The Shadow Over Innsmouth
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''The Shadow over Innsmouth'' is a horror
novella A novella is a narrative prose fiction whose length is shorter than most novels, but longer than most short stories. The English word ''novella'' derives from the Italian ''novella'' meaning a short story related to true (or apparently so) fact ...
by American author H. P. Lovecraft, written in November–December 1931. It forms part of the
Cthulhu Mythos The Cthulhu Mythos is a mythopoeia and a shared fictional universe, originating in the works of American horror writer H. P. Lovecraft. The term was coined by August Derleth, a contemporary correspondent and protégé of Lovecraft, to identify ...
, using its motif of a malign undersea civilization, and references several shared elements of the Mythos, including place-names, mythical creatures, and invocations. ''The Shadow over Innsmouth'' is the only Lovecraft story that was published in book form during his lifetime. The narrator is a student conducting an antiquarian tour of New England. He travels through the nearby decrepit seaport of
Innsmouth Lovecraft Country is a term coined for the New England setting used by H. P. Lovecraft in many of his weird fiction stories, which combines real and fictitious locations. This setting has since been elaborated on by other writers working in the ...
which is suggested as a cheaper and potentially interesting next leg of his journey. There he interacts with strange people and observes disturbing events that ultimately lead to horrifying and personal revelations.


