He (Lovecraft)

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He (English original title "He") is a horror short story by the author HP Lovecraft from 1925. The subject of the story is the eerie experiences of a young poet in New York in the early 20th century.

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A nameless protagonist is looking for inspiration as a poet in New York at the beginning of the 20th century. Instead of finding what he was looking for, however, he was repulsed and disappointed by the city's modern appearance, especially during the day. As a result, he begins to look for traces of old New York at night. On one of these forays, an old stranger offers himself to him as a guide. Under his guidance, the protagonist arrives at the stranger's house. Both his habitation and his clothing have the appearance of the 18th century, a peculiarity that this man himself initially justified with his special preference for this time.

Under the condition of being quiet, the stranger now tells the protagonist about the original owner of the house, an alleged ancestor who learned a ritual from the Indians of the area to be performed under a full moon , which allows time to be controlled. It is also mentioned that the Indians perished as a result, possibly through the fault of the landlord. To demonstrate this ability that has passed on to him, the stranger shows the protagonist through the window the surroundings at different times, twice the New York of the past, once that of the future. The sight of this future horrifies the viewer to such an extent that he forgets and cries out to be silent.

This cry calls out the dead Indians who return at the full moon to take revenge on the stranger who is none other than the ancient landlord himself. He perishes, and the apparition of the dead Indians takes hold of his remains. The house then begins to collapse. The protagonist manages to escape with difficulty and is seriously injured, he is found far from the house and is later neither able nor willing to find this place again. He leaves New York, not without warning of the depravity of this city.

Biographical influences

The narrative was written during Lovecraft's two-year stay in New York (March 1924 to April 1926), and it is believed that his dislike of the city is reflected in the narrative.

Origin, publication and German translation

"He" was written in 1925 and published in Weird Tales in 1926 . The German translation "Er" comes from Charlotte Countess von Klinckowstroem.

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Derleth, August “Introduction” in “HP Lovecraft Omnibus 2. Dagon and Other Macabre Tales”, 7-9
  2. ↑ Lovecraft, HP "He" in "HP Lovecraft. City without a Name ”, 176-190 and“ He ”in“ HP Lovecraft Omnibus 2. Dagon and Other Macabre Tales ”, 270-282.
  3. ↑ Derleth, August “Introduction” in “HP Lovecraft Omnibus 2 Dagon and Other Macabre Tales”, 7-9.
  4. ↑ cf. "HP Lovecraft. City without a name ", 4

swell

  • Lovecraft, HP "He" in "HP Lovecraft. City without a name ”, Suhrkamp, ​​1997. ISBN 3-518-39256-5
  • Lovecraft, HP "He" in "HP Lovecraft Omnibus 2. Dagon and Other Macabre Tales", Harper Collins Publishers, 2000. ISBN 0-586-06324-2

literature

  • Derleth, August “Introduction” in “HP Lovecraft Omnibus 2. Dagon and Other Macabre Tales”, Harper collins Publishers, 2000.