This thesis argues that in the case of H.P. Lovecraft it is not possible to separate the person from the author, as his personal fears, beliefs and perceived threats decisively shape his body of work. I show this especially through the analysis of the story “The Rats in the Walls,” which reveals the author’s atavistic fear of mental deterioration, which originates from the family’s fragile mental disposition. Next, the story “The Horror at Red Hook” marks Lovecraft’s outbursts of racial prejudice towards immigrants, which came to the fore when he came in contact with the Other during his stay in New York. Finally, the analysis of the story “The Shadow over Innsmouth” points out Lovecraft’s fear of miscegenation and his obsession with a pure ethnic line. Not only did Lovecraft’s personal fears dominate his life, he also channelled them to become an inspiration for his eldritch weird fiction.
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