Schalken the Painter: A Gothic Tale of Terror by J. S. Le Fanu - Full Audiobook

[@markmoore3748]

Tony, I haven’t listened to this post yet, but the story is a favorite of mine. Vanderhausen is one of Le Fanu’s two greatest spooks. The other is the Mysterious Lodger (Smith). Vanderhausen is likely a vampire. The “fangs” seem obvious, but there’s another aspect to consider for those who are familiar with the later “Dracula” by Bram Stoker. When Vanderhausen leaves a building, he is then not seen from a vantage point where he should be visible, suggesting he has the ability to dematerialize. And this was decades before Stoker’s “Dracula” was published. At any rate, Vanderhausen is a re-animated corpse of some kind (perhaps under demonic influence). I highly recommend that you narrate “The Mysterious Lodger” for your listeners. It’s one of Le Fanu’s best stories. His physical description of the Lodger is memorable, and could easily have come from the pages of a modern Steven King story. There’s a religious aspect to Le Fanu’s tale, but the creep factor and mounting dread overpower it. The Lodger is a psychic vampire, with a shapeshifting companion, who brings death and heartache to his landlord’s family.

[@CleoHarperReturns]

7:40 My grandmother had the same cane. Dressed in her rainbow moomoo she was just as frightening. Jokes(?) aside, I LOVE Le Fanu. "Phlegmatic temperament." "An orloge as large and as round as an orange." He is my flowery, guilty pleasure amongst more spare writing styles, such as Hemingway, and his words beg to be spoken aloud. Then there is: "Do trick yourself out handsomely; I won't have him think us poor or sluttish." Fascinating how definitions change over time, and yet only subtly. I love following the trails of etymology. Tony, all your accents are so richly presented -- and I've got such a thing for accents. IMO Schalken's inability to fight for his love then his continuing on with Rose's uncle speaks volumes about the repressive baseline of the era, or at least Le Fanu's perception of it. Rose hasn't survived the ordeal in the end (the dead and the living can never be one) but she has conquered it by growing into her role as wife of a monster, abandoning the innocence and light she was once known for. By bringing Schalken back to her chamber it feels to me like she's proving her power and thus, Schalken's weakness. I sincerely hope you read to your patients.

[@frankenpine8071]

Thanks for sharing I love these old story's

[@Mdw2424]

This is one of my all time favorite spooky stories! Thanks Tony!

[@donaldmccleary9015]

Great story and narration! No wonder James and Lovecraft were fans of him. Great job!

[@roxyabrooks864]

This was a terrifying story! Loved every chill! 👻 Much thanks to you, Sir Tony 🥂

[@evazauner]

j.s. le fanu is one of the most underrated authors of weird tales! and your narration is perfect!

[@Normaschthewanderer]

I still can't get over how much Stoker plagiarized him.

[@amandalee215]

What a great way to start the weekend Thank you Tony for all your hard work

[@DanHunterSportsWriter]

I've just listened to this on Spotify and within five minutes I realised I'd seen this story in a late night BBC Christmas ghost story when I was still at school. I remembered it for two reasons, it was seriously creepy and disturbing, and that the gorgeous Cheryl Kennedy got her kit off! Except that scene happened right at the end, when in front of Schalken, Rose proceeds to mount and have sex with a living corpse!! I think the BBC screenwriter must have tweaked the story to add more impact, because that scene was seriously horrific, especially to a kid still at junior school!! Great work as ever Tony. You are El Maestro!!

[@ValzainLumivix]

This is my favorite horror story ever written!

[@wendibemis-cooper4922]

You have an amazing voice. Thank you for the enjoyment of these stories you share

[@RedcoatsReturn]

Truly excellent! 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏😊👍👍

[@ClassicGhost]

Many thanks!

[@Story-Voracious66]

Hi Tony, I almost passed this one over because I've heard it before, and looked into Schalken's works. But since it's *you* Tony, I was compelled to listen. So many theories and thoughts about this piece. Graphically it is truly engaging, but the story to me is little more than a Penny Dreadful. Schalken seems to be merely a rude mechanical; a plot device to take us to the next tableau. Yet it's clear that LeFanu was inspired by the painter's works and possible motivations. I guess the beauty of tale is that it inspires imagination in more creative and enquiring minds. (I must say that the blue/grey colour of the skin of an habitual user of colloidal silver is something to balk at! The mark of slow and deliberate heavy metal poisoning {not like long time exposure to Black Sabbath}, is a ghastly look). Thanks again Tony, you breathed life into it. Or should I say reanimated the dead! Bwaa ha ha...

[@ClassicGhost]

I didn't know that about colloidal silver changing the colour of your skin!

[@Story-Voracious66]

Have enough of it and it will.

[@AMfinearts]

Your reading keeps me such good company while I paint in my studio, grateful for your channel! Your style is fabulous.

