader) would be hit with some shocking revelation.  The technique is a time-tested one, and it works.

Lovecraft’s adult life was as dogged by tragedy as was his youth.  He married a reasonably wealthy divorcee named in 1924 named Sonia Greene, and the couple moved to New York City.  He continued his literary activities, but was never able to achieve financial security with writing.  Perhaps as result of his childhood traumas, he lacked the discipline and willpower to promote his work as much as he could have.  During his life only one book of his fiction was published, and even this was a very limited printing.  But he was generous and kind, frequently corresponding with many young writers and offering them valuable suggestions on how to improve their skills.

His final years were characterized by financial decline and isolation.  In the early 1930s he was divorced, a fact that cut off his primary means of support.  A small inheritance from his mother was also gradually depleted; unable or unwilling to take up any other work besides writing, he became increasingly pressed by hardships.  He developed intestinal cancer in 1937 and died that same year.  The literary world took no notice of his death, just as the death of Herman Melville had had been ignored.

It was his readers who kept his memory alive.  Despite his complete obscurity outside of the horror fiction “community,” he had earned a devoted cadre of admirers.  They understood the literary merit of his work and constantly promoted it by republishing his stories or imitating his distinctive themes.

In Lovecraft’s day, literary critics did not believe that horror fiction could be a serious vehicle of literary expression; but as the decades passed, this view would change.  It is now recognized that Lovecraft was an extremely influential voice who was, perhaps, so far ahead of his time that his contemporaries lost sight of him.  Stephen King has called him the greatest horror writer of the twentieth century; even French writer Michel Houellebecq wrote a book of literary criticism about him.

The best way to experience Lovecraft is to buy a collection of his tales and read them.  Savor the weird imagery, the fantastic sounding names (“Yog-Sothoth,” “Cthulhu,” etc.), and the oppressive sense of dread.  And remember that despite his crossed and unhappy life, Lovecraft found his own way to use his literary talents to transcend his limitations and his environment, and achieve immortality.  He found liberation in horror, and his sufferings were redeemed by his art.

Read More: The Genesis Of Dracula

76 thoughts on “The Life And Work Of Horror Writer H.P. Lovecraft”

  1. Good article Quintus, and thanks to Lovecraft for creating Cthulhu. Observe…

  2. “It was his readers who kept his memory alive. Despite his complete obscurity outside of the horror fiction “community,” he had earned a devoted cadre of admirers. They understood the literary merit of his work and constantly promoted it by republishing his stories or imitating his distinctive themes.”
    Here is the value of finding your ‘thousand true fans.’
    About 25 years ago, I had a book of H.P. Lovecraft’s stories. I did enjoy the stories, and I found them to be ‘unique.’ That is to say, I never read anything like those stories, before or since. But the quality of the stories is of the highest. These stories are every bit the equal of those by Edgar Allen Poe. Both of them write fiction of the highest quality.
    I’m glad you reminded me of H.P. Lovecraft, Quintus. Great article.

    1. Thanks, Ed. I had the same experience here. When I was in high school I stumbled on a collection of his stories. “The Shadow Out of Time” blew my mind. Nobody knew how to create atmosphere like he did.
      What I didn’t know was how tragic his life was. But maybe that’s what game him that unique ability. He was able to turn his alienation and suffering into great and timeless art.

      1. The original “Alone In The Dark” PC game was also among the first in the survival-horror genre, and heavily inspired by Lovecraftian mythos. Good game when I was a wee one.

      2. It’s been a quarter-of-a-century since I read these stories. But the stories of Lovecraft are the only stories I ever read that actually frightened me in the slightest.
        Absolutely brilliant literature.

      3. ‘Nobody knew how to create atmosphere like he did. ‘
        Atmosphere?
        Interesting, see above post.

        2. Ha.
          Well, if you’re still in a readingesque mood, that ‘Vigilant Citizen’ essay below is truly excellent.
          I’ve never seen the tv show it is about.
          Doesn’t matter.
          Regs.

