Rudyard Kipling: The Mark of the Beast

Rudyard Kipling - La marca de la bestia

“The Mark of the Beast,” a short story by Rudyard Kipling published in 1890, plunges into the depths of mysticism and cultural tensions in colonial India. The story recounts the experience of Fleete, an Englishman newly arrived in India, who, while under the influence of alcohol during a New Year’s Eve celebration, desecrates a temple of Hanuman, the monkey god. His disrespectful and mocking action towards the sacred provokes supernatural revenge when he is branded on the chest by a mysterious leper known as the Silver Man. As the mark on Fleete’s chest transforms, he changes alarmingly, displaying animalistic behaviors and appetites. His friends are then embroiled in a desperate attempt to understand and remedy his condition, facing the clash between Western rationality and the inexplicable forces of an ancient local faith.

H. P. Lovecraft: In the Vault

H. P. Lovecraft - En la cripta

“In the Vault,” a short story by H.P. Lovecraft written in 1925, tells the disturbing tale of George Birch, a miserly and unscrupulous funeral director. While relocating corpses for burial, Birch gets locked in an old crypt, dug into a mountain, with no hope of imminent rescue. In desperation, he is forced to find his way out through a small opening above the door, which he tries to enlarge using the rudimentary tools he finds in the place. While working, Birch must face supernatural and terrifying events, a consequence of his past decisions, which will mark him for life.

H. P. Lovecraft: The Tree

H. P. Lovecraft - The tree

“The Tree,” a tale by H.P. Lovecraft, tells the story of Calos and Musides, two talented sculptors and friends living in ancient Greece. Both face a test when they are commissioned to compete to create a statue for the tyrant of Syracuse. Amid the competition, one of the friends suffers a mysterious illness that leads … Read more

Bram Stoker: Dracula. Summary and analysis

Bram Stoker - Drácula. Resumen y análisis

“Dracula” by Bram Stoker is a Gothic novel that tells the terrifying story of Count Dracula, a vampire who travels from Transylvania to England, unleashing a wave of horror and mystery. Through diaries and letters, the novel follows a group of characters led by Professor Van Helsing, who desperately struggles to stop Dracula and his … Read more