Review of “The Gorgon” by Clark Ashton Smith: Halloween Countdown

For October 13

Plot:

Traveling after the death of the only woman he loved, the grieving main character in this short tale comes across an odd character in the crowded streets of London. The old man reminds him of Charon, ferrying souls to the Underworld.

The modern-day Charon locks eyes with him. “I can see that you have a taste for horror,” he says and offers to show him the head of Medusa.

How does he know the old man has the real Medusa’s head? (The real head of a mythological creature? Yeah, you can’t be too careful there.) What’s it doing in London? And isn’t there a problem inherent with looking at Medusa’s head?

“Charon” promises he can view it in a mirror, so no worries about the being turned into stone thing.

And his questions about time and place? Well, that shows how little he knows about how time and space work.

“It is inexplicable to me that I should have accepted his invitation,” the narrator tells the reader, “…and I could no more have refused his offer than a dead man could have refused the conveyance of Charon to the realms of Hades.”

Against his better judgment, the young man follows “Charon” through twists and turns, away from the crowded streets into deserted areas.

Once they arrive, the narrator notices several peculiar things about the house, but none as odd as the realistic life-size statues of black marble.

Wait a minute. Ya don’t suppose?—Naaah.

Thoughts:

Like everything of Smith’s I’ve read, this story is full of lush and, at times, lurid imagery. The main character is inevitably drawn to something repulsive and mortally dangerous, yet he cannot—and does not wish to—resist.

While it may strike readers in 2024 as over-the-top in its sensationalism, this is a fun little tale. The main character bites off more than he can chew, but we know he survived to narrate the whole affair: “I have no reason to expect that anyone will believe my story,” he begins.

I liked this, even if it’s not for everyone. It is Poe-ish in tone and outlook.

Bio: Clark Ashton Smith (1893-1961) was primarily a poet but is now best known for his weird fiction, much of which was published in Weird Tales. His prose tends to be extravagant. His protagonists are often drawn, against their better judgment, toward some dangerous or forbidden object. He also painted and translated works.


The story can be listened to here: (38:51)

The text is included on the podcast page.


Title: “The Gorgon”
Author: Clark Ashton Smith (1893-1961)
First published: Weird Tales, April 1932