Beyond the Wall of Sleep by H.P. Lovecraft (Audiobook) || Performed by Frank Marcopolos

"Beyond the Wall of Sleep" is a short story by H.P. Lovecraft, first published in 1919. The story is in the public domain and the performance is copyright 2019 by Frank Marcopolos.
Here's a synopsis:
The story revolves around a character named Joe Slater, a backwoodsman from the Catskill Mountains who becomes known for his violent and erratic behavior. After an incident where he kills a man in a fit of madness, Slater is institutionalized in an asylum. Here, the narrator, who is a scientific researcher interested in dreams and the subconscious, takes particular interest in Slater's case due to his unique dreams.
Slater frequently speaks of his dreams, describing experiences and visions that seem to come from beyond Earth. The narrator uses an experimental device to try to connect with Slater's mind while he is asleep, hoping to explore the nature of dreams and perhaps even the cosmos itself.
During one of these experiments, the narrator experiences a profound journey through space and time, encountering a being from a distant star who claims to be the true essence of Joe Slater, trapped in a human form due to some cosmic accident or punishment. This being, resentful of its human confinement, speaks of freedom beyond the "Wall of Sleep," which metaphorically represents the barrier between the material world and the realm of cosmic consciousness or dream.
The experiment culminates in a dramatic moment where the cosmic entity within Slater seems to break free, leading to Slater's physical death but also to a perceived liberation of his true, stellar self back into the cosmos. The narrator reflects on the experience, pondering the nature of consciousness, the vastness of the universe, and the thin veil that separates human understanding from cosmic truths.
Lovecraft uses this narrative to explore themes common in his work, like the insignificance of humanity in the grand cosmic scale, the unknown horrors or wonders beyond human perception, and the notion that dreams might connect us to other dimensions or realities. However, this early work of Lovecraft's also shows his fascination with science fiction elements, blending them with his budding mythos.
👉 Click here for literary analyses of stories: • Literary Analysis
#shortstory #audiobook #shortfiction