The Inescapable Nature Of H. P. Lovecraft's Nemesis

“Nemesis”, written by H.P Lovecraft, contains desolate imagery and allusions to emphasize the insignificance of one person in the vast universe. The speaker has “whirled with the Earth at the dawning,” (Lovecraft 7) signifying that he has been around since the dawn of time. Living countless lives, the speaker has seen the chaotic formation of the Earth, the birth of life, the rise of the pharaohs, and the boundless unknown that is space. Despite the alluring quality of all that he has witnessed, the poem contains a sense of menace, a theme common in Lovecraft’s poems. The poem’s name “Nemesis,” is an allusion to the Greek goddess Nemesis, also referred to as Rhamnous. She was the inescapable agent of demise, especially to those with an excessive hubris. Regardless of time or place, it was impossible to escape her grasp. The poem begins and ends with the same stanza, and is an alternate rhyme that follows a simple ABABB rhyme scheme. This circular structure emphasizes the inescapable nature of the Nemesis. Whether it is at the beginning, or the end of time, the Nemesis will enact retribution against those who have committed grave offenses. This allusion proves the insignificance of one person, as those with excessive pride will eventually be punished. The final two lines of the first stanza are allusions to Lovecraft’s agoraphobia. Agoraphobia is a fear of

He admits to the severity of his sins, and comes to terms with the fact that there is no escaping his punishment. Not even “the pity of Heaven,” (Lovecraft 51), or eternal rest in a tomb, can save him from his eminent doom. The speaker is forced to live out his days, which drag on infinitely “being driven to madness with fright.” (Lovecraft 58-59) This feelings of utter despair and being driven to madness are common themes in Lovecraft’s works, and are used to show that even the strongest man cannot overcome his