Facts About Lovecraft You Can Use In Your Academic Work

Interesting facts from Lovecraft`s biography that will surprise you

Howard Phillips Lovecraft is a mastermind of the Gothic tale of terror. You will definitely learn his famous works at college if your major is literature.

We have decided to arm you with some astonishing facts about his life in case your teacher asks you to accomplish a writing assignment.

Lovecraft`s dream was to become a professional astronomer

Unfortunately or fortunately, his dream remained unfulfilled because he hadn`t even managed to finish high school. Of course, he went to school but his attendance was irregular due to a “nervous breakdown” as he himself said. Can you believe that this man, who is considered to be the 20th century master of weird fiction, was actually self-educated?

Lovecraft experienced night terrors

From the age of six, he began to suffer from the night terrors. But this parasomnia shouldn`t be confused with simple nightmares. It is far more dramatic. During a night terror, Lovecraft could shout out or scream in distress and suddenly sit upright in bed. But the most interesting thing is that night terrors happen in only 3%-6% of children. Undoubtedly, this parasomnia affected his nightmarish prose in some ways.

Lovecraft`s parents were committed to Butler Hospital

Butler Hospital is a mental institution where adults with behavioral health concerns are provided with a wide range of psychiatric services. Lovecraft`s father was diagnosed with psychosis. He died when H.P. was only eight years old. His mother died of complications after surgery at the same medical establishment.

Lovecraft liked correspondence very much

It was estimated that the number of letters that were written by H.P. Lovecraft during his lifetime is about 100,000. Can it be a world record? He really liked to write to his family, friends, and fellow writers on a regular basis. Samuel Loveman, Robert E. Howard, and Henry Kuttner are considered to be his most regular correspondents.

Lovecraft`s stories bring inspiration

Lovecraft inspired films, anime, games, comics, and even music. You have definitely heard of such wonderful Lovecraftian movies such as “At the Mouth of Madness”, “Cthulhu”, or “The Whisperer in Darkness”. Lovecraft`s material was and remains the inspiration for many musicians. What is more, he is one of the few writers whose written works directly inspired certain video games.

Lovecraft was known for his gaunt and pale bearing

The thing is that he had a habit of sleeping late into the day. You couldn`t see him in public during daylight. He was used to staying up late to read, write, and study his favorite disciplines – astronomy and science.

Lovecraft explained how to pronounce the name of his alien creation

Did you know how to pronounce Cthulhu in a correct way? Here is H.P. Lovecraft`s explanation that was found in one of his letters:

“The syllables were determined by a physiological equipment wholly unlike ours, hence could never be uttered perfectly by human throats… The actual sound – as nearby as any human organs could imitate it or human letters record it – may be taken as something like Khlul`-hloo, with the first syllable pronounced gutturally and very thickly, The u is about like that in full; and the first syllable is not unlike klul in sound, hence the h represents the guttural thickness.”

Lovecraft had a mad fan

There was an attempt to dig up Lovecraft`s corpse but, fortunately, he wasn`t buried under his headstone. He was buried in Swan Point Cemetery and his name was listed on the monument of his mother`s family. But a group of fans had decided that he deserved a separate monument. Just imagine the frustration of that particularly avid fan when he realized that he was digging in the wrong place.