Plot

The narrator explains how he instigated a secret investigation of the decrepit town of
Innsmouth Lovecraft Country is a term coined for the New England setting used by H. P. Lovecraft in many of his weird fiction stories, which combines real and fictitious locations. This setting has since been elaborated on by other writers working in the ...
,
Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut Massachusett_writing_systems.html" ;"title="nowiki/> məhswatʃəwiːsət.html" ;"title="Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət">Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət'' En ...
—a former
seaport A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as ...
isolated from other nearby towns by vast
salt marsh A salt marsh or saltmarsh, also known as a coastal salt marsh or a tidal marsh, is a coastal ecosystem in the upper coastal intertidal zone between land and open saltwater or brackish water that is regularly flooded by the tides. It is domin ...
es—by the U.S. government after fleeing it on July 16, 1927. The investigation ultimately concluded with the arrest and detention of many of the town's residents in
concentration camp Internment is the imprisonment of people, commonly in large groups, without charges or intent to file charges. The term is especially used for the confinement "of enemy citizens in wartime or of terrorism suspects". Thus, while it can simpl ...
s as well as a
submarine A submarine (or sub) is a watercraft capable of independent operation underwater. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability. The term is also sometimes used historically or colloquially to refer to remotely op ...
torpedoing nearby Devil Reef, which the press falsely reported as
Prohibition Prohibition is the act or practice of forbidding something by law; more particularly the term refers to the banning of the manufacture, storage (whether in barrels or in bottles), transportation, sale, possession, and consumption of alcoholi ...
liquor raids. The narrator proceeds to describe in detail the events surrounding his initial interest in the town, which lies along the route of his tour across
New England New England is a region comprising six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York to the west and by the Canadian provinces ...
, taken when he was a 21-year-old student at
Oberlin College Oberlin College is a private liberal arts college and conservatory of music in Oberlin, Ohio. It is the oldest coeducational liberal arts college in the United States and the second oldest continuously operating coeducational institute of highe ...
. While waiting for the bus that will take him to Innsmouth, the narrator busies himself in neighboring
Newburyport Newburyport is a coastal city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, northeast of Boston. The population was 18,289 at the 2020 census. A historic seaport with vibrant tourism industry, Newburyport includes part of Plum Island. The mo ...
by gathering information on the town's history from the locals; all of it having
superstitious A superstition is any belief or practice considered by non-practitioners to be irrational or supernatural, attributed to fate or magic, perceived supernatural influence, or fear of that which is unknown. It is commonly applied to beliefs and ...
overtones. The town was once a profitable port and
shipbuilding Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and other floating vessels. It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces its roots to bef ...
center during the colonial and post-
revolutionary A revolutionary is a person who either participates in, or advocates a revolution. The term ''revolutionary'' can also be used as an adjective, to refer to something that has a major, sudden impact on society or on some aspect of human endeavor. ...
periods, but began to decline after the
War of 1812 The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It be ...
interrupted shipping. A local merchant named Obed Marsh built a profitable gold refinery, but the town only deteriorated further after
riot A riot is a form of civil disorder commonly characterized by a group lashing out in a violent public disturbance against authority, property, or people. Riots typically involve destruction of property, public or private. The property targete ...
s and a mysterious
epidemic An epidemic (from Greek ἐπί ''epi'' "upon or above" and δῆμος ''demos'' "people") is the rapid spread of disease to a large number of patients among a given population within an area in a short period of time. Epidemics of infectious ...
eliminated half of its residents in 1845. Marsh also founded a
pagan Paganism (from classical Latin ''pāgānus'' "rural", "rustic", later "civilian") is a term first used in the fourth century by early Christians for people in the Roman Empire who practiced polytheism, or ethnic religions other than Judaism. I ...
cult In modern English, ''cult'' is usually a pejorative term for a social group that is defined by its unusual religious, spiritual, or philosophical beliefs and rituals, or its common interest in a particular personality, object, or goal. Thi ...
called the Esoteric Order of Dagon, which became the town's primary religion. Outsiders and government officials, including Census Bureau agents and school inspectors, are treated with hostility. The narrator finds Innsmouth to be a mostly deserted fishing town, full of dilapidated buildings and people who walk with a distinctive shambling gait and have "queer narrow heads with flat noses and bulgy, stary eyes." Both the town and its residents are saturated with the odor of dead fish. The only resident who appears normal is a grocery store clerk from neighboring
Arkham Arkham () is a fictional city situated in Massachusetts. An integral part of the Lovecraft Country setting created by H. P. Lovecraft, Arkham is featured in many of his stories and those of other Cthulhu Mythos writers. Arkham House, a publi ...
, who was transferred there by the chain. The narrator gathers much information from the clerk, including a map of the town and the name of Zadok Allen, an elderly local who might give him information when plied with drink. The narrator meets Zadok, who after the narrator gives him a bottle of
whisky Whisky or whiskey is a type of distilled alcoholic beverage made from fermented grain mash. Various grains (which may be malted) are used for different varieties, including barley, corn, rye, and wheat. Whisky is typically aged in wooden ca ...
explains that while trading in the
Caroline Islands The Caroline Islands (or the Carolines) are a widely scattered archipelago of tiny islands in the western Pacific Ocean, to the north of New Guinea. Politically, they are divided between the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) in the ce ...
Marsh discovered a Kanak tribe in
Pohnpei Pohnpei "upon (''pohn'') a stone altar (''pei'')" (formerly known as Ponape or Ascension, Proto-Chuukic-Pohnpeic: ''*Fawo ni pei)'' is an island of the Senyavin Islands which are part of the larger Caroline Islands group. It belongs to Pohnp ...
who offered
human sacrifice Human sacrifice is the act of killing one or more humans as part of a ritual, which is usually intended to please or appease gods, a human ruler, an authoritative/priestly figure or spirits of dead ancestors or as a retainer sacrifice, wherei ...
s to a race of immortal fish-like humanoids known as the Deep Ones. The Kanak also bred with Deep Ones, producing hybrid offspring which have the appearance of normal humans in
childhood A child (plural, : children) is a human being between the stages of childbirth, birth and puberty, or between the Development of the human body, developmental period of infancy and puberty. The legal definition of ''child'' generally refers ...
and early adulthood but eventually slowly transform into Deep Ones themselves and leave the surface to live in ancient undersea cities for eternity. When hard times fell on the town, Marsh's cult performed similar sacrifices to the Deep Ones in exchange for wealth in the form of large fish hauls and unique jewelry. When Marsh and his followers were arrested, the Deep Ones retaliated by attacking the town and killing more than half of its population. The survivors were left with no other choice than to join the cult and continue Marsh's practices. Male and female inhabitants were forced to breed with the Deep Ones, producing hybrids who upon maturing permanently migrate underwater to live in the city of Y'ha-nthlei, located underneath Devil Reef. The town is now dominated by Marsh's grandson Barnabas, who is almost fully transformed into a Deep One. Zadok explains that these ocean-dwellers have designs on the surface world and have been planning the use of
shoggoth A shoggoth (occasionally shaggoth) is a fictional monster in the Cthulhu Mythos. The beings were mentioned in passing in H. P. Lovecraft's sonnet cycle ''Fungi from Yuggoth'' (1929–30) and later described in detail in his novella '' At the Mou ...
s to conquer or transform it. Zadok sees strange waves approaching the dock and tells the narrator that they have been seen, urging him to leave town immediately. The narrator is unnerved, but ultimately dismisses the story. Once he leaves, Zadok disappears and is never seen again. After being told that the bus is experiencing engine trouble, the narrator has no choice but to spend the night in a musty hotel. While attempting to sleep, he hears noises at his door as if someone is trying to enter. Wasting no time, he escapes out a window and through the streets while a town-wide hunt for him occurs, forcing him at times to imitate the peculiar walk of the Innsmouth locals as he walks past search parties in the darkness. Eventually, the narrator makes his way towards railroad tracks and hears a procession of Deep Ones passing in the road before him. Against his judgment, he opens his eyes to see the creatures. He finds that they have grey-green skin, fish-like heads with unblinking eyes,
gill A gill () is a respiratory organ that many aquatic organisms use to extract dissolved oxygen from water and to excrete carbon dioxide. The gills of some species, such as hermit crabs, have adapted to allow respiration on land provided they ar ...
s on their necks and webbed hands, and communicate in unintelligible croak-like voices. Horrified, the narrator faints but wakes up at noon the next day alone and unharmed. After reaching
Arkham Arkham () is a fictional city situated in Massachusetts. An integral part of the Lovecraft Country setting created by H. P. Lovecraft, Arkham is featured in many of his stories and those of other Cthulhu Mythos writers. Arkham House, a publi ...
and alerting government authorities about Innsmouth, the narrator discovers that his grandmother was related to Obed Marsh's family, although the origins of her mother were unclear. The narrator's uncle had previously visited Arkham to research his ancestry before killing himself by gunshot. After returning home to Toledo, the narrator begins researching his
family tree A family tree, also called a genealogy or a pedigree chart, is a chart representing family relationships in a conventional tree structure. More detailed family trees, used in medicine and social work, are known as genograms. Representations ...
and discovers that he is a descendant of Marsh through his second wife Pth’thya-l’yi, and by 1930 begins to gradually transform into a Deep One. He begins having dreams of his grandmother and Pth'thya-l'yi in Y'ha-nthlei, which was damaged but not destroyed by the submarine attack. They explain that the Deep Ones will remain underwater for the time being but will eventually return to invade the surface world "for the tribute Great
Cthulhu Cthulhu is a fictional cosmic entity created by writer H. P. Lovecraft. It was first introduced in his short story "The Call of Cthulhu", published by the American pulp magazine '' Weird Tales'' in 1928. Considered a Great Old One within the pa ...
craved." After briefly glimpsing a shoggoth in one of his dreams, the narrator awakens to find that he has fully acquired the "Innsmouth look." He wants to kill himself and purchases an "automatic" (an antiquated term for a
semi-automatic pistol A semi-automatic pistol is a type of repeating single-chamber handgun ( pistol) that automatically cycles its action to insert the subsequent cartridge into the chamber (self-loading), but requires manual actuation of the trigger to actu ...
) but cannot go through with it. As the narrator concludes his story, he suffers a mental breakdown and embraces his fate. He decides to break out his cousin, who is even further transformed than he, from a
sanatorium A sanatorium (from Latin '' sānāre'' 'to heal, make healthy'), also sanitarium or sanitorium, are antiquated names for specialised hospitals, for the treatment of specific diseases, related ailments and convalescence. Sanatoriums are often ...
in
Canton Canton may refer to: Administrative division terminology * Canton (administrative division), territorial/administrative division in some countries, notably Switzerland * Township (Canada), known as ''canton'' in Canadian French Arts and ente ...
and take him to live in Y'ha-nthlei.