    2. I feel like those so called liberal artist feel more jealousy than admiration from the classics. They get mad when people compare their works against the classics , those narcissist want people to talk only about them not books written 100 years ago. Those artist want you to believe that their art is a work of 100% uniqueness, They want to say I do it all by myself. I invented the technique, I invent this form of writing, well it looks like something inspired from XXX author but with another name, HOOOOW DARE YOU! YOU DON´T KNOW NOTHING ABOUT ART!.
      Of course they want to erase Lovecraft, They want to label their own brand of Lovecraft horror with their own snowflake name, Snowflakism Horror. With original histories like “The Transition to woman of Juan Romero”, “From Behind” “Fags Concerning the gay Arthur Jermyn and His orgy”, “The call of TU CULO”, “History of the Necrophiliacon” “The doom that came in your mouth”

      1. Apparently he was a pretty hard-core racist. But you know what? I find that it is usually the most miserable people who hate other people this much. That said, nothing changes the fact that he was an amazing author. The best thing is not to try to hide his sins but put them out there and let people decide for themselves.

    3. People in the late 19th century were probably among the most intelligent the world has witnessed. True freedom to create, experiment, write, and express oneself without the church burning you at the stake, or SJW’s dubbing you racist, bigoted, etc. for stating the obvious about racial capabilities and standards of civilization.
      Truth and logic were celebrated during this time, and technology and learning flourished as a result. Now we’ve arguably regressed, and most advancements are really just confined to consumer electronics. Also Australian Aboriginals are just as capable as anybody else, and their culture is on par with the Apollo Space Program etc.

    4. if sjw attack something, that something must be very good and disturbing in one way or another. I’m not surprised at all in fact !

  4. I don’t agree at all with the basic premise of the article: “Lovecraft was a morbid and mentally ill individual and thus wrote about the morbid and the mentally ill”. H.P.L wrote about that because it was his voluntary inclination and vocation, since early childhood. He wrote that even when he was a child he used to build altars to unknown gods; when adult he said that he was agnostic, but his inclination and vocation to write about the existence of other planes of reality metaphysical entities makes one wonder about what was really his ‘agnosticism’.
    The literary talent of H.P.L is with no par in recent English literature. It is clear, stylish, dark but beautiful, and his use of old terms is not forced but part of the whole context. There is nothing more pleasant than read H.P.L in a dark and rainy day.
    His fictional cosmology has internal consistency and logic; and its so seducing that there are even esoteric orders that use it as a true system of beliefs:
    https://www.counter-currents.com/2012/08/the-influence-of-h-p-lovecraft-on-occultism/
    This is the best source about him:
    http://www.hplovecraft.com
    For those interested in his political positions, check this:
    https://www.counter-currents.com/2010/08/lovecrafts-politics/

    1. Agreed. Morbid yes. Mentally ill? I don’t think so. Eccentric yes. A real outlier and a renegade…. Don’t think every oddball needs a DSM-IV diagnoses..

        1. I have a “leatherbound” book with all his works! ‘xcept those he wrote on the “conservative”.
          A worthy investment even his earlier stories point to great world-builder his characters, ’till now are lacking, but his world and scope simple amazes!
          Lastly one more talent of the right!
          Now what about dinning at a fish restaurant in Innsmouth?

        2. So, basically you have a leather bound Necronomicon!
          I must decline your invitation to Innsmouth, I was born in Salem but now I’m a *permanent resident of Providence.

