I Read Stories: The Call of Cthulhu
Some things about H P Lovecraft's 1928 story The Call of Cthulhu:
It’s a globe-trotting adventure about a worldwide conspiracy yet the protagonist/narrator Sturgeon only actually meets one witness to the various events. The rest is all described in documents. Documents that are for the most part not quoted but instead are paraphrased, at length, in the idiosyncratic words of the narrator*.
The architecture on R’lyeh is described as “cyclopean”, several times. Which is cool, it’s a great word. I’ve used it myself. But it means it’s made up of big, unmortared stones. It doesn’t feel like a lost ruined civilisation and would it really stay together under the water**?
There’s a worldwide cult based on the Old Ones of whom Cthulhu is the herald. They worship, but also keep it secret. They keep it secret because... why do they keep it secret rather than proselytise? Perhaps because they are degenerate miscegenated foreign scum***?
Anyway it’s pretty good, kind of spooky, rather old-fashioned.
Read This: Find out what started this whole Cthulhu thing.
Don’t Read This: If you’re not into Lovecraft’s patented method of marking anything he dislikes as being horror and danger and unbearable aberrancy.
Also: Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn
In Addition: The sculptor Henry Anthony Wilcox is not only no relation of mine, but so far as I can tell no relation of Henry Wilcox of Howards End.
* Counterpoint: By remaining at arm’s length the hideous nature of the conspiracy can be discussed or obscured as needed; a singular voice helps unify the disparate parts of the narrative.
** Counterpoint: The very crudeness of the city makes it more alien. And of course it is supernatural; it’s not going to decay just because of ocean currents. Or maybe there’s just ONE BIG EYE.
*** Counterpoint: Or perhaps because it turns out Cthulhu can be defeated by ramming him with a small steamer. Though that rather lowers the stakes of the cosmic horror somewhat.
It’s a globe-trotting adventure about a worldwide conspiracy yet the protagonist/narrator Sturgeon only actually meets one witness to the various events. The rest is all described in documents. Documents that are for the most part not quoted but instead are paraphrased, at length, in the idiosyncratic words of the narrator*.
The architecture on R’lyeh is described as “cyclopean”, several times. Which is cool, it’s a great word. I’ve used it myself. But it means it’s made up of big, unmortared stones. It doesn’t feel like a lost ruined civilisation and would it really stay together under the water**?
There’s a worldwide cult based on the Old Ones of whom Cthulhu is the herald. They worship, but also keep it secret. They keep it secret because... why do they keep it secret rather than proselytise? Perhaps because they are degenerate miscegenated foreign scum***?
Anyway it’s pretty good, kind of spooky, rather old-fashioned.
Read This: Find out what started this whole Cthulhu thing.
Don’t Read This: If you’re not into Lovecraft’s patented method of marking anything he dislikes as being horror and danger and unbearable aberrancy.
Also: Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn
In Addition: The sculptor Henry Anthony Wilcox is not only no relation of mine, but so far as I can tell no relation of Henry Wilcox of Howards End.
* Counterpoint: By remaining at arm’s length the hideous nature of the conspiracy can be discussed or obscured as needed; a singular voice helps unify the disparate parts of the narrative.
** Counterpoint: The very crudeness of the city makes it more alien. And of course it is supernatural; it’s not going to decay just because of ocean currents. Or maybe there’s just ONE BIG EYE.
*** Counterpoint: Or perhaps because it turns out Cthulhu can be defeated by ramming him with a small steamer. Though that rather lowers the stakes of the cosmic horror somewhat.
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