Characters

;Robert Olmstead :Olmstead is the narrator and protagonist of the story. He discovers
Innsmouth Lovecraft Country is a term coined for the New England setting used by H. P. Lovecraft in many of his weird fiction stories, which combines real and fictitious locations. This setting has since been elaborated on by other writers working in the ...
on a tour of New England while seeking
genealogical Genealogy () is the study of families, family history, and the tracing of their lineages. Genealogists use oral interviews, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kin ...
information, and finds more than he bargained for. :The character, unnamed in ''The Shadow over Innsmouth'', is called "Robert Olmstead" in Lovecraft's notes for the story, published in
Arkham House Arkham House is an American publishing house specializing in weird fiction. It was founded in Sauk City, Wisconsin, in 1939 by August Derleth and Donald Wandrei to publish hardcover collections of H. P. Lovecraft's best works, which had ...
's ''Something About Cats and Other Pieces'' (1949). '' An H. P. Lovecraft Encyclopedia'' points out that Olmstead's travel habits parallel Lovecraft's own—Lovecraft too would "seek the cheapest route", and Olmstead's dinner of " vegetable soup with crackers" is typical of Lovecraft's low-budget diet. ;Obed Marsh :Wealthy sea captain, patriarch of the elite Marsh family, and the founder of the ''Esoteric Order of Dagon''. He was referred to by Zadok Allen as being the man who first summoned the Deep Ones to Innsmouth. In 1846, he was jailed after the towns bordering Innsmouth became suspicious of his crew. He died in 1878. :According to Lovecraft's story notes, Marsh's daughter, Alice, is Robert Olmstead's great-grandmother. ;Barnabas Marsh :Known as Old Man Marsh, he is the grandson of Obed Marsh and the owner of the Marsh refinery at the time of ''The Shadow over Innsmouth''. Barnabas' father was Onesiphorus Marsh, Obed's son by his fully human wife; though Barnabas' mother, who was never seen in public, was apparently an actual Deep One. Zadok Allen says of him: "Right naow Barnabas is about changed. Can't shet his eyes no more, an' is all aout o' shape. They say he still wears clothes, but he'll take to the water soon." ;Zadok Allen :One of the few completely human residents of
Innsmouth Lovecraft Country is a term coined for the New England setting used by H. P. Lovecraft in many of his weird fiction stories, which combines real and fictitious locations. This setting has since been elaborated on by other writers working in the ...
, and an alcoholic. His drunken ramblings allow Lovecraft to convey much of the town's secret backstory to the story's protagonist. Born in 1831, Allen disappears and dies in 1927, after being kidnapped and sacrificed by the Esoteric Order of Dagon. :''An H. P. Lovecraft Encyclopedia'' notes that Allen resembles—and shares his years of birth and death with—Jonathan E. Hoag, an amateur poet of Lovecraft's acquaintance. A possible literary inspiration is the character of Dr. Humphrey Lathrop in Herbert Gorman's ''The Place Called Dagon'' (1927), who, like Allen, is a drinker who knows the secret history of his town. ;Grocery store clerk :An unnamed youth of about seventeen who is a native resident of
Arkham Arkham () is a fictional city situated in Massachusetts. An integral part of the Lovecraft Country setting created by H. P. Lovecraft, Arkham is featured in many of his stories and those of other Cthulhu Mythos writers. Arkham House, a publi ...
, and therefore completely human. His superiors transferred him to Innsmouth, and both he and his family loathe the idea of him working there, but he cannot afford to quit his job. He is only too happy to encounter the narrator, and describes the sinister goings-on within Innsmouth, but the boy is unaware of what is really happening in the town. He tells the narrator of the bizarre deformities afflicting the native townspeople, and how the older generation are almost never seen outdoors due to their monstrous appearance. He also briefly informs the narrator of the Esoteric Order of Dagon, and what he knows of the town's society, and directs him to the drunkard, Zadok Allen, for more information.


Robert Olmstead's family tree

This is a family tree of the story's protagonist and narrator, Robert Olmstead, as described in ''The Shadow over Innsmouth'' and in Lovecraft's notes.