        3. Maybe I should check the material to make sure that is made from animal skin then…
          I must point that I was bluffin’ the reason is that I dwell in the depths of the sea with my brethren and I wanted to see if you also came from the city…

    2. You open your comment with this statement:
      “I don’t agree at all with the basic premise of the article: “Lovecraft was a morbid and mentally ill individual and thus wrote about the morbid and the mentally ill”. ”
      In the very next sentence you state:
      “H.P.L wrote about that because it was his voluntary inclination and vocation, since early childhood.”
      I took the premise of this article to be that Lovecraft is an obscure genius and master of his craft. Not stated in the article, only implied.
      I like your comment in its entirety, but I am confused. It seems your second sentence contradicts your first sentence, where you state you don’t agree with the basic premise of the article “…wrote about the morbid and mentally ill.”, then say “he wrote about that (morbid and mentally ill)….”
      BTW, thanks for the leads or links where we may learn more about H.P. Lovecraft.
      And, if you would, please clarify the difference in the first two sentences I pointed out. Or is it just all in my head?
      Thanks.

      1. I like chocolate ice cream; it’s flavor, its consistency, I love and like to write about chocolate ice cream; but I AM NOT chocolate ice cream.
        H.P.L. wrote about the morbid and the mentally ill because he liked it, not because he was one of them.

        1. “H.P.L. wrote about the morbid and the mentally ill because he liked it, not because he was one of them.”
          Now I see. Thank you very much.

        3. Not sure dude. I mean, writing about the morbid and mentally ill is pretty morbid!

    3. And lest we forget your username is a nod to HPL. I should try my hand at writing also as stylistically I’m very similar and have been largely inspired by such. Could be worthwhile.

        1. Nothing. You’re exactly right. I have to motivate myself and get the creative energy I have pent up into things like that. Podcasting also-I want to do a ridiculously funny, controversial yet thought provoking kind of deal with black/sardonic comedy.

        4. Log off and do it bro. Less time you spend online being distracted and having your mind cluttered, the better. Isolation and quiet seem to be the essential ingredients.

        5. Absolutely. I’ll need some time to allow my ideas to percolate as it were and invest my energies toward doing things. Although in truth I only really log on for a bit of camaraderie with the good denizens of ROK and finding good bands to listen to etc.

    4. I never said he was mentally ill. You’re mischaracterizing what I wrote. I like him just as much as you do.
      For writers and artists, formative experiences of their early years matter. To understand a writer, we have to look at his life and what happened in his life.
      If a writer has two parents who suffer from mental illness, a responsible biographer is supposed to take note of that and draw reasonable inferences from that.
      It doesn’t detract in any way from his stature as a writer to note these things.

      1. Yes, it is important to understand the family context and the situations around, but that’s not definitive proof of anything, and sometimes the ‘educated inferences’ turn into plain speculation.

        1. Agreed, Joseph. I think far too many literary critics take liberties with the facts of artists’ lives and make all sorts of unjustified speculations. They also project modern, PC ideas on to them and judge them unfairly. So I agree with you. I tried to steer away from that as much as possible. H.P.L. is such an interesting person that it’s hard to resist trying to make educated guesses as to what made him so creative. He literally took horror in directions no one had ever gone before: blending science fiction, psychological horror, and fantasy in very new ways.

    5. As a child I drew tremendous enjoyment from the roleplaying game. Very red pill I might add. For those with the time and interested friends, you might also try the various board games.

      1. Call of Cthulhu? The Arkham Horror series is tremendous. Elder Sign, Eldritch Horror and Mansions of Madness are good too.

        1. Yes the Call of Cthulhu roleplaying game. Had many legendary nights with that game. Those others you mentioned are on my “to buy” list.

        2. Tremendous. Definitely get the Arkham Horror ones to start. Then maybe Mansions of Madness if you want to go to the next level. Elder Sign is good for a quick game.
          Check it-that’s some of the collection I have amassed yet more to come over time. Ideally I’d find other likeminded people for a social evening of such as I haven’t enjoyed those in some time.
          https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/6f9128231cb6bd7ed03182373fb5b91211ab6a023bb6064a19f5250f5f51370a.jpg

        4. Accumulated over time. Still much to go.
          But my football boot collection is something else. 4 pairs of rare reissue Adidas Predators among those which should fetch a pretty penny were I so inclined.

