Literary Critique: "Critique of H.P. Lovecraft’s “The Cats of Ulthar” A Visitor’s Guilt and a Government’s Dilemma
Literary Critique:
"Critique of H.P. Lovecraft’s “The Cats of
Ulthar”
A Visitor’s Guilt and a Government’s Dilemma
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Abstract This
critique delves into H.P. Lovecraft's The Cats of Ulthar through the
perspectives of a young visitor whose cat was killed by a cruel couple and a
member of the local government. The story explores themes of justice,
retribution, and the supernatural, focusing on the bizarre fate of the couple
who are devoured by the town’s cats. The visitor reflects on the unintended
consequences of invoking a curse, while the local government representative
discusses the mysterious and primal nature of justice in Ulthar. This
analysis highlights the complex interplay between human emotions,
supernatural forces, and the unsettling outcomes of seeking retribution in a
world governed by ancient laws. |
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Resumen Este análisis profundiza en Los gatos de Ulthar de H.P. Lovecraft desde las perspectivas de un joven visitante cuyo gato fue asesinado por una cruel pareja y de un miembro del gobierno local. La historia explora temas de justicia, venganza y lo sobrenatural, centrándose en el extraño destino de la pareja devorada por los gatos del pueblo. El visitante reflexiona sobre las consecuencias no intencionadas de invocar una maldición, mientras que el representante del gobierno local discute la misteriosa y primitiva naturaleza de la justicia en Ulthar. Este análisis resalta la compleja interacción entre las emociones humanas, las fuerzas sobrenaturales y los inquietantes resultados de buscar venganza en un mundo regido por leyes ancestrales. |
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Resumo Esta
crítica explora Os Gatos de Ulthar de H.P. Lovecraft através das perspectivas
de um jovem visitante cujo gato foi morto por um casal cruel e de um membro
do governo local. A história aborda temas como justiça, retribuição e o
sobrenatural, concentrando-se no destino bizarro do casal que é devorado
pelos gatos da cidade. O visitante reflete sobre as consequências não
intencionais de invocar uma maldição, enquanto o representante do governo
local discute a natureza misteriosa e primitiva da justiça em Ulthar. Esta
análise destaca a complexa interação entre as emoções humanas, as forças
sobrenaturais e os resultados perturbadores de buscar retribuição em um mundo
governado por leis antigas. |
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In
H.P. Lovecraft's (1920) The Cats of
Ulthar, a chilling tale unfolds in a small town where an old man and woman
have a gruesome habit of killing any cats that stray into their yard. The story
reaches a climax when a group of travelers, including a boy named Menes whose
beloved kitten falls victim to the couple, invokes a mysterious curse that
leads to the couple's demise. This critique explores the moral and ethical
dimensions and worldview of the story through the eyes of two characters: a
visiting boy whose cat was killed by the old couple and a member of the local
government in Ulthar, the burgomaster
Two
Perspectives on Justice
Exploration
1: The Visitor’s Perspective
Interviewer:
"You were just a traveler passing through Ulthar when your beloved cat
disappeared. It must have been a shock to find out what happened to him. But
let me ask you—were you aware of the rumors about the old, hollow couple who
were known for their cruelty toward cats?"
Menes:
"Yes, I heard the whispers. Ulthar has a strange way of protecting its
own, and it was said that no cat was safe near that house. When my cat didn’t
return, I feared the worst. I felt as if I were smothered by smoke and had an
ominous feeling that those two were behind it. I can’t believe that a young boy
like me would be wanting to beset a prolonged series of misfortunes over these
fellows. I heard my grandpa’s words again in my ears, ‘when one is in trouble,
it is very hard to be with Ellewomen’; I knew that I wasn’t touching my cat’s mane
anymore."
Interviewer:
"It’s understandable to harbor such suspicions, but the way the old couple
met their end is… beyond explanation. It’s hard to assimilate that the cats
were able to snatch the last bit of flesh from their bodies. Do you think someone
in your group had anything to do with their fate?"
Menes:
"I swear to you, we had nothing to do with it directly. We were outraged,
yes. But what could we have done? We were strangers in Ulthar, and the people
of Ulthar seemed to accept the netherworld couple's cruelty as a grim
fact of life. But when we prayed to the gods to curse the old couple, something
dark and ancient stirred in response. As a result of not knowing what our
prayers bestowed in our message for our gods, the cats—our cats—seemed to
understand our sorrow and our plea. Still, we never expected... this. For that
reason, I believe that the gods relieved ourselves of this bizarre toil, and
the cats acted on their own motivated by the deities."
Interviewer:
"So you’re saying that the cats acted on their own? What do you think
possessed them to devour the old cotter and his wife?"
Menes:
"I don't know if it was a possession, but I believe they were driven by
something older than any of us. What I can only see is a whimsical act of the
gods through the cats. I also felt that the cats of Ulthar were no ordinary
creatures; they had a collective will, a kind of intelligence that went beyond
mere indomitable animals. When the townsfolk stopped them from harming cats, it
was as if the town's law became a pact with those creatures. The old couple
broke that pact, and the cats exacted a vengeance as old as time itself. Their
dire deeds plunged the deepest of woes on them. And the serpent that once
coiled around the world paid the couple a visit to help them huddle close to
their dying spots."
Interviewer:
"I understand, but you did wish for their deaths, didn't you? How does
that sit with you now that the couple is gone?"
Menes:
"I wished for justice, for retribution, not the horror that unfolded. Many
have said that we are mere pawns in a divine drama, and the gods or whatever divine
forces control fate in Ulthar interpreted our desires in a way I never
intended. There’s a weight on my conscience, but I can’t shake the feeling that
the couple’s fate was inevitable—a consequence of their own evil. Death was not
dainty in its way of killing or taking revenge on our behalf; however, the
whole population of cats in Ulthar must be seething with life now that the
couple is gone."
Exploration
2: The Local Government’s Perspective
Interviewer:
"As a member of Ulthar’s local government, you must have seen your share
of strange occurrences, but what happened to that old couple... it's beyond
anything imaginable. Do you believe the visitors had something to do with their
demise?"
Burgomaster:
"Ulthar is a place where the natural and the supernatural intertwine in
ways that outsiders may not understand. I think that at last Barzai the wise,
our priest, drew the gods’ secret from the temple’s manuscripts. Sure, the
visitors were distraught, but I don’t believe they had the power to command the
whole population of cats to do such a thing, to eat up the old cotter and his
wife. That being said, their presence and their prayers may have acted as a
catalyst for what transpired, for what Barzai says he did find among the
manuscripts in our temple."
Interviewer:
"So, you think it was more than just coincidence? Could the visitors’
grief have somehow influenced the cats to act the way they did?"
Burgomaster:
"It’s possible. The cats of Ulthar are not like other cats. I know this
will sound mythopoeic, but the cats of Ulthar hold a certain mysticism, a
connection to the town’s spirit. When the young visitor and his companions
prayed for justice, they may have unwittingly invoked forces beyond their
control. Based on Barzai the wise, this was a whimsical rule of the gods who
take care of the cats in our town. The cats just responded—not to the visitors,
but to the violation of their unspoken law."
Interviewer:
"But don’t you think it’s strange that the cats were the ones who carried
out this ‘justice’? What could have driven them to such extremes? And why
necessarily at the time that the visitors were in town and not before since the
old cotter and his wife had killed many a cat before?"
Burgomaster:
"The old couple had lived in Ulthar for many years, and the townspeople
knew of their cruelty toward cats, yet nothing was done or had ever happened.
Perhaps the cats felt betrayed, abandoned by the humans who should have
protected them. When the young visitor’s cat was killed, it was the final
straw. The cats took matters into their own paws, so to speak. It’s not so much
a matter of being driven, but rather a natural course of action for them—a
rectification of the imbalance the couple had created."
Interviewer:
"You speak of this as if it were an act of nature, but isn't it more akin
to murder? Did the visitors and the cats conspire to commit this crime?"
Burgomaster:
"I wouldn’t call it murder. If you were expecting our law officers to
their steeds and chase the visitors, you’re not understanding life in Ulthar. I
insist, the cats acted according to their nature, a nature that we in Ulthar comprehend
and respect. The visitors’ role was incidental—they didn’t orchestrate this;
they were merely the spark that lit the fire. The true ‘murder,’ if you wish to
use that term, was the violation of the natural order by the old couple. They
reaped what they sowed, and the cats were merely the instruments of fate. The
old cotter and his wife drank from their goblet of fate and met with it when
visited by the cats."
Interviewer:
"But how do you live with such a bizarre incident? Doesn’t it trouble you
that justice in Ulthar can be so... primal? How do you huddle close to your
wife every night when the thought of the couple being devoured by the cats
lingers in your mind?"
Burgomaster:
"Ulthar is a place of old laws and ancient customs. What happened to the
couple is a reminder that in some places, the old ways still hold sway. It’s
not for us to question, only to accept. If anything, it reinforces the need to
respect the unseen forces that govern our world. The visitors have gone, and
the town remains peaceful. The balance has been restored, and that is all that
matters because danger for our cats is not creeping from behind anymore."
Conclusion
Through
these two perspectives, Lovecraft’s The Cats of Ulthar is revealed as a
tale that questions the nature of justice and the power of retribution. The young
visitor’s sorrow and the burgomaster’s fear underscore the complexities of
dealing with evil—whether through human means or supernatural intervention.
Lovecraft leaves readers to ponder the price of justice in a world where the
boundaries between the natural and the supernatural are often
indistinguishable, and where retribution can bring both relief and unease in
its wake
References
Acuña,
J. (2024, July 26). Literature Reflective Journaling: "The Cats of
Ulthar". Reflective Journaling - July 2024. San José, Costa Rica.
Lovecraft, H. (1920,
November). The Cats of Ulthar. Tryout.
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Reflective Journaling Final Note As
an avid reader of short stories, H.P. Lovecraft has provided me with ample
material to contemplate and explore, both in terms of my academic background
in literature and my occasional teaching of introductory literature courses.
Writing this critique of The Cats of Ulthar allowed me to delve deeper
into my own understanding and enjoyment as a reader. It serves as an example
of what I hope my learners can achieve—examining a story from various
perspectives and then analyzing their own thinking metacognitively.
Encouraging them to engage in this kind of reflective exploration can foster
a deeper connection with the literature and enhance their critical thinking
skills |
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Reading
Comprehension Exercise
Instructions: Read
the passage and choose the correct answer for each question.
1. What
is the main event that triggers the curse in The Cats of Ulthar?
o A) The
disappearance of Menes' kitten.
o B) The
killing of a traveler’s cat by the old couple.
o C) The
arrival of a mysterious group of travelers.
o D) The
burgomaster’s decision to enact new laws.
Answer: B) The
killing of a traveler’s cat by the old couple.
2. How
does Menes describe the old couple's cruelty?
o A) As
a well-known but tolerated fact of life in Ulthar.
o B) As
a misunderstood tradition passed down through generations.
o C) As
a random act of violence with no prior history.
o D) As
an isolated incident that shocked the town.
Answer: A) As
a well-known but tolerated fact of life in Ulthar.
3. What
explanation does Menes offer for the couple’s demise?
o A) It
was a direct act of revenge by the travelers.
o B) The
townspeople conspired to kill the couple.
o C) The
gods answered their prayers, and the cats acted on their own.
o D) The
burgomaster ordered the couple’s execution.
Answer: C) The
gods answered their prayers, and the cats acted on their own.
4. According
to the burgomaster, what role did the visitors play in the old couple's fate?
o A)
They commanded the cats to act.
o B)
Their grief and prayers may have triggered the cats' response.
o C)
They had no influence on the event.
o D)
They bribed the townspeople to kill the couple.
Answer: B)
Their grief and prayers may have triggered the cats' response.
5. What
does the burgomaster believe about the nature of the cats in Ulthar?
o A)
They are ordinary creatures with no special powers.
o B)
They are mystical beings with a connection to the town's spirit.
o C)
They are dangerous animals that need to be controlled.
o D)
They were trained by the townspeople to protect the village.
Answer: B)
They are mystical beings with a connection to the town's spirit.
6. How
does Menes feel about the outcome of the curse?
o A) He
is completely satisfied with the justice served.
o B) He
feels guilt and unease about the severity of the retribution.
o C) He
regrets invoking the curse entirely.
o D) He
believes the couple deserved even worse.
Answer: B) He
feels guilt and unease about the severity of the retribution.
7. What
is the burgomaster’s attitude toward the old couple's death?
o A) He
views it as a tragic loss for the community.
o B) He
considers it a necessary restoration of balance.
o C) He
is horrified and seeks to prevent such events in the future.
o D) He
blames the visitors for the entire incident.
Answer: B) He
considers it a necessary restoration of balance.
8. How
does the burgomaster explain the timing of the couple's demise?
o A) It
was random and coincidental.
o B) The
couple’s continued cruelty led to their inevitable fate.
o C) The
travelers planned it from the start.
o D) The
townspeople finally decided to take action.
Answer: B) The
couple’s continued cruelty led to their inevitable fate.
9. What
does the burgomaster mean by saying Ulthar is a place where the "natural
and the supernatural intertwine"?
o A) The
town experiences frequent supernatural events.
o B) The
people of Ulthar live in harmony with nature.
o C)
Ulthar has strict laws governing supernatural occurrences.
o D) The
supernatural is a natural part of life in Ulthar.
Answer: D) The
supernatural is a natural part of life in Ulthar.
10. What theme does the conclusion of the
critique highlight about Lovecraft's story?
o A) The
inevitability of death and decay.
o B) The
blurred lines between justice and revenge.
o C) The
importance of adhering to tradition.
o D) The
conflict between man and nature.
Answer: B) The
blurred lines between justice and revenge.
Literature Critique - The C... by Jonathan Acuña
Literature Critique - The C... by Jonathan Acuña
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