(urth) TSH, Lovecraft

[David Duffy]

On Wed, 30 Jun 2010, Jeff Eoff wrote:

> I just finished The Sorcerer's House for the first time.  I searched 
> through the list archives and read through most of TSH threads I found, 
> but I didn't see any references made to Lovecraft's story "The Dreams In 
> The Witch House" ( 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_dreams_in_the_witch_house ).  I was 
> reminded of it near the beginning of THS.  Perhaps it's just a foil or 
> homage by Wolfe, but I find a few parallels.
>

I thought of it even before reading the book, based on descriptions of the 
plot, especially after _An Evil Guest_.  Like so much of Wolfe, I think 
there is some allusion, but it is mixed in with so much other stuff, that 
it doesn't affect the plotline greatly.  Specifically _tDitWH_ is science 
fictional in handling of the dreams, while Wolfe is fantastical, more 
dreamlike.

> The inner dimensions of the witch house are unstable, like the 
> sorcerer's house.

This more reminds me of the use of this trope in _Peace_.  Although the 
Necronomicon does makes an appearance there too.

>
> Twins abound throughout TSH and I figured that Black's house must be a 
> twin to Goldwurm's tower, and that Black must have had a twin himself 
> (as some have suggested already).  Someone also mentioned the middle two 
> chapters having the same name, which suggests a mirror.
>

I was reminded of the _the Incompleat Enchanter_, for some reason.

Cheers, David.

-- 
| David Duffy (MBBS PhD)                                         ,-_|\
| email: davidD at qimr.edu.au  ph: INT+61+7+3362-0217 fax: -0101  /     *
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