What is the summary of the story Polaris by H.P. Lovecraft? Information about the characters and the summary of Polaris by H.P. Lovecraft.
Polaris
“Polaris” is a short story written by H.P. Lovecraft in 1918. The story is told from the perspective of an unnamed narrator who lives in a city called Arkham, Massachusetts. The narrator is plagued by strange dreams and nightmares in which he sees the star Polaris in the sky, which he believes is calling to him. He becomes obsessed with the star and begins studying it, eventually discovering that it is a gateway to another dimension where an ancient race of beings reside. The beings are described as “blasphemous” and “foul”, and the narrator realizes that they are the source of his nightmares. The story ends with the narrator resolving to leave Arkham and seek out the star, in hopes of ending his torment.
“Polaris” is considered one of Lovecraft’s earliest and less popular short stories, most of his readership and fame came from his later works such as “The Call of Cthulhu” and “At the Mountains of Madness”. It has been said that “Polaris” is an early example of Lovecraft’s use of cosmic horror, which would become a recurring theme in his later works.
Summary
“Polaris” is a short story written by H.P. Lovecraft in 1918 that is steeped in cosmic horror, obsession, madness and the fear of the unknown. The story is told from the perspective of an unnamed narrator who lives in the city of Arkham, Massachusetts. The narrator begins by describing his strange dreams and nightmares in which he sees the star Polaris in the sky. He becomes obsessed with the star and begins studying it, eventually discovering that it is a gateway to another dimension where an ancient race of beings reside.
The narrator’s dreams are vivid and recurring, in which he sees the star Polaris in the sky and feels compelled to go to it. He becomes increasingly obsessed with the star, and begins to research it in books and talk to other scholars about it. He discovers that the star is actually a gateway to another dimension, and that the ancient race of beings that reside there are the source of his nightmares.
The narrator then describes the beings as “blasphemous” and “foul”, and begins to suspect that they are trying to communicate with him through his dreams. He becomes more determined to reach the star, and starts to make preparations to leave Arkham and seek it out. He also becomes increasingly paranoid, and starts to believe that the beings are trying to stop him from reaching the star.
As the narrator’s obsession with the star and the beings grows, he begins to experience hallucinations and becomes increasingly delusional. He starts to believe that the beings are trying to take over his mind and control him. This begins to affect his mental and emotional state, leading him to become increasingly isolated and paranoid.
As the narrator’s obsession with the star intensifies, his mental state becomes increasingly unstable and he begins to imagine that the beings are trying to pull him into their dimension. He starts to feel that he is being watched and followed, and becomes convinced that the beings are trying to stop him from reaching the star. He also starts to believe that the beings are trying to take over his mind and control him.
Eventually, the narrator decides that he must leave Arkham and go to the star, in order to put an end to his torment. He believes that the beings are calling to him and that he must go to them in order to put an end to his nightmares. The story ends with the narrator leaving Arkham and seeking out the star, in hopes of ending his torment and putting an end to the beings’ hold on him.
“Polaris” is considered one of Lovecraft’s earliest and less popular short stories. It is an early example of Lovecraft’s use of cosmic horror, which would become a recurring theme in his later works. The story also explores themes of obsession, madness, and the fear of the unknown. It is a story that creates a sense of unease and dread, as the narrator’s descent into madness and obsession with the star Polaris is slowly revealed. The story is a powerful exploration of the human psyche and the dangers of obsession and the unknown.
Characters
“Polaris” is a short story written by H.P. Lovecraft in 1918 and it features only a few characters:
- The narrator: The protagonist of the story, the narrator is an unnamed individual who lives in the city of Arkham, Massachusetts. He is plagued by strange dreams and nightmares in which he sees the star Polaris in the sky, which he believes is calling to him. He becomes obsessed with the star and begins studying it, eventually discovering that it is a gateway to another dimension where an ancient race of beings reside.
- The ancient race of beings: The narrator describes these beings as “blasphemous” and “foul”, and he believes that they are the source of his nightmares. He becomes convinced that they are trying to communicate with him through his dreams and are trying to take over his mind and control him.
- The scholars: The narrator talks to other scholars about the star Polaris, they help him in his research and provide him with some knowledge but they are not major characters in the story.
The story is focused on the narrator’s obsession with the star Polaris, his descent into madness, and his belief that the ancient race of beings is trying to communicate with him. The characters are used primarily to advance the story’s themes of obsession, madness, and the fear of the unknown.