Inspiration

Both of Lovecraft's parents died in a mental hospital, and some critics believe that a concern with having inherited a propensity for physical and mental degeneration is reflected in the plot of ''The Shadow over Innsmouth''. It also shares some themes with his earlier story, " Facts Concerning the Late Arthur Jermyn and His Family".
Cthulhu Cthulhu is a fictional cosmic entity created by writer H. P. Lovecraft. It was first introduced in his short story "The Call of Cthulhu", published by the American pulp magazine '' Weird Tales'' in 1928. Considered a Great Old One within the pa ...
, an entity from previous Lovecraft stories, is the overlord of the sea creatures. The mind of the narrator deteriorates when he is afforded a glimpse of what exists outside his perceived reality. This is a central tenet of
Cosmicism Cosmicism is the literary philosophy developed and used by the American writer H. P. Lovecraft in his fiction. Lovecraft was a writer of philosophically intense horror stories that involve occult phenomena like astral possession and alien mi ...
, which Lovecraft emphasizes in the opening sentence of "
The Call of Cthulhu "The Call of Cthulhu" is a short story by American writer H. P. Lovecraft. Written in the summer of 1926, it was first published in the pulp magazine ''Weird Tales'' in February 1928. Inspiration The first seed of the story's first chapter '' ...
": "The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the human mind to correlate all its contents."HP Lovecraft, "The Call of Cthulhu" (1928). Lovecraft based the town of Innsmouth on his impressions of
Newburyport, Massachusetts Newburyport is a coastal city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, northeast of Boston. The population was 18,289 at the 2020 census. A historic seaport with vibrant tourism industry, Newburyport includes part of Plum Island. The mo ...
, which he had visited in 1923 and fall 1931. The real Newburyport features as a neighboring town in the narrative. A likely influence on the plot is Lovecraft's horror of miscegenation, which is documented by Lovecraft biographer L. Sprague de Camp and others. Robert M. Price cites two works as literary sources for ''The Shadow over Innsmouth'': Robert W. Chambers' "The Harbor-Master" and
Irvin S. Cobb Irvin Shrewsbury Cobb (June 23, 1876 – March 11, 1944) was an American author, humorist, editor and columnist from Paducah, Kentucky, who relocated to New York in 1904, living there for the remainder of his life. He wrote for the ''New York Worl ...
's "Fishhead". Chambers' story concerns the discovery of "the remnants of the last race of amphibious human beings," living in a five-mile deep chasm just off the
Atlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...
coast. The creature of the title is described as "a man with round, fixed, fishy eyes, and soft, slaty skin. But the horror of the thing were the two gills that swelled and relaxed spasmodically." Lovecraft was evidently impressed by this tale, writing in a letter to
Frank Belknap Long Frank Belknap Long (April 27, 1901 – January 3, 1994) was an American writer of horror fiction, fantasy, science fiction, poetry, gothic romance, comic books, and non-fiction. Though his writing career spanned seven decades, he is best known ...
: "God! The Harbour-Master!!!" "Fishhead" is the story of a "human monstrosity" with an uncanny resemblance to a fish: his skull sloped back so abruptly that he could hardly be said to have a forehead at all; his chin slanted off right into nothing. His eyes were small and round with shallow, glazed, pink-yellow pupils, and they were set wide apart on his head, and they were unwinking and staring, like a fish's eyes. Lovecraft, in " Supernatural Horror in Literature," called Cobb's story "banefully effective in its portrayal of unnatural affinities between a hybrid idiot and the strange fish of an isolated lake". Price notes that Fishhead, as the "son of a Negro father and a half-breed Indian mother," "embodies unambiguously the basic premise of ''The Shadow over Innsmouth''.... This, of course, is really what Lovecraft found revolting in the idea of interracial marriage...the subtextual hook of different ethnic races mating and 'polluting' the gene pool." Price points out the resemblance in names between the Deep One city of Y'ha-nthlei and Yoharneth-Lahai, a fictional deity in
Lord Dunsany Edward John Moreton Drax Plunkett, 18th Baron of Dunsany (; 24 July 1878 – 25 October 1957, usually Lord Dunsany) was an Anglo-Irish writer and dramatist. Over 90 volumes of fiction, essays, poems and plays appeared in his lifetime.Lanham, M ...
's ''
The Gods of Pegana ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...
,'' who "sendeth little dreams out of Pegana to please the people of Earth"—a precursor to Lovecraft's fictional deity
Cthulhu Cthulhu is a fictional cosmic entity created by writer H. P. Lovecraft. It was first introduced in his short story "The Call of Cthulhu", published by the American pulp magazine '' Weird Tales'' in 1928. Considered a Great Old One within the pa ...
, who sends less pleasant dreams from R'lyeh. The description of the Deep Ones has similarities to the sea creature described in H.G. Wells' short story " In the Abyss" (1896):


Cthulhu Mythos

*
Cthulhu Cthulhu is a fictional cosmic entity created by writer H. P. Lovecraft. It was first introduced in his short story "The Call of Cthulhu", published by the American pulp magazine '' Weird Tales'' in 1928. Considered a Great Old One within the pa ...
and R'lyeh are mentioned, the former in passing by Zadok Allen, and both toward the end of the narrative. * The creature known as Dagon is first introduced in Lovecraft's 1917 tale of the same name. * As related in "
The Thing on the Doorstep "The Thing on the Doorstep" is a horror short story by American writer H. P. Lovecraft, part of the Cthulhu Mythos universe. It was written in August 1933, and first published in the January 1937 issue of '' Weird Tales''. Inspiration The ide ...
" (
1937 Events January * January 1 – Anastasio Somoza García becomes President of Nicaragua. * January 5 – Water levels begin to rise in the Ohio River in the United States, leading to the Ohio River flood of 1937, which continues into ...
), Asenath Waite, the possessed victim of her father Ephraim Waite, is by implication one of the human/Deep One hybrids, and was a resident of Innsmouth before attending
Miskatonic University Miskatonic University is a fictional university located in Arkham, a fictional town in Essex County, Massachusetts. It is named after the Miskatonic River (also fictional). After first appearing in H. P. Lovecraft's 1922 story " Herbert West–Re ...
. The servants she brings into her marriage to Edward Derby are likewise Innsmouth natives. This occurs after ''The Shadow over Innsmouth'' and Asenath's father and she escaped the government raid mentioned in the original story. * The Waites, Gilmans, Eliots and Marshes are the "gently bred" families of Innsmouth. Despite his name, the protagonist of " The Dreams in the Witch House", Walter Gilman, is not established as having any links to Innsmouth or the Deep Ones. *
August Derleth August William Derleth (February 24, 1909 – July 4, 1971) was an American writer and anthologist. Though best remembered as the first book publisher of the writings of H. P. Lovecraft, and for his own contributions to the Cthulhu Mythos and th ...
also used the Deep Ones in the short story "Innsmouth Clay", which he completed from Lovecraft's notes. "The Shuttered Room" is another short story started by Lovecraft, and finished by Derleth, which also involves the Deep Ones. It mentions a connection between the Marsh family of Innsmouth and the Whateley family of Dunwich from " The Dunwich Horror".


