H. P. Lovecraft | Lecturia

H. P. Lovecraft: The Outsider

“The Outsider” is a short story by H. P. Lovecraft, published in April 1926 in Weird Tales magazine. It recounts the bleak existence of an isolated individual in an ancient, gloomy castle, completely cut off from the outside world and deprived of all human contact. Feeding on fragmentary and obscure memories, the protagonist lives in oppressive solitude, surrounded by shadows and books, unaware of his origins or his own appearance. Driven by a deep longing for light and contact with the outside world, he embarks on a reckless climb to the top of the castle, where he will have a shocking experience.

H. P. Lovecraft: The Festival

“The Festival” is a haunting tale by H.P. Lovecraft, published in January 1925 in Weird Tales magazine. On Christmas Eve, a man travels to the ancient coastal town of Kingsport to take part in an enigmatic winter solstice ritual. His purpose is to connect with the arcane roots of his lineage, which trace back to times predating the colonization of America. Immersed in an oppressive atmosphere of mystery, the protagonist finds himself in a transformed Kingsport, where the shadows of the past come alive and family secrets intertwine with ancient horrors.

H. P. Lovecraft: The Music of Erich Zann. Summary and analysis

A young student of metaphysics moves to an old, steep street called Rue d’Auseil, where he rents a room in an almost deserted building. He soon becomes intrigued by the strange music he hears every night from the attic, played by a mute violinist named Erich Zann. Fascinated by these disturbing and unfamiliar melodies, the student tries to approach the musician, who is evasive and disturbed, refusing to play certain compositions in his presence and forbidding him to look out of his room’s window, the only one facing the other side of the wall that closes off the street. Over time, the narrator begins to suspect that Zann’s music is not only artistic but also a defense against something invisible and terrifying. One night, he finally witnesses Zann’s violin become an instrument of despair in the face of a force that bursts through the window. Looking through it, the narrator sees an infinite and chaotic abyss, not the city. He flees in terror and never finds the street again. Zann’s secret disappears with him, leaving the narrator forever marked by what he witnessed.

H. P. Lovecraft: The Music of Erich Zann

“The Music of Erich Zann” is a short story by H. P. Lovecraft, published in March 1922 in The National Amateur magazine. The story follows a young metaphysics student who, searching for cheap lodgings, moves into a dilapidated boarding house on Rue d’Auseil, a steep and strangely inaccessible street. He meets Erich Zann, a mute violinist living in the highest attic room. Fascinated by the disturbing music he hears every night from his room, the narrator tries to get closer to the mysterious musician, unaware that behind each note lies an alien and terrifying reality.

C. M. Eddy Jr. & H. P. Lovecraft: The Loved Dead

C. M. Eddy, Jr. & H. P. Lovecraft - Los amados muertos

“The Loved Dead” is a short story written by C. M. Eddy, Jr. and H. P. Lovecraft and published in Weird Tales in May 1924. The story follows the confession of a man marked since childhood by a grim fascination with death. His withdrawn and melancholic nature sets him apart from others from his earliest years. One day, during his grandfather’s funeral, he experiences a disturbing revelation that will transform his life. From then on, his existence is driven by an irresistible desire to get closer to the dead, unleashing a dark and tragic obsession.

H. P. Lovecraft: The Alchemist. Summary and analysis

Antoine, the last descendant of the Counts of C—, lives secluded in a ruined castle, marked by an ancient curse: all the males in his family die at the age of 32. Orphaned at birth and raised by a single servant, Pierre, Antoine discovers on his 21st birthday a family manuscript that reveals the origin of the curse: in the 13th century, his ancestor Henri unjustly killed the alchemist Michel Mauvais, believing him to be responsible for the disappearance of his son. Then, Charles Le Sorcier, son of the alchemist, cast a curse: no male in the family would live beyond the age of 32. As he approaches that age, Antoine explores abandoned areas of the castle and finds a secret passage that leads him to an underground chamber where he confronts a ghostly-looking man who turns out to be Charles Le Sorcier, who is still alive thanks to an elixir of immortality. Charles confesses that he has personally murdered each heir for centuries in revenge. Antoine manages to defend himself by throwing his torch, which he uses to set the alchemist on fire. With his death, the chain of murders is finally broken and Antoine survives the fate that condemned his lineage for six hundred years.