Transgressing the Myth – H.P. Lovecraft’s Philosophy of Life and its Narrative Execution. An Essay

Sa？etak Howard Philips Lovecraft counts as the father of modern horror literature. His narrative work is considered to be an anti-mythology which gives way to the readers imagination. The essay elaborates on his narrative technique that is determined by psychological and philosophical motives. Furthermore, Lovecraft’s stories are said to portray a nihilistic world view. The essay argues that there is more to Lovecraft’s work than a nihilistic perspective, namely a philosophy of life that is motivated by his reading of Epicurus and Lucretius. On the subject of mythology the thesis is, that an anti-mythology does not necessarily mean non-mythology. Lovecraft’s literary work is rather transgressing central mythological tropes in light of his philosophical worldview. It is a way of expressing his philosophy of life in a narrative way