Publication

Lovecraft was quite critical of ''The Shadow over Innsmouth'', writing to
August Derleth August William Derleth (February 24, 1909 – July 4, 1971) was an American writer and anthologist. Though best remembered as the first book publisher of the writings of H. P. Lovecraft, and for his own contributions to the Cthulhu Mythos and th ...
that the story "has all the defects I deplore—especially in point of style, where hackneyed phrases & rhythms have crept in despite all precautions.... No—I don't intend to offer 'The Shadow over Innsmouth' for publication, for it would stand no chance of acceptance." The story was rejected by '' Weird Tales'' editor Farnsworth Wright when Derleth surreptitiously submitted it for publication in 1933. "I have read Lovecraft's story...and must confess that it fascinates me," he wrote to Derleth. "But I don't know just what I can do with it. It is hard to break a story of this kind into two parts, and it is too long to run complete in one part." In late 1935, William L. Crawford's Visionary Publishing Company began the process of issuing ''The Shadow over Innsmouth'' as a book. The project came to fruition in November 1936 (although the copyright page declares the date of publication as April 1936), but the book had so many typographical errors that Lovecraft insisted on an
errata An erratum or corrigendum (plurals: errata, corrigenda) (comes from la, errata corrige) is a correction of a published text. As a general rule, publishers issue an erratum for a production error (i.e., an error introduced during the publishing pro ...
sheet (which was also faulty). Lovecraft was displeased with the production; writing to his correspondent Lee McBride White on Nov 30, 1936, he wrote: "My ''Shadow over Innsmouth'' is now out - but as a first cloth-bound book it doesn't awake any enthusiasm in me. Indeed, it is one of the lousiest jobs I've ever seen - 30 misprints, slovenly format, & loose, slipshod binding. The solitary redeeming feature is the set of Utpatel illustrations - one of which, on the dust wrapper, saves the appearance of the thing..." It had a bound run of 200 copies — the only book of Lovecraft's fiction distributed during his lifetime. Crawford had printed 400 copies but bound only 200; the others were destroyed later. Of this edition Robert Weinberg has written: "Only a few hundred copies of the book were printed, and even less than that were sold, even though it was available at the bargain price of $1 per copy. It featured good paper, black linen binding and four illustrations by Frank Utpatel. The book was the only bound hardcover to appear during Lovecraft's lifetime and became one of the true rarities in the collecting field. Its failure, and the poor sales of third non-fantasy book convinced William Crawford of the futility of his efforts." After Lovecraft's death (and Wright's), the story appeared in an unauthorized abridged version in the January 1942 issue of ''Weird Tales''.


Reception

As L Sprague de Camp noted, the action sections of ''Innsmouth'' are a departure for Lovecraft; the story's tense and memorable siege scene within the titular town's hotel reveals a flair in execution on a par with some of the most compelling chapters of R L Stevenson's ''
Kidnapped Kidnapped may refer to: * subject to the crime of kidnapping Literature * ''Kidnapped'' (novel), an 1886 novel by Robert Louis Stevenson * ''Kidnapped'' (comics), a 2007 graphic novel adaptation of R. L. Stevenson's novel by Alan Grant and Cam ...
''.
August Derleth August William Derleth (February 24, 1909 – July 4, 1971) was an American writer and anthologist. Though best remembered as the first book publisher of the writings of H. P. Lovecraft, and for his own contributions to the Cthulhu Mythos and th ...
called ''The Shadow over Innsmouth'' "a dark, brooding story, typical of Lovecraft at his best." Robert Weinberg praised it as "a well-written story". According to de Camp, Lovecraft distrusted his ability to narrate action, and the story is unusual in that Lovecraft includes sustained and effective action writing during the culmination of the events in Innsmouth.


