The Dunwich Horror

H. P. Lovecraft’s work is often referred to as cosmic horror. The name of this genre derives from a theme found in many of Lovecraft’s works, especially those that take place in the same narrative universe. Cosmic horror involves a fear of the unknown, the sense that there are unspeakably terrible entities that exist just beyond the scope of human comprehension. In The Dunwich Horror, Yog-Sothoth, the entity that Yog-Sothoth fathers, Wilbur Whateley’s true form, and the existence of the Old Ones illustrate this idea. Each of these exists outside of the typical human realm of understanding. Most humans are blissfully unaware of the dimension in question and the threat the Old Ones pose; knowledge can cause people to be so overwhelmed by horror that they lose their minds. The entity and Wilbur’s true form are elements of cosmic horror that are doubly hidden from the world. Not only is the entity invisible, but it also spends most of the story hidden away in the Whateley home. Wilbur covers his monstrous form with human clothing, so his horrifying physical reality is only revealed at the moment of his death, when a dog tears away his clothing.