Cthulhu

Cthulhu is a fictional cosmic entity created by the American writer H. P. Lovecraft. He is a central figure in the Cthulhu Mythos, which is a collection of lore inspired by Lovecraft's work. Within this mythos, Cthulhu is classified as a Great Old One. This term refers to a powerful, ancient being that exists beyond human understanding. Cthulhu is a symbol of cosmic horror and serves as a namesake for an entire genre of literature.

The physical form of Cthulhu is described as a massive, terrifying contradiction of nature. He is a gigantic entity, often described as being hundreds of meters tall. His appearance combines elements of an octopus, a dragon, and a human caricature. He possesses a pulpy, tentacled head that surrounds a mouth area. His body is scaly and rubbery, featuring prodigious claws on both his fore and hind feet. Additionally, he has long, narrow wings situated behind his back. Some descriptions suggest his form is so strange that it defies human language to describe it properly.

Cthulhu's existence is defined by his immense age and his current state of hibernation. The stories claim he is at least vigintillions of years old. Currently, he is trapped within the sunken city of R'lyeh. This city is located deep beneath the waters of the South Pacific Ocean. While he sleeps, Cthulhu is said to be the source of constant subconscious anxiety for all of humanity. He is also worshipped by various human cults in places like Greenland, Louisiana, and the Chinese mountains. These followers chant the phrase, "Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn," which means he waits dreaming in his house at R'lyeh.

The name Cthulhu was invented by Lovecraft in 1928. It likely echoes the word "chthonic," which comes from the Ancient Greek term for things belonging to the earth. Lovecraft provided a specific transcription for the name: Khlûl′-hloo. He explained that the first syllable should be pronounced gutturally and very thickly. He noted that the "h" represents this thickness, as the human vocal apparatus struggles to reproduce such alien sounds. Because of this difficulty, the name has been spelled in many ways, including Tulu, Katulu, and Kutulu. Different groups, such as the creators of the Call of Cthulhu role-playing game, have also developed their own pronunciations.

Following Lovecraft's death, the character's lore was expanded by many different authors. August Derleth was a significant figure who organized Lovecraft's ideas into a structured system. Derleth identified Cthulhu as a Water Elemental. He also introduced an arch-rivalry between Cthulhu and an air elemental named Hastur the Unspeakable, whom he called Cthulhu's half-brother. While Derleth's attempt to frame the stories as a conflict between good and evil was criticized by some, such as Michel Houellebecq, his work helped establish the Cthulhu Mythos as a lasting literary tradition.

Cthulhu's influence has moved far beyond literature and into modern pop culture and politics. The character has appeared in video games and tabletop games like Dungeons & Dragons. In the political sphere, Cthulhu has been used as a satirical candidate. For example, during the 2010 Polish presidential election, a poster urged voters to "Choose the greater evil" by voting for Cthulhu. In the 2016 United States presidential election, a "Cthulhu for America" campaign ran as a parody. These campaigns often use the monster to mock voters who claim they are only choosing the "lesser evil" in an election.

Even the scientific community has interacted with the name of this fictional monster. Several real organisms have been named after him, including the California spider Pimoa cthulhu and the New Guinea moth Speiredonia cthulhui. There is even a fossil echinoderm called Sollasina cthulhu. In 2015, a team from the New Horizons mission considered naming a dark region on Pluto "Cthulhu Macula." Although the International Astronomical Union eventually named the feature Belton Regio in 2023, the connection shows how deep the character's reach extends. From biology to astronomy, Cthulhu remains a powerful cultural touchstone.