Adaptations


Film and television

*The movie '' City Under the Sea'' (1965) is loosely based on ''The Shadow over Innsmouth''. *Colombian writer
Andres Caicedo Andres or Andrés may refer to: *Andres, Illinois, an unincorporated community in Will County, Illinois, US *Andres, Pas-de-Calais, a commune in Pas-de-Calais, France *Andres (name) *Hurricane Andres * "Andres" (song), a 1994 song by L7 See also ...
adapted ''The Shadow over Innsmouth'' into a screenplay in 1973. He traveled to Hollywood in 1975 to sell it to
Roger Corman Roger William Corman (born April 5, 1926) is an American film director, producer, and actor. He has been called "The Pope of Pop Cinema" and is known as a trailblazer in the world of independent film. Many of Corman's films are based on works t ...
, alongside his adaptation of Clark Ashton Smith's ''The Nameless Offspring'', but failed in his purpose. Neither of the screenplays was shot and remain as part of the Andres Caicedo Collection in the
Luis Angel Arango Library Luis is a given name. It is the Spanish form of the originally Germanic name or . Other Iberian Romance languages have comparable forms: (with an accent mark on the i) in Portuguese and Galician, in Aragonese and Catalan, while is archa ...
in Bogota. *
Chiaki J. Konaka is a Japanese writer and novelist. He was the head writer of the anime series ''Serial Experiments Lain'', ''Digimon Tamers'', and ''Hellsing'', as well as the television drama '' Ultraman Gaia''. Personal life Konaka gave himself the middle in ...
adapted ''The Shadow over Innsmouth'' for Japanese television as ''Insmus wo Oou Kage'' in 1992. *''The Shadow over Innsmouth'' forms the principal storyline in
Stuart Gordon Stuart Alan Gordon (August 11, 1947 – March 24, 2020) was an American filmmaker, theatre director, screenwriter, and playwright. Initially recognized for his provocative and frequently controversial work in experimental theatre, Gordon is ...
's 2001 film '' Dagon''.
Full Moon Entertainment Full Moon Features is an American motion picture production and distribution company headed by B-movie veteran Charles Band. It is known for the direct-to-video series '' Puppet Master'', ''Trancers'', and ''Subspecies'', as well as the film ''C ...
was going to release Gordon's original adaptation (under the original novella's title) in 1991, using
Bernie Wrightson Bernard Albert Wrightson (October 27, 1948 – March 18, 2017), sometimes credited as Bernie Wrightson, was an American artist, known for co-creating the Swamp Thing, his adaptation of the novel ''Frankenstein'' illustration work, and for his o ...
's character designs, but the project was unrealized. ''Dagon'' uses some of Wrightson's designs from that project. *The 2007 film ''
Cthulhu Cthulhu is a fictional cosmic entity created by writer H. P. Lovecraft. It was first introduced in his short story "The Call of Cthulhu", published by the American pulp magazine '' Weird Tales'' in 1928. Considered a Great Old One within the pa ...
'' is loosely based on ''The Shadow over Innsmouth''. *The 2014 music video for
Escape from Midwich Valley
by Carpenter Brut and the 2015 short film ''
Innsmouth Lovecraft Country is a term coined for the New England setting used by H. P. Lovecraft in many of his weird fiction stories, which combines real and fictitious locations. This setting has since been elaborated on by other writers working in the ...
'' are also based on ''The Shadow over Innsmouth''. *The 2005 episode of ''The Mighty Boosh'', "
The Legend of Old Gregg ''The Mighty Boosh''s second series was originally broadcast between 26 July 2005 and 30 August 2005. The series features five main cast members: Julian Barratt, Noel Fielding, Rich Fulcher, Michael Fielding and Dave Brown (comedian), Dave Brown. ...
", appears to draw inspiration from the story, including a town with strange residents surrounded by mystery, an elderly fisherman who tells the main characters the history of the town and Old Gregg himself, who is a human-fish hybrid. *In 2015, the production and eventual publication of a film titled ''The Shadow over Innsmouth'' was announced on the website ''The Lovecraft Ezine''. The film project, cited to be a very faithful adaptation of the novella, was directed by Bryan Moore, who worked on a previous cinematic conversion of the Lovecraft short story "
Cool Air "Cool Air" is a short story by the American horror fiction writer H. P. Lovecraft, written in March 1926 and published in the March 1928 issue of '' Tales of Magic and Mystery''. Plot The narrator offers a story to explain why a "draught of co ...
". A trailer was published, but the film itself has remained in
development hell Development hell, development purgatory, and development limbo are Media industry, media and Software industry, software industry jargon for a project, concept, or idea that remains in development for an especially long time, often moving between d ...
. *In 2020, a visual effects studio (Providence VFX) has for the first time reproduced the city of Innsmouth in computer graphics. *The 2020 film '' The Deep Ones''. * The opening part of
the Simpsons ''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical depiction of American life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, ...
Treehouse of Horror XXIX takes place in 'Fogburyport' where the Deep One-esque locals trick the family into attending an eating contest that is a ruse to sacrifice them to
Cthulhu Cthulhu is a fictional cosmic entity created by writer H. P. Lovecraft. It was first introduced in his short story "The Call of Cthulhu", published by the American pulp magazine '' Weird Tales'' in 1928. Considered a Great Old One within the pa ...
. * The ''
Ultraman Decker is a Japanese tokusatsu drama produced by Tsuburaya Productions, as well as the 34th entry to the Ultraman Series and the fourth in the Reiwa era. ''Decker'' serves as the sequel to '' Ultraman Trigger: New Generation Tiga'' and celebrating the 2 ...
'' episode "Lord Ragon" connects recurring Ultra kaiju Ragon to the Deep Ones and specifically brings up an historical incident at Innsmouth involving the creatures.


