SOURCE: "Machen's Magic," in Arthur Machen: Weaver of Fantasy, Round Table Press, 1949, pp. 128-43.

In the essay below, Gekle examines the supernatural quality of Machen's fiction and places his work within a literary context.

Of recent years there has been a tendency to regard the novel as something it has become rather than what it should be. Most novels that do not fall neatly into one of several categories created by the critics and reviewers are judged to be poor novels indeed. As a matter of fact, the whole of fiction, as well as of poetry, has come to be judged according to standards which, while they may be excellent standards when applied to journalism or the so-called "documentary," serve fiction rather poorly. It has become the custom to label all stories, novels and poetry that may fall outside the special categories set up by such standards as...