The Were-Wolf

Housman, Clemence, 1861-1955Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.9

Word count: 86K words
Chapters: 9

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.The Were-Wolf by Clemence HousmanAuthor: Housman, Clemence, 1861-1955,Language: English, Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature, Release Date: Aug 7, 2004

Editor's review

Clemence Housman's The Were-Wolf is short but is often regarded as a finely wrought example of late Victorian Gothic fiction. Set in a cold northern land, it revolves around a mysterious woman and two brothers; restrained in pace and chilling in atmosphere, it interweaves folk werewolf legend with emotional entanglement and the theme of sacrifice. The author was a sister of the poet A. E. Housman and was herself a wood engraver and writer, and her prose has a strong visual and symbolic quality. Unlike modern horror fiction that seeks bloody thrills, this book draws its tension from suspense, ellipsis, and moral dilemma, and is suited to being read in one sitting on a quiet night. As a free electronic text from Project Gutenberg, it is also a convenient entry point to the late nineteenth-century English Gothic short story tradition.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who enjoy Gothic fiction and classic horror atmospheres
Researchers interested in the work of late Victorian women writers
Literature students who need a short English primary text for close reading
Readers who prefer symbolic, elliptical narrative over direct shocks

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking dense bloody scenes and fast-paced thrills
Those unaccustomed to nineteenth-century literary language and slow buildup
Readers hoping for horror stories set in a modern urban environment

Reading tips

Set aside a quiet, uninterrupted block of time to read it in one sitting; the atmosphere works best when kept continuous
Note the recurring imagery of cold, snowfields, and wolves, and consider its symbolic meaning
After reading, compare it with folk werewolf legends and consider the author's reworking and moral orientation
The English original is not long: read it through once for the suspense, then return to key passages

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this story very frightening?

Its horror is atmospheric and psychological, relying on suspense, suggestion, and a cold, lonely setting rather than abundant gore. Readers used to fast-paced modern horror may find it slow, but those who love classic Gothic atmosphere will find it lingering in the mind.

Can someone who has never read Gothic fiction get into it?

Yes. The book is short, with a concentrated cast and clear plot lines, making it a friendly entry into the Gothic tradition. If nineteenth-century English syntax and vocabulary are unfamiliar, a Chinese translation or introduction first will make the original smoother.

What is the author's relationship to the poet A. E. Housman?

Clemence Housman was a sister of the poet A. E. Housman; she was herself a writer and wood engraver and took part in the women's suffrage movement. Knowing this background helps in understanding her restrained treatment of emotion and her theme of sacrifice.

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About the author

Housman, Clemence, 1861-1955 Author · British · 1861–1955

Clemence Housman (1861–1955) was a British writer and illustrator, and the sister of the poet A. E. Housman. Public information about her life is limited, and her literary reputation rests mainly on a small number of works of fantasy and the strange. Two of her works are held in this collection. Her best-known work, The Were-Wolf, treats the werewolf theme with a Gothic atmosphere and an allegorical quality; The Unknown Sea likewise carries a mysterious and supernatural air. Her writing is concise, attentive to atmosphere and imagery, and uses uncanny stories to reflect on human nature. As an illustrator, she also drew illustrations for books. Her work has a place in British fantasy literature from the late Victorian period to the early twentieth century, and still draws the interest of readers of fantasy and horror fiction.