A Lovecraftian Critique of the Art of Stephen King

Seminal horror author H. P. Lovecraft (1890-1937) offers an account of the requirements for good “weird” fiction. Maintenance of “weird” atmosphere is essential for Lovecraft, to the point that no elements that might distract from this, like comedy or romance, are permissible. King’s work satisfies many of Lovecraft’s requirements: Lovecraft would approve of the unnatural feel of supernatural events, of the mysterious nature of the supernatural, and of the realistic background against which King depicts supernatural wonders. On the other hand, Lovecraft would disapprove of the way that King tends to make his characters, rather than the supernatural elements themselves, the focus of the story. He’d also disapprove of King’s tendency to depict morality as being objective, and the belief of his characters in their own divine support.