The Great God Pan

"The Great God Pan" by Arthur Machen is a horror novella written in the late 19th century. The story examines themes of scientific exploration and the mysterious boundaries between the physical and spiritual realms, following Dr. Raymond and his companion Clarke as they embark on a radical experiment involving a girl named Mary who is to be subjected to an operation meant to reveal the existence of the supernatural. The beginning of the novella introduces readers to Dr. Raymond, an ambitious scientist, and his apprehensive friend Clarke, who has come to witness a controversial experiment. Dr. Raymond believes he can lift the veil between the material world and a deeper spiritual reality through a surgical procedure. As they prepare for the operation on Mary, there is a palpable tension, and the air thickens with anticipation of what might unfold. The opening portion sets the stage for an eerie exploration of both enlightenment and terror, hinting at the catastrophic consequences of their quest for knowledge as it ultimately leads to a harrowing and tragic outcome. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Arthur Machen was the pen-name of Arthur Llewellyn Jones, a Welsh author and mystic of the 1890s and early 20th century. He is best known for his influential supernatural, fantasy, and horror fiction. His novella The Great God Pan has garnered a reputation as a classic of horror, with Stephen King describing it as "Maybe the best [horror story] in the English language." He is also well known for "The Bowmen", a short story that was widely read as fact, creating the legend of the Angels of Mons.