Video games

*'' Shadow of the Comet'', a 1993 adventure game, takes place in a cult-controlled town of Illsmouth, an alteration on Lovecraft's Innsmouth. *'' Innsmouth no Yakata'' (インスマウスの館, lit. "''The Mansion of Innsmouth''") is a 1995 3D
first-person shooter First-person shooter (FPS) is a sub-genre of shooter video games centered on gun and other weapon-based combat in a first-person perspective, with the player experiencing the action through the eyes of the protagonist and controlling the p ...
video game for the Virtual Boy, released in Japan based on Chiaki J. Konaka's 1992 television series ''Insmus wo Oou Kage''. It featured a branching level structure and four possible endings. *In the 2005 first-person action-adventure video game '' Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth'' the town of Innsmouth is the backdrop, the opening plot of which follows the second, third and fourth chapters of the novella with a great degree of accuracy (with a different protagonist). ''Dark Corners of the Earth'' was supposed to be followed by a sequel set in the 2000s, titled '' Call of Cthulhu: Destiny's End'', now cancelled. *
Indie game An indie game, short for independent video game, is a video game typically created by individuals or smaller development teams without the financial and technical support of a large game publisher, in contrast to most "AAA" (triple-A) games. ...
''Chronicle of Innsmouth'' (production started in 2015) is directly based on the plot of ''The Shadow over Innsmouth''. *In the fictional universe of the 2013 fighting game ''
Skullgirls ''Skullgirls'' is a 2D fighting game developed by Reverge Labs and published by Autumn Games. In ''Skullgirls'', players fight each other with teams of one, two, or three characters, attempting to knock out their opponents or have the most cumu ...
'', there's a neighborhood in the game's world known as "Little Innsmouth", which is inhabited by fish-like humanoids, and which also serves as the stage for Ms. Fortune, one of the game's characters. *In the DLC of Bloodborne, The Old Hunters, a hamlet inhabited by gruesome fishermen allegedly draws its inspiration from the accursed fishing village in ''The Shadow over Innsmouth''. The game also features several deities which are referred to as "Great Ones". *The ''Far Harbor'' expansion of the 2015 game '' Fallout 4'' may draw inspiration from the Lovecraft universe, particularly ''The Shadow over Innsmouth''. *'' The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion'' has a quest named "A shadow over Hackdirt". The quest follows roughly the same plot as the novel. E.g. the player goes to the small mysterious town and finds out the townspeople are a part of a cult who worship beings who live under ground, the townspeople call these beings "The Deep Ones" also if the player waits in the cave the "Deep Ones" can be heard roaring, indicating that they are real and are there. *The online video game ''
The Secret World ''The Secret World'' is a massively multiplayer online role-playing video game set in a modern-day real world under attack from occult forces. Ragnar Tørnquist led development of the initial game for Funcom. ''The Secret World'' uses a subscr ...
'' features a town called Kingsmouth in which many supernatural events occur. Additionally, the Innsmouth Academy is a part of the Solomon Island zone in which Kingsmouth may be found. The Secret World borrows heavily from the Lovecraftian mythos as well as many other continuities. *The narrator of '' Darkest Dungeon'' states that he met one of the game's bosses, the Siren, after striking a bargain with eldritch fishmen in which he provided sacrifices of humans and artifacts in exchange for gold. The Cove, one of the game's main areas, features these fishmen as the primary enemy. *The game ''
The Sinking City ''The Sinking City'' is an action-adventure game developed by Frogwares and inspired by the works of horror fiction author H. P. Lovecraft. Set in the fictional city of Oakmont, Massachusetts during the 1920s, the story follows private investig ...
'', a 2019 horror game, takes inspiration from the book: The Shadow over Innsmouth. *The game
Call of the Sea ''Call of the Sea'' is an adventure video game developed by Out of the Blue and published by Raw Fury. The game was released for Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on December 8, 2020. The game was also released for Amazon Luna on April 15 ...
, a 2020 adventure game, takes inspiration from the book: The Shadow over Innsmouth.


Comics

* Steven Philip Jones and Trey Baldwin adapted The Shadow over Innsmouth into a graphic novel published by Caliber Comics in 2020. * Alberto Breccia adapted the story in 1973. *
Ron Marz Ron Marz (born November 17, 1965) is an American comic book writer, known for his work on titles such as ''Batman/Aliens'', '' DC vs. Marvel'', '' Green Lantern'', '' Silver Surfer'', and '' Witchblade''. Career Marz is known for his work on '' ...
adapted the story for Dynamite Entertainment in 2014, crossing over Lovecraft's story with
The Shadow The Shadow is a fictional character created by magazine publishers Street & Smith and writer Walter B. Gibson. Originally created to be a mysterious radio show narrator, and developed into a distinct literary character in 1931 by writer Walter ...
franchise, therefore creating a double meaning in the title and having the characters of Lamont Cranston and Margo Lane find themselves trapped within the town. *Several plot elements from "Shadow over Innsmouth" appear in two comics of the
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'' is an American media franchise created by the comic book artists Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. It follows Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello and Raphael, four anthropomorphic turtle brothers (named after It ...
franchise, namely in the Mirage comic "Men of Shadow" (''TMNT'' Vol.1 #29) and the Archie comic "In the Dark" (''TMNT Adventures'' #27).


Card and board games

*'' Magic the Gathering''s "
Innistrad The Innistrad block is a block of the collectible card game '' Magic: The Gathering'', consisting of the expansion sets ''Innistrad'' (September 30, 2011), ''Dark Ascension'' (February 3, 2012) and ''Avacyn Restored'' (May 4, 2012). Innistrad i ...
" block and its follow up, the "
Shadows over Innistrad ''Shadows over Innistrad'' is a ''Magic: The Gathering'' expansion block consisting of the sets ''Shadows over Innistrad'' and ''Eldritch Moon''. Mechanics ''Shadows over Innistrad'' has five main mechanics: * Madness: a returning mechanic f ...
" block, contain minor references to ''The Shadow over Innsmouth''. "Shadows over Innistrad" tells the story of the planeswalker Jace Beleren investigating the source of madness affecting the residents of Innistrad and their angelic protectors. The source is revealed to be Emrakul, one of a race of ancient beings called Eldrazi, who draw heavy influence from Lovecraft. In addition to inducing madness, Emrakul's influence warps the physiology of living beings in her vicinity, giving them a distinctive "look" of latticed flesh, additional appendages, and other strange mutations. *The board game ''Mansions of Madness'' Second Edition utilizes the story of ''The Shadow over Innsmouth'' as one of the scenarios players can choose to play. Players begin the scenario in a hotel room in a rundown seaport town and take turns trying to uncover the mystery of what happened in Innsmouth before they find themselves stranded in a town flooded with supernatural problems. The companion app for the board game includes quotes from Lovecraft's original work and there are several miniature figures referred to as Deep Ones. Additionally, an expansion for the board game ''Arkham Horror'' features the town of Innsmouth and includes references to Lovecraft's piece. The game is titled, ''Arkham Horror: The Innsmouth Horror Expansion''.


