"Dreams in the Witch House" is a horror short story written by H.P. Lovecraft in 1932. It is part of his Cthulhu Mythos, which is a shared fictional universe that incorporates elements of cosmic horror and supernatural entities. The story revolves around Walter Gilman, a student who rents a room in the Witch House, an old and eerie house in Arkham, Massachusetts. Gilman becomes fascinated with the room's eerie angles and dimensions, sensing some hidden meaning in the strange geometry.
“GRRR!” Baba Yaga grabbed the cat and shook it hard.
But at the heart of it, she also represents an evergreen reminder for people to watch out for themselves in a dangerous world and to not stray too far from safety. Such a division between northern and southern witches is too neat, and it is significant that the memorates and fabulates to which Maksimov later refers do not support it.
Gilman becomes fascinated with the room's eerie angles and dimensions, sensing some hidden meaning in the strange geometry. He soon begins to have vivid, disturbing dreams involving a witch named Keziah Mason and her familiar, a rat-like creature called Brown Jenkin. The dreams are filled with dark rituals, otherworldly locations, and frightening encounters with other alien creatures.
Baba Yaga inspired witch
Baba Yaga is a recurring figure in Russian folklore. Probably derived from the Hag, the third member of the three-part goddess (Virgin, Mother, and Hag), Baba Yaga is not good, but is not entirely evil; she does eat people and decorate her fence with their skulls, but she is known to help people that serve her. She also orders the cycles of nature. She is often called Baba Yaga "the Bony-legged." Her hut stands on chicken legs, and must be commanded to turn around so that one may enter. Baba Yaga flew through the air in a mortar, rowing with a pestle, and her house could run after its victims.
Linda Ivanits, in her book Russian Folk Belief, had the following to say on the topic of Baba Yaga and witches:
"There was probably no typical appearance for the witch of Russian folk belief, though occasionally the image of Baba Yaga, an ancient, bony, blue-nosed hag, seemed to cross over from the magic tale into preconceptions of what a witch should look like. S. V. Maksimov, for example, suggests that this was the usual image of the Northern Great Russian witch, whereas the Southern Ukrainian witches tended to be beautiful young widows. Such a division between northern and southern witches is too neat, and it is significant that the memorates and fabulates to which Maksimov later refers do not support it. They include young women as well as older ones among the Great Russian practitioners, and they often contain no mention of the witch's beauty or hideousness. Indeed, a survey of documents pertaining to witchcraft and of village traditions of "real" witches, as opposed to the descriptions of witches in the more fictionalized m magic tale, indicates that witches may be of any age. In those accounts where age is a factor, what seems to strike the popular imagination is not so much the resemblance to Baba Yaga as an unnatural longevity. The instance from the Kievan archives of the burning of the ancient woman suspected of unleashing a plague illustrates this point. Here, one must suppose, the popular attitude reflected the feeling that this woman should have died much earlier. The peasants sought an explanation for her failure to do so in the supernatural and saw in her an embodiment of sterility and enmity to the earth and, hence, the cause of the plague.
"Peasants attributed unusual and fantastic means of locomotion to witches. Sometimes they rode other people: numerous narratives relate how witches jump on unsuspecting victims who then become airborne and how, conversely, a clever person manages to bridle and ride the witch. Some reports tell of witches moving about like animals on all fours with loose, uncovered hair, wearing only a shift; other relate that they fly through the air using a broom, mortar, or poker as a vehicle or transformed into magpies. Peasant claimed that witches left home through the chimney and flew off to meetings or, more accurately, orgies with other witches and demons.
"Though Baba Yaga was primarily a personage of the magic tale, it appears that in a few places peasants believed such a witch actually lived deep in the swampy forest in a hut on chicken legs with her daughter Marinushka (Marina)."
Russian American Company
In many ways, Baba Yaga has represented the exact opposite of society’s ideal woman for centuries — and she still does to this day.
As the story progresses, Gilman's dreams start to blur with reality, and he discovers the connections between the Witch House, Keziah Mason, and the otherworldly entities known as the Great Old Ones. He learns about the blasphemous rites conducted by Keziah and her ancestral covenant with the entities beyond human comprehension. Lovecraft's "Dreams in the Witch House" showcases his mastery of atmospheric terror and the blending of cosmic horror with the mundane. By incorporating elements of witchcraft, ancient lore, and otherworldly dimensions, the story achieves a sense of awe-inspiring dread and existential fear. The themes explored in "Dreams in the Witch House" include the fragility of human understanding, the insignificance of humanity in the face of the cosmic order, and the idea that hidden realms and sinister forces lurk just beyond our perception. Lovecraft's evocative prose and vivid descriptions create a sense of dread and otherness that permeates the entire narrative. Overall, "Dreams in the Witch House" is a chilling and thought-provoking tale that showcases Lovecraft's unique style and his exploration of humanity's place in the vastness of the universe. It stands as a testament to his enduring legacy as one of the masters of horror literature..
Reviews for "The Antagonistic Forces in "The Dreams in the Witch House"
- John Smith - 2 stars - I was really disappointed with "Dreams in the Witch House" by HP Lovecraft. The story felt disjointed and the characters were not well-developed. It seemed like Lovecraft was just throwing in random elements of horror without any clear purpose or direction. The writing style was also difficult to follow and at times it felt like I was reading a jumbled mess of words. Overall, I found this story to be a letdown and I would not recommend it to others.
- Emily Johnson - 1 star - "Dreams in the Witch House" by HP Lovecraft was a complete waste of my time. The plot was confusing and took forever to get going. The characters were terribly written and lacked any depth or likeability. I found myself struggling to finish this story because it felt like a chore to read. The ending was unsatisfying and left me feeling frustrated and annoyed. I don't understand why this story is so highly regarded, as it was a terrible read in my opinion.
- Sarah Thompson - 2.5 stars - I had high hopes for "Dreams in the Witch House" by HP Lovecraft, but unfortunately, it fell short for me. The concept of the story was intriguing, but the execution lacked clarity and coherence. The writing style was overly verbose and made it difficult to stay engaged in the narrative. The characters were also forgettable and I struggled to connect with any of them. Overall, while there were some interesting elements, I was ultimately disappointed with this story. I would not recommend it to fans of Lovecraft's other works.