Chambers of Consciousness and Houses of Life: Nietzschean Hermeneutics in Arthur Machen’s The Great God Pan

Abstract This article provides a comparative study of the underlying cognitive structures laid out in Arthur Machen’s decadent novella The Great God Pan (1894) and Friedrich Nietzsche’s “On Truth Lying Non-Moral Sense” (1873). It scrutinizes images “chamber consciousness” “the house life”, deployed by German philosopher Welsh author respectively, explores how use stylistic qualities both affect determine overall conception reality exposed each work. analysis helps identify Nietzschean undertones novella, which, turn, allows an interpretation through lens discourses on cognition reality. reading resulting from puts forward two conclusions. Firstly, concept “Dionysian wisdom” brings to light informs specific yet unexplored source horror i.e., feeling revulsion developed Helen Vaughn’s victims after they experience Dionysian rapture. Secondly, concepts implied imagery contributes argument for idea as becoming context novella.