Other

*The
H. P. Lovecraft Historical Society The H. P. Lovecraft Historical Society or HPLHS is the organization that hosts Cthulhu Lives!, a group of live-action roleplayers for the '' Cthulhu Live'' version of '' Call of Cthulhu''. Founded in Colorado in 1984, it is now based in Glendale ...
produced '' Dark Adventure Radio Theatre: The Shadow over Innsmouth'', a
Dark Adventure Radio Theatre The H. P. Lovecraft Historical Society or HPLHS is the organization that hosts Cthulhu Lives!, a group of live-action roleplayers for the '' Cthulhu Live'' version of '' Call of Cthulhu''. Founded in Colorado in 1984, it is now based in Glendale ...
adaptation of the story. In January 2012, the
Cape Cod Cape Cod is a peninsula extending into the Atlantic Ocean from the southeastern corner of mainland Massachusetts, in the northeastern United States. Its historic, maritime character and ample beaches attract heavy tourism during the summer mont ...
based Provincetown Theater announced a reading of a full-length play of the story, entitled ''HP Lovecraft's The Shadow over Innsmouth'', adapted for the stage by Bragan Thomas. *A reading of the story performed by Richard Coyle was produced and first broadcast by
BBC Radio 4 Extra BBC Radio 4 Extra (formerly BBC Radio 7) is a British digital radio station from the BBC, broadcasting archived repeats of comedy, drama and documentary programmes nationally, 24 hours a day. It is the sister station of BBC Radio 4 and the ...
in 2011. *The short story "Shoggoth's Old Peculiar" ('' Smoke and Mirrors'', 1998) by
Neil Gaiman Neil Richard MacKinnon GaimanBorn as Neil Richard Gaiman, with "MacKinnon" added on the occasion of his marriage to Amanda Palmer. ; ( Neil Richard Gaiman; born 10 November 1960) is an English author of short fiction, novels, comic books, gra ...
contains many similarities to "The Shadow over Innsmouth": a student visits the coastal town of Innsmouth (in England rather than New England), he gets to talking to two drunks (pastiches of Peter Cook and
Dudley Moore Dudley Stuart John Moore CBE (19 April 193527 March 2002) was an English actor, comedian, musician and composer. Moore first came to prominence in the UK as a leading figure in the British satire boom of the 1960s. He was one of the four writ ...
), he sees horrors in the water, and he passes out. *The short story 'The Shadow Over Doinksmouth' written by Will Menaker and distributed as a bonus for pre-orders of '' The Chapo Guide to Revolution'' is a satirical modernization of ''The Shadow Over Innsmouth''. *Author
Serena Valentino Serena Valentino is an American comic book writer, author, and storyteller. She created the comic book series '' Gloomcookie'' and '' Nightmares & Fairy Tales''. She also authored the ''Villain'' novels published by Disney Press, which have earned ...
used Lovecraft's tale as the inspiration for the beginning of her novel focusing on the Sea Witch Ursula, ''Poor Unfortunate Soul''. In the beginning of the story, Ursula stalks through a town and transforms the citizens into half fish, half human horrors for their mistreatment of her and her father. * WildClaw Theatre of Chicago presented a world premiere stage production of The Shadow Over Innsmouth in 2013, adapted to the stage by Scott Barsotti and directed by Scott Cummins. *BBC Radio 4 released the third installment of '' The Lovecraft Investigations'', a radio play in the style of a mystery podcast-like serial, based on and titled "The Shadow Over Innsmouth". Technically a sequel to the original story, the setting is changed to 2020 during the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
, with Obed Marsh established as an alias of the
Count of St. Germain The Comte de Saint Germain (; – 27 February 1784) was a European adventurer, with an interest in science, alchemy and the arts. He achieved prominence in European high society of the mid-18th century. Prince Charles of Hesse-Kassel considere ...
, Innsmouth's settlement being by those fleeing the Witchfinder Matthew Hopkins during the
English Civil War The English Civil War (1642–1651) was a series of civil wars and political machinations between Parliamentarians (" Roundheads") and Royalists led by Charles I (" Cavaliers"), mainly over the manner of England's governance and issues of r ...
, the Deep Ones also being responsible for the disappearances of the
Roanoke Colony The establishment of the Roanoke Colony ( ) was an attempt by Sir Walter Raleigh to found the first permanent English settlement in North America. The English, led by Sir Humphrey Gilbert, had briefly claimed St. John's, Newfoundland, in ...
and the urban legend of Hoer Verde in Brazil, and the Somerton Man as a Deep One.


''Shadows over Innsmouth''

''The Shadow over Innsmouth'' was republished in a 1994 anthology entitled ''
Shadows over Innsmouth ''Shadows over Innsmouth'' is an anthology of stories edited by Stephen Jones. It was published by Fedogan & Bremer in 1994 in an edition of 2,100 copies of which 100 were signed by the contributors. The anthology contains the H. P. Lovecraft ...
'', containing stories by other authors based on Innsmouth and the Old Ones. The collection was edited by Stephen Jones, and included contributions by Neil Gaiman,
Ramsey Campbell Ramsey Campbell (born 4 January 1946) is an English horror fiction writer, editor and critic who has been writing for well over fifty years. He is the author of over 30 novels and hundreds of short stories, many of them winners of literary awa ...
, David Sutton, Kim Newman (both as himself and Jack Yeovil), and other authors. There are also two follow-up volumes, also edited by Jones.


References


Sources

* * Robert M. Price (ed.), West Warwick, RI: Necronomicon Press. Original publication: * Definitive version.


External links

*
''The Shadow over Innsmouth''
H. P. Lovecraft's original novella about Innsmouth
"Map of Innsmouth and Environs"
and

from The Cthulhu Mythos: A Guide

Robert Chambers; complete text from manybooks.net

by Irwin S. Cobb; complete text from Gaslight * "Of Yoharneth-Lahai" from ''The Gods of Pegana'', Lord Dunsany
''The Shadow over Innsmouth'' 1994 hardcover edition
(cover below)
"Fishmen"
a Musical version on YouTube {{DEFAULTSORT:Shadow over Innsmouth, The 1936 short stories Cthulhu Mythos short stories Fantasy short stories Fiction set in 1927 Massachusetts in fiction Ohio in fiction Short stories adapted into films Short stories by H. P. Lovecraft Underwater civilizations in fiction Weird fiction novels