THE HARM IN KNOWING: THE IMPORTANCE OF PERSPECTIVE AND THE DANGERS OF KNOWLEDGE IN H.P. LOVECRAFT

H. P. Lovecraft has been a significant influence in horror fiction, but most of the attention paid to Lovecraft’s work focuses on his Cthulhu Mythos. This thesis examines a group of fantasy stories from Lovecraft’s Dream Cycle, overlooked in favor of his horror tales. I argue these stories merit attention for their presentation of an ideological conflict central to much of Lovecraft’s work: reality, knowledge, and science vs. fantasy, imagination, and dreams. Lovecraft demonstrates the limitations and importance of one’s perspective, illustrating the need to be flexible in one’s beliefs and viewpoints. I also argue that this understanding of perspective encourages alternative readings of Lovecraft’s other work, as well as enabling a greater understanding of horror and fear of the unknown.