Title Monstrosity in Lovecraftian Horror Title (croatian) Čudovišnost u Lovecraftijanskom Hororu Author Matija Brtan Mentor Marko Lukić (mentor)Committee member Zlatko Bukač (predsjednik povjerenstva)Committee member Tomislav Kuzmanović (član povjerenstva)Committee member Marko Lukić (član povjerenstva)Granter University of Zadar Defense date and country 2024-07-01, Croatia Scientific / art field, HUMANISTIC SCIENCES Abstract H. P. Lovecraft, a seminal figure in horror fiction, created monsters that reflect deepseated fears and societal anxieties. This thesis begins with a historical overview of monstrous depictions, revealing how they symbolize societal fears and taboos. In Ancient Greece and Rome, monstrous births were seen as divine retributions and met with severe actions. The Renaissance shifted this perception, using monsters for political propaganda. The 19th century saw a scientific approach, with teratology studying congenital abnormalities, normalizing previously monstrous forms. Lovecraft's "weird tales" depart from traditional horror, invoking fear of the unknown. His monsters, unlike traditional ones, often defy natural forms and create a sense of cosmic horror. This thesis applies J. J. Cohen's 7 monster theses to analyse Lovecraft's stories like "The Call of Cthulhu" and "The Shadow over Innsmouth," highlighting how his monsters embody early 20th-century anxieties about race, immigration, and economic instability. Cohen's theses provide a framework through which Lovecraft's monsters can be analysed through the perspective of culture. The analysis underscores that Lovecraft's monsters, through their bizarre and otherworldly nature, serve as cultural symbols reflecting the collective fears and societal issues of his time.
Abstract (croatian) Lovecraft, ključna figura horor fikcije, stvorio je čudovišta koja odražavaju duboko ukorijenjene strahove i društvene tjeskobe. Ovaj završni rad započinje povijesnim pregledom prikaza čudovišta, otkrivajući kako ona simboliziraju društvene strahove i tabue. U staroj Grčkoj i Rimu, monstruozna rođenja su se smatrala božanskim kaznama i bila su suočena s ozbiljnim posljedicama. Renesansa je promijenila ovu percepciju, koristeći čudovišta za političku propagandua, a 19. stoljeće donijelo je znanstveni pristup, s teratologijom koja je proučavala urođene abnormalnosti, normalizirajući prethodno monstruozne oblike. Lovecraftove "čudne priče" odstupaju od tradicionalnog horora, izazivajući strah od nepoznatog. Njegova čudovišta, za razliku od tradicionalnih, često se protive prirodnim oblicima i stvaraju osjećaj kozmičkog horora. Ova teza primjenjuje sedam teza o čudovištima J.J. Cohena, kako bi analizirala Lovecraftove priče poput "The Call of Cthulhu" i "The Shadow over Innsmouth", naglašavajući kako njegova čudovišta utjelovljuju tjeskobe ranog 20. stoljeća o rasi, imigraciji i ekonomskoj nestabilnosti. Cohenove teze pružaju okvir kroz koji se Lovecraftova čudovišta mogu analizirati iz perspektive kulture. Analiza naglašava da Lovecraftova čudovišta, kroz svoju bizarnu i vanzemaljsku prirodu, služe kao kulturni simboli koji odražavaju kolektivne strahove i društvene probleme njegovog vremena
Keywords
Lovecraft
Monster Theory
Weird Tale
culture
horror
Keywords (croatian)
Lovecraft
Monster Theory
Čudna Prića
kultura
horor
Language english URN:NBN urn:nbn:hr:162:804023 Study programme Title: English Language and Literature (double major) Type of resource Text File origin Born digital Access conditions Open access Terms of use Created on 2024-09-27 13:57:25
