What is the summary of the story The Shunned House by H.P. Lovecraft? Information about the characters and the summary of The Shunned House by H.P. Lovecraft.
The Shunned House
“The Shunned House” is a short story by H.P. Lovecraft which tells the story of a mysterious, ancient and abandoned house in the city of Providence, Rhode Island that is shunned by the local residents because of strange and terrifying events that happened there. A scientist becomes obsessed with solving the mystery of the house, he discovers that the house is built on a site that was cursed by the Native Americans who lived there and that strange creatures seem to be present in the house. He eventually enters the house and is confronted with a horrific and otherworldly creature. The story ends with the scientist driven mad and the house being burned down. The story explores themes of scientific curiosity and the dangers of delving too deeply into the unknown.
Summary
“The Shunned House” is a short story by H.P. Lovecraft that tells the story of a mysterious and ancient house in the city of Providence, Rhode Island that has been abandoned and shunned by the local residents due to strange and terrifying events that have occurred there. The narrator, an unnamed scientist, becomes interested in the house and begins to investigate its history. He discovers that the house was built on a site that was believed to be cursed by the Native Americans who once lived there.
The scientist discovers that the house has an unusual and unexplained source of heat, which is emanating from the cellar, and that strange and terrifying creatures seem to be present in the house. He also discovers that the house has a long history of strange deaths and disappearances. The scientist becomes obsessed with solving the mystery of the house and eventually enters it, where he is confronted with a horrific and otherworldly creature that he believes is responsible for the strange happenings.
The scientist discovers that the creature is a type of ancient and monstrous being that is able to survive by absorbing the energy of the living. He also discovers that the house has been built on a site that is rich in the particular type of energy that the creature needs to survive. The scientist also found out that the house had been built over an ancient Indian burial ground, and that the creature was the result of some ancient curse.
The scientist is determined to destroy the creature and put an end to the strange occurrences in the house. He sets up a trap for the creature and manages to capture it, but the creature escapes and the scientist is driven mad by the experience. The house is eventually burned down by the townspeople, but the narrator implies that the creature is still alive and could still be present in the area.
The story is notable for its depiction of the horror and dread that come from the unknown and the unseen, as well as its theme of scientific curiosity and the dangers of delving too deeply into the unknown. It’s also a story of a haunted house in which the ghost is not a ghost but an ancient and monstrous being.
Characters
“The Shunned House” by H.P. Lovecraft features several characters:
- The narrator – an unnamed scientist who becomes interested in the mysterious and ancient house in Providence, Rhode Island and begins to investigate its history. He is the protagonist of the story and tells the story in first-person point of view.
- The townspeople – the local residents of Providence, Rhode Island who have shunned the house due to strange and terrifying events that have occurred there.
- The ancient and monstrous creature – the creature that is responsible for the strange occurrences in the house. It is an ancient and monstrous being that is able to survive by absorbing the energy of the living.
- The previous occupants of the house – the people who have lived in the house over the years and have experienced strange deaths and disappearances.
- The Native Americans – the ancient people who lived on the land where the house was built and who believed the site to be cursed.
It should be noted that all characters except the narrator are not well developed, and the story’s main focus is on the house and the creature inside it.