[@ClassicGhost]

+@albertamirais254 Thank you ☺️

[@KristinChoruby]

I wonder if the myth of Hades and Persephone was an influence on this story? That could have interesting implications for why Rose demanded food and drink upon returning to her uncle's house--maybe, like Persephone, Rose was trying to avoid being trapped in the underworld by refusing the food of the dead.

[@toadyuk8391]

Tony, always liked this tale. I never took him as a vampire, I assumed he was just undead - but vampire makes sense. I assume he takes rose to his tomb in a parallel world as she does seem to vanish for a longtime. Then second meeting in the church seems to point to her now being undead and luring him to her master. The church in Rotterdam appears several times and she is reminded that he looks very much like a painted wooden statue, in the church. It’s a puzzler this, but I’m happy with that as it doesn’t always have to make sense. Been to India for last ten days and it was a good trip - I met an Indian Sufi whilst there and was hypnotised for the first time ever. Especially as I was resisting it, yet still it worked on me, freaky.

[@ClassicGhost]

I like the sound of an Indian Sufi. I had past life regression once. It made me very anxious for some reason, but I liked it.

[@jenniferlevine5406]

Such a great story. It is horrifying in several ways, maybe more the natural (human nature) than the supernatural. Love your commentary. In terms of literary criticism I agree with your sentiments and you provide a lot to think about through your commentary afterwards. Thank you so much for you efforts!

[@ClassicGhost]

thank you for your comment :)

[@SC-jh9qp]

Uncle Silas is a classic novel.

[@cbpstarling]

Thanks!

[@ClassicGhost]

Thank you.

[@violetfemme411]

Saved this for bedtime 😮 💜

[@jessisage4708]

Love the thumbnail art! Creepy cool❤❤❤

[@TheRickie41]

Wonderful reading.

[@andrewbeale6072]

This might be my favourite story by Le Fanu. The first time I heard it, I was impressed from the start by the novelty of the setting--a Gothic yarn set in the 17th century Netherlands?--and the deliciously macabre description of Mynheer Vanderhausen (especially that detail that his body never moves because he does not breathe). But I think I remember it best because I could not predict where it was going. I had read enough of Victorian ghost fiction to be able to recognise a few stock plots, but I could not match what I was hearing to any of them. In a proto-Jamesian fashion, Le Fanu introduces his supernatural element bit by bit, leaving it to the reader to figure out what Vanderhausen is and what he wants from Rose. (At one point, Le Fanu even teases the possibility that Vanderhausen might be demonic. Note how he steps out Mephistopheles-like from the shadows, the moment that Schalcken curses the subject of a religious painting.) Many questions are never answered, so the sense of unease lingers. You mentioned in the summary of 'A House in Aungier Street' that it was a novelty because the ghost was motivated not by justice but by malevolence. Maybe that was one of Le Fanu's contributions to the development of the ghost story--the (re)introduction of the idea of the dead as a potent force that is not necessarily restrained by a sense of justice or morality. Le Fanu has his share of conventional spirits seeking retribution, but he also has his predatory, amoral dead as well. After all, arguably his best remembered work--'Carmilla,' which established many of the tropes that Stoker would later popularise in 'Dracula'--is about a vampire.

[@ClassicGhost]

Thank you for your erudite commentary! You make some very good points.

[@suzannemoodhe927]

❤❤❤❤❤ awesome !

[@ClassicGhost]

Thank you!!

[@amandine512]

Beautiful, thank you.

[@ClassicGhost]

Thanks for listening

[@cbpstarling]

Thanks! 10.00 - well, at least that is what I wanted to send but I could only give 2 dollars because (maybe I'm an idiot) but I couldn't figure out how to make the amount larger

[@ClassicGhost]

It's all gratefully and humbly received. I've been spending it on coffee and second hand books.

[@nancyM1313]

💞🖤 🖤💞 tyvmuch! Have a great weekend.

[@peterbianchi6219]

Smiling? In a white shroud? Holding a lantern, when her persecutor blew out the candle, doing evil in the dark? And ... Showing the "tomb" of her persecutor? Perhaps in death she found peace and salvation. But ... who knows? Maybe not even the author.

[@AlgorithmEngagementEntity]

Algorithmic engagement

[@garybryant4293]

Okay okay I'm dropping out right now, I promise

[@MaggieatPlay]

Adore this story; there are so many layers to it. Thanks for narrating it, Tony. Very much enjoying the revived Late Night Sleep Radio ( www.youtube.com/@late-night-sleep-radio ). I have even managed to fall asleep during the second listen of an episode.

[@CleoHarperReturns]

PSA: Adrenochrome is easily and cheaply synthesized in a lab and there's no need to torture children.

[@ClassicGhost]

I am not convinced it has any value at all, but I'm pleased to hear what you say.

[@CleoHarperReturns]

@@ClassicGhost You're right of course; I was a little stoned on old lady meds and I spoke without doing any research at all. A rare occurrence -- thank you for being gracious with your rightful disagreement. Honestly it's not something I think I can stomach looking into.

[@CleCleHavez]

There’s a lot of people with zero shame here in America lol