He (short story)
Encyclopedia
"He" is a short story by American
horror
writer H. P. Lovecraft
. Written August 1925
, it was first published in Weird Tales
, September 1926
.
to New York City
and greatly regretted it. One night, while wandering an older part of town, he happens upon a man strangely dressed in garments from the eighteenth century. The man offers to show the narrator the secrets of the town.
Following the man to his home, he is told a tale of a squire who bargained originally for the land with the Native Americans
and learned of the true face of the city full of flying creatures and mutated people. The man then proceeds to show the narrator visions of the city's past and future, and he begins to scream wildly which rouses the spirits of the Native Americans to take vengeance on the man.
, by ferry, where he bought a dime composition book and wrote the story in Elizabeth's Scott Park.
Lovecraft had moved to New York City
in March 1924 for his short-lived marriage to Sonia Greene. He moved back to Providence, Rhode Island
in April 1926, having developed a thorough aversion to New York. The opening paragraphs of "He" are believed to be largely autobiographical, expressing Lovecraft's own feelings about the city:
Lovecraft's disgust for New York stemmed in large part from his racist attitudes, which are also reflected in "He"'s narrator:
The court off Greenwich Village
's Perry Street actually exists; Lovecraft learned of its existence in a New York Evening Post article of August 29, 1924. The stranger's house is apparently based on a mansion on the block bounded by Perry, Bleecker
, Charles and West 4th streets, built as early as 1744 and demolished in 1865.
A suggested literary model for "He" is Lord Dunsany's The Chronicles of Rodriguez, in which a wizard displays visions of past and future wars in successive windows.
American literature
American literature is the written or literary work produced in the area of the United States and its preceding colonies. For more specific discussions of poetry and theater, see Poetry of the United States and Theater in the United States. During its early history, America was a series of British...
horror
Horror fiction
Horror fiction also Horror fantasy is a philosophy of literature, which is intended to, or has the capacity to frighten its readers, inducing feelings of horror and terror. It creates an eerie atmosphere. Horror can be either supernatural or non-supernatural...
writer H. P. Lovecraft
H. P. Lovecraft
Howard Phillips Lovecraft --often credited as H.P. Lovecraft — was an American author of horror, fantasy and science fiction, especially the subgenre known as weird fiction....
. Written August 1925
1925 in literature
The year 1925 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:* April: F Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway meet in the Dingo Bar on rue Delambre, in the Montparnasse Quarter of Paris, France shortly after the publication of Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby and shortly before...
, it was first published in Weird Tales
Weird Tales
Weird Tales is an American fantasy and horror fiction pulp magazine first published in March 1923. It ceased its original run in September 1954, after 279 issues, but has since been revived. The magazine was set up in Chicago by J. C. Henneberger, an ex-journalist with a taste for the macabre....
, September 1926
1926 in literature
The year 1926 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*Bread Loaf Writers' Conference is founded in Middlebury, Vermont....
.
Plot summary
The story tells of an unnamed narrator, who has moved from New EnglandNew England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and greatly regretted it. One night, while wandering an older part of town, he happens upon a man strangely dressed in garments from the eighteenth century. The man offers to show the narrator the secrets of the town.
Following the man to his home, he is told a tale of a squire who bargained originally for the land with the Native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
and learned of the true face of the city full of flying creatures and mutated people. The man then proceeds to show the narrator visions of the city's past and future, and he begins to scream wildly which rouses the spirits of the Native Americans to take vengeance on the man.
Inspiration
The story "He" was written after an all-night tour of the remnants of Old New York; by 7 a.m. the next morning, Lovecraft had reached Elizabeth, New JerseyElizabeth, New Jersey
Elizabeth is a city in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 124,969, retaining its ranking as New Jersey's fourth largest city with an increase of 4,401 residents from its 2000 Census population of 120,568...
, by ferry, where he bought a dime composition book and wrote the story in Elizabeth's Scott Park.
Lovecraft had moved to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in March 1924 for his short-lived marriage to Sonia Greene. He moved back to Providence, Rhode Island
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
in April 1926, having developed a thorough aversion to New York. The opening paragraphs of "He" are believed to be largely autobiographical, expressing Lovecraft's own feelings about the city:
Lovecraft's disgust for New York stemmed in large part from his racist attitudes, which are also reflected in "He"'s narrator:
The court off Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village, , , , .in New York often simply called "the Village", is a largely residential neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City. A large majority of the district is home to upper middle class families...
's Perry Street actually exists; Lovecraft learned of its existence in a New York Evening Post article of August 29, 1924. The stranger's house is apparently based on a mansion on the block bounded by Perry, Bleecker
Bleecker Street
Bleecker Street is a street in New York City's Manhattan borough. It is perhaps most famous today as a Greenwich Village nightclub district. The street is a spine that connects a neighborhood today popular for music venues and comedy, but which was once a major center for American bohemia.Bleecker...
, Charles and West 4th streets, built as early as 1744 and demolished in 1865.
A suggested literary model for "He" is Lord Dunsany's The Chronicles of Rodriguez, in which a wizard displays visions of past and future wars in successive windows.