# The Call of Cthulhu

> 1928 short story by H. P. Lovecraft

**Wikidata**: [Q1141815](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1141815)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Call_of_Cthulhu)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/the-call-of-cthulhu

## Summary
*The Call of Cthulhu* is a 1928 short story by H. P. Lovecraft, a foundational work in cosmic horror that introduces the iconic entity Cthulhu and establishes the Cthulhu Mythos. The story explores themes of ancient, incomprehensible cosmic forces and their influence on human civilization, influencing generations of horror writers.

## Key Facts
- **Author**: H. P. Lovecraft (1890–1937), American writer and editor.
- **Publication Date**: February 1928.
- **Genre**: Cosmic horror, part of the Cthulhu Mythos.
- **Setting**: The fictional town of Arkham, Massachusetts.
- **Key Themes**: Ancient cosmic entities, the incomprehensible nature of the universe, and the inevitability of cosmic forces.
- **Inspiration**: Based on Lovecraft’s philosophical framework, cosmicism, emphasizing the vastness and mystery of the universe.
- **Legacy**: One of the most influential horror stories of all time, inspiring countless adaptations and shaping modern horror literature.
- **Connected Entities**:
  - **Cthulhu Mythos**: A shared fictional universe featuring ancient cosmic entities like Cthulhu and Nyarlathotep.
  - **H. P. Lovecraft**: The story’s author, who pioneered cosmic horror and created the Cthulhu Mythos.
  - **Horror Literature**: A genre that *The Call of Cthulhu* significantly influenced.
  - **Science Fiction**: A genre that overlaps with cosmic horror.
  - **Weird Fiction**: A subgenre of speculative fiction that includes *The Call of Cthulhu*.
- **Identifiers**:
  - **Wikidata**: Q7725634.
  - **Open Library**: OL27299426W.
  - **Google Knowledge Graph**: /m/018028.
  - **Wikipedia Title**: The Call of Cthulhu.
- **Publication Details**:
  - **Country of Origin**: United States.
  - **Inception**: 1926 (year of composition).
  - **Part of Series**: Cthulhu Mythos.
- **Quotes**:
  - *"The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the human mind to correlate all its contents."*
  - *"Let me pray that, if I do not survive this manuscript, my executors may put caution before audacity and see that it meets no other eye."*
  - *"Of such great powers or beings there may be conceivably a survival... a survival of a hugely remote period when... consciousness was manifested, perhaps, in shapes and forms long since withdrawn before the tide of advancing humanity."*

## FAQs
**What is *The Call of Cthulhu* about?**
*The Call of Cthulhu* is a short story by H. P. Lovecraft that introduces the ancient cosmic entity Cthulhu and explores the inevitability of cosmic forces in human history. It is a foundational work in cosmic horror, blending mythic storytelling with themes of the incomprehensible.

**Who wrote *The Call of Cthulhu*?**
The story was written by H. P. Lovecraft, an American writer and editor who pioneered cosmic horror and created the Cthulhu Mythos.

**What is the Cthulhu Mythos?**
The Cthulhu Mythos is a shared fictional universe created by Lovecraft, featuring ancient cosmic entities like Cthulhu, Nyarlathotep, and the Great Race of Yith. It has influenced generations of horror writers and remains a cornerstone of modern horror literature.

**How did *The Call of Cthulhu* influence the horror genre?**
The story introduced cosmic horror as a distinct subgenre, emphasizing the incomprehensible nature of the universe and the inevitability of ancient cosmic forces. It has inspired countless adaptations and shaped modern horror literature.

**What themes does *The Call of Cthulhu* explore?**
The story explores themes of ancient cosmic entities, the incomprehensible nature of the universe, and the inevitability of cosmic forces in human history.

**Where is *The Call of Cthulhu* set?**
The story is set in the fictional town of Arkham, Massachusetts, a recurring setting in Lovecraft’s works.

**What is cosmicism?**
Cosmicism is the philosophical framework developed by Lovecraft, emphasizing the vastness and mystery of the universe and the inevitability of cosmic forces.

**How has *The Call of Cthulhu* been adapted?**
The story has been adapted into films, television, video games, and other media, cementing its legacy in popular culture.

**What is the significance of Cthulhu in *The Call of Cthulhu*?**
Cthulhu is an ancient, malevolent cosmic entity that represents the incomprehensible forces of the universe. His introduction established the Cthulhu Mythos and influenced generations of horror writers.

**How does *The Call of Cthulhu* connect to other Lovecraft stories?**
The story is part of the Cthulhu Mythos, a shared fictional universe that connects Lovecraft’s works through recurring themes, characters, and settings.

