The Case of Charles Dexter Ward is a novella by H. P. Lovecraft written in early 1927. It was first published in the May and July issues of Weird Tales in 1941 under the title The Madness Out of Time. It is one of the few Lovecraft stories to take place in his hometown of Providence, Rhode Island.

Plot

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The titular character, Charles Dexter Ward, is a young man from a prominent family who (in the story's introduction) is said to have disappeared after a prolonged period of insanity accompanied by minor, but unheard-of physiological changes. The bulk of the story concerns the investigation conducted by the Ward's family doctor, Marinus Bicknell Willet, in an attempt to discover the reason for Ward's psychological and physiological changes. When Willet learns that Ward had spent the past several months attempting to discover the grave of his ill-reputed ancestor, Joseph Curwen, Willet slowly begins to unravel the truth behind the legends surrounding Curwen, a shipping entrepreneur rumored to have been an alchemist. Because much of the plