ARTHUR
MACHEN
THE NOVEL OF THE BLACK SEAL AND OTHER STORIES
Translation Christos Papaioannou
As in almost all of his work, in these five short stories the great Welsh writer Arthur Machen (1863-1947) explores the mystical primordial nature of evil, seeing it as a fundamental element of balance in creation. Evil, he argues, is an abysmal passion and, above all, our ancient heritage.
Thus, a “scientific” experiment reveals the beast within Man. Descendants of this beast, dwarfish, monstrous creatures that kill anyone who enters their territory, inhabit the British Isles to this day. An evil couple and a monstrous boy are the natural carriers of this evil that seems to infect even nature.
The eternal conflict between Good and Evil is presented by Arthur Machen in an impressive way, brilliantly drawing the terrible conflict between these two antagonists.