  5. I was able to collect and read all of HPL’s works before graduating HS thanks to used book stores. My younger brother found them and devoured them as well. Best horror writer I’ve encountered.
    I do recall reading that his father had syphalis which was the source of his, and wifes, ill health and insanity.

  7. This writer also has a certain standing in the occult.
    For example….
    ‘Psychosphere
    The term psychosphere is not a common term in the English language. It originates from the science fiction literature of authors such as Roland C. Wagner and H. P. Lovecraft – the creator of the Cthulhu Mythos.
    “Psychosphere” can be defined as “sphere of human consciousness” and takes its roots in Carl Jung’s concept of “collective unconscious”. It basically states that all thoughts that go through the human brain are “converted” by the neocortex and projected outwards into ethereal dimensions. Humans therefore live in an “atmosphere of thoughts”, a concept that is also referred to as “noosphere” by Vladimir Vernadsky and Teilhard de Chardin. According to them, the existence of this psychosphere causes humans to be compelled to respond to similar ideas, myths and symbols.
    Although referred to in other terms, the concept of psychosphere is important in occult circles who conduct mega-ritals to influence the “collective unconscious” – often for nefarious purposes.’
    https://vigilantcitizen.com/moviesandtv/deeper-meaning-true-detective-season-one/

  10. Fantastic. I’ve been a Lovecraff devotee for a very long time and thoroughly enjoy his works. It in turn has turned me onto some excellent writers who inspired him.

  11. I think he was buds With Conan creater Robert E. Howard , whome he would correspond . He’d be a nice follow up piece on ROK

    1. They corresponded extensively and Howard even incorporated some of Lovecraft’s cosmology in his own works.

    2. He sure would. Another writer who didn’t receive the success he deserved during his lifetime. And speaking of which, his life was pretty interesting as well. He’d be a great writer to talk about.

  14. I still enjoy HPL’s work on occasion, but more for nostalgic value. It’s amazing how he generates the effects in his work despite violating the old show-don’t-tell rule a lot. He uses way too many adjectives in describing his horrors. I mean, what does a “blasphemous” entity look like anyway? Many of his descriptors don’t really convey any specific visuals and he spends way too much time *telling* the reader how to feel instead of letting the emotion arise naturally.
    For a more intellectual sense of weirdness, I find the work of Borges more effective in a lot of ways.

  15. I see what you did there…
    Kudos to Quintus for writing a Lovecraft biography…in Lovecraft’s writing style.

  16. Really great article, Quintus. Although I’d be lying if I said that I’m a fan of Lovecraft(I’ve always preferred Edgar Allan Poe), I respect him as a writer and innovator of the horror genre. Some of his stories were masterpieces like Cool Air, Shadow out of Time, At the mountains of Madness etc. It’s really sad when you see how many truly brilliant writers never receive the success they deserve during their lifetime, but only afterwards. I’m still shocked whenever I recall how Herman Melville’s seminal work Moby Dick was only recognized as the brilliant piece of literature it is half a century after the writer’s death. I guess that’s part of the reason why many authors don’t take risks; because there’s always the chance that they won’t be accepted. It’s easier to just go along with what’s trending today. Rather sad.
    Since I mentioned Edgar Allan Poe, any chance you’ll do a article like this for him in the future? His life was as equally fascinating as the works that he produced.

  17. “BUT QUINTUS HE WAS RACIST AND WE SHOULD PURGE HIM FROM THE COLLECTIVE MEMORY REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE”
    Seriously speaking, as a Lovecraft fan myself, i thought this article was excellent and hate the recent efforts to criticize him for “Racism”.

