American cosmic horror tradition: The theme of existential horror from the lovecraftian to the post-millennial phase

Abstract

This study examines the evolution of the American cosmic horror canon, starting from its Lovecraftian roots during the early twentieth century to its contemporary post-millennial mutations. More precisely, this study analyses how the canon has transformed in response to cultural, socio-political and philosophical developments across the span of more than a century. While tracing its evolutionary analysis, this study argues that cosmic horror is an overwhelming emotional experience that profoundly transforms/affects the existential condition of the human subject. The subject is inescapably drawn into an inward state of existential angst when it is horrified by the absolute indifference of the cosmos that does not care, rendering humanity insignificant and impotent. This study uses the notion of the “Dark Epiphany” to isolate the exact moment of absolute surrender in the narrative. In simpler terms, the objective is to examine the existential import of a cosmic horror experience that inevitably wrecks the human condition in emotionally negative and debilitating terms. Furthermore, this study examines the treatment of the Natural world across the cosmic horror canon, investigating if Nature acts as a mere conduit for cosmic insurgencies or if it becomes an autonomous cosmic entity that eludes human recognition and understanding. This study dissects the canon’s treatment of Nature through a parallel analysis of twentieth and twenty-first century cosmic horror literature. In the process, this study explores the convergence between the canon’s corruption/liberation of Nature and the severity of existential turbulence it (cosmic horror experience) entails.