Robert Ervin Howard
Biography
Robert Ervin Howard (1906-1936) was an American author who primarily wrote pulp fiction in the 1920s and 1930s. He is widely credited as the creator of the 'sword and sorcery' subgenre of fantasy, most famously through his character Conan the Barbarian. A prolific writer, he produced hundreds of stories, poems, and essays across various genres including fantasy, horror, historical fiction, westerns, and boxing tales. Howard's work was characterized by its raw energy, vivid action, and often melancholic undertones. Despite his significant impact on popular literature and the enduring legacy of his creations, Howard lived a relatively isolated life in rural Texas and struggled with bouts of depression. He tragically died by suicide at the age of 30, leaving behind a vast body of work that would only achieve widespread critical and commercial success posthumously, establishing him as a foundational figure in modern fantasy.
Selected Thoughts
«Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing.»
«Know, oh prince, that between the years when the oceans drank Atlantis and the gleaming cities, and the years of the rise of the Sons of Aryas, there was an Age undreamed of, when shining kingdoms lay spread across the world like blue mantles beneath the stars.»
«Barbarism is the natural state of mankind. Civilization is an artifice. It is a whim of circumstance. And barbarism will always triumph in the end.»
Writing Style
Howard's writing style is characterized by its dynamic, action-oriented prose, visceral descriptions, and a keen sense of atmosphere. He employed a robust, often archaic vocabulary to evoke ancient, barbaric settings. His narratives frequently focus on powerful, individualistic protagonists battling overwhelming odds, often against supernatural entities or corrupt civilizations. There's a strong emphasis on physical prowess, brutal combat, and a sense of cosmic dread, blended with elements of mythological grandeur and a fatalistic view of history.