## Why It Matters
*The Call of Cthulhu* is significant because it pioneered cosmic horror, a subgenre that explores the incomprehensible and ancient forces lurking beyond human understanding. The story introduced the iconic entity Cthulhu and established the Cthulhu Mythos, a vast interconnected universe of cosmic entities that has influenced generations of horror writers. Lovecraft’s philosophical framework, cosmicism, emphasizes the vastness and mystery of the universe, shaping speculative fiction and horror literature. The story’s themes of inevitability and the incomprehensible nature of cosmic forces have resonated with readers and writers alike, cementing its legacy in the horror genre. *The Call of Cthulhu* remains a cornerstone of modern horror literature, inspiring countless adaptations and shaping the genre’s evolution.

## Notable For
- Introducing the iconic cosmic entity Cthulhu and establishing the Cthulhu Mythos.
- Pioneering cosmic horror, a subgenre that explores the incomprehensible and ancient forces of the universe.
- Influencing generations of horror writers, including Stephen King, Clive Barker, and H.R. Giger.
- Shaping modern horror literature with its themes of inevitability and cosmic forces.
- Being one of the most influential horror stories of all time, with widespread adaptations in film, television, and other media.
- Establishing the fictional town of Arkham, Massachusetts, as a recurring setting in Lovecraft’s works.
- Introducing the concept of the "Great Old Ones," ancient cosmic entities that have influenced modern horror literature.
- Developing cosmicism, a philosophical framework that emphasizes the vastness and mystery of the universe.
- Being part of the Cthulhu Mythos, a shared fictional universe that connects Lovecraft’s works through recurring themes, characters, and settings.
- Inspiring countless adaptations and shaping the evolution of the horror genre.

## Body
### Overview
*The Call of Cthulhu* is a 1928 short story by H. P. Lovecraft, a foundational work in cosmic horror that introduces the iconic entity Cthulhu and establishes the Cthulhu Mythos. The story explores themes of ancient, incomprehensible cosmic forces and their influence on human civilization, influencing generations of horror writers.

### Author and Publication
- **Author**: H. P. Lovecraft (1890–1937), American writer and editor.
- **Publication Date**: February 1928.
- **Genre**: Cosmic horror, part of the Cthulhu Mythos.
- **Setting**: The fictional town of Arkham, Massachusetts.
- **Key Themes**: Ancient cosmic entities, the incomprehensible nature of the universe, and the inevitability of cosmic forces.

### Cosmicism and Themes
- **Cosmicism**: Lovecraft’s philosophical framework emphasizing the vastness and mystery of the universe.
- **Themes**: Ancient cosmic entities, the incomprehensible nature of the universe, and the inevitability of cosmic forces.
- **Influence**: Shaped speculative fiction and horror literature, influencing generations of writers.

### Cthulhu Mythos
- **Cthulhu Mythos**: A shared fictional universe featuring ancient cosmic entities like Cthulhu and Nyarlathotep.
- **Legacy**: Influenced generations of horror writers and remains a cornerstone of modern horror literature.
- **Connected Entities**: Recurring themes, characters, and settings in Lovecraft’s works.

### Adaptations and Legacy
- **Adaptations**: Films, television, video games, and other media adaptations of *The Call of Cthulhu*.
- **Legacy**: One of the most influential horror stories of all time, shaping the evolution of the horror genre.
- **Influence**: Inspired countless adaptations and cemented its legacy in popular culture.

### Quotes and Significance
- **Quotes**:
  - *"The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the human mind to correlate all its contents."*
  - *"Let me pray that, if I do not survive this manuscript, my executors may put caution before audacity and see that it meets no other eye."*
  - *"Of such great powers or beings there may be conceivably a survival... a survival of a hugely remote period when... consciousness was manifested, perhaps, in shapes and forms long since withdrawn before the tide of advancing humanity."*
- **Significance**: Pioneered cosmic horror, introduced the iconic entity Cthulhu, and established the Cthulhu Mythos, influencing generations of horror writers.

### Connected Entities
- **H. P. Lovecraft**: The story’s author, who pioneered cosmic horror and created the Cthulhu Mythos.
- **Cthulhu Mythos**: A shared fictional universe featuring ancient cosmic entities like Cthulhu and Nyarlathotep.
- **Horror Literature**: A genre that *The Call of Cthulhu* significantly influenced.
- **Science Fiction**: A genre that overlaps with cosmic horror.
- **Weird Fiction**: A subgenre of speculative fiction that includes *The Call of Cthulhu*.

### Identifiers and References
- **Wikidata**: Q7725634.
- **Open Library**: OL27299426W.
- **Google Knowledge Graph**: /m/018028.
- **Wikipedia Title**: The Call of Cthulhu.
- **Publication Details**:
  - **Country of Origin**: United States.
  - **Inception**: 1926 (year of composition).
  - **Part of Series**: Cthulhu Mythos.

## References

1. Internet Speculative Fiction Database
2. MusicBrainz
3. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
4. [Source](https://www.hplovecraft.com/writings/texts/fiction/cc.aspx)