    1. Agreed, I’ve noticed that they go for certain writers from the past and attempt to discredit their works due to their worldview on politics and such. They are trying the same thing with Edgar Allan Poe, calling him misogynist(which is bullshit, the man worshiped women) and a racist(no idea where that came from, then again, it’s probably bullshit as well).
      As is often the case with history, Lovecraft’s political beliefs were formed due to the times he lived in and weren’t as simplistic as the dishonest cunts calling him racist attempt to portray him.
      https://www.counter-currents.com/2010/08/lovecrafts-politics/

  18. What I think this shows is something Mike Cernovich has often said – writing is a form of mental illness, not just in Lovecraft’s own way, but in the marginal return on it, so to speak, given that he was unwilling to do anything else. The work to reward ratio just seems so paltry as to be irrational.
    I’ve said this before, but creativity is never enough. You need to be a marketer and a promoter if you’re in any kind of business, and creative effort isn’t an exception. This fact is lost on many creative types, as it seemed to be lost to him.

  19. Lovecraft saw way ahead of many of his Anglo-American contemporaries what immigration and differential fertility would do to United States after a few generations.

  20. What a superb review! I know of Lovecraft but I have never read his work. Now, after reading your review, I absolutely have to read it!

  21. Great article Quintus. I love Lovecraft’s work and continuously re-read it. Btw, you can actually get his stuff for free via perfectly legal downloads from various websites.
    For me, my favourite is probably The Case of Charles Dexter Ward

  22. I enjoy Lovecraft. But he was too fatalistic. All the story’s end in a similar fashion. The protagonist dies, goes insane or some cosmic being wipes out humanity. I do not expect a happy ending all the time. But it seemed predictable.

  24. Well written article and it’s nice that a tribute to the great author has appeared here. Lovecraft was a fascinating man, a nerd who nonetheless stood for the right conservative values that everyone should have. His rage against immigration during his time, his desire to maintain America’s Anglo roots, and his well known racism are a far cry from the limp-wristed liberal authors who infest the current literary scene and which make him more relevant now than he’s ever been.
    It would be nice if you would continue featuring more great authors of the past who bear relevance to what the site stands for, Quintus. You could start with Lovecraft’s peers and friends in the “Weird Tales” canon like Robert E. Howard and Clark Ashton Smith, men who were not only great writers but astute observers of their time who faced challenges that were similar to ours and shared the same views that this site has.

  27. He also wrote the story that the movie “The Re-Animator” was based upon, very successful for its “underground, indie” feel and for its genre. When I first checked out that film, I thought, “Oh, another silly, low-budget horror sci fi flick…”
    After about 10 or 20 minutes or so, I realized I was still watching it, and thought, “hey! This ain’t bad for what it is…”
    Only at the end credits, or maybe it was when I watched it again, did I realize it was based on a Lovecraft story. There ya go!
    And looking at soooo many movies today, it is plain that we could use some better writers these days. The best actor (or director) in the world can’t do much to improve a crappy story and script.

  28. Now, see, that’s what I find so agreeable about a fair and unbiased commentary of an author’s life: it’s just that, fair. Most other summaries or descriptions of H.P.L’s life I’ve seen had at least one mention that “he was a raciiiiist!”, as if that is at all relevant to anything. As a very longtime fan of his work (and most works set in the Cthulhu Mythos), it pisses me off to no end.
    Thanks for this one, Quintus.
    By the way, if anyone’s a Lovecraft fan and can afford it, I recommend this: http://www.foliosociety.com/book/HUL
    Basically the most gorgeous edition of his works I’ve ever seen. Contains the Call of Cthulhu, and most, if not all of his works. Limited edition, though. Bought one for myself and don’t regret it one bit. There’s also a regular, non-limited edition which is also downright beautiful.

  29. Lovecraft was an interesting writer in that he never bothered much with dialog. And often times, things were just beyond the vision of the narrator. I read some of the follow up stories by August Derleth which were pretty good and well worth the read. What’s funny is that he injected Lovecraft himself into his own Mythos by promoting “The Outsider and Others”, a posthumous collection of Lovecraft’s stories published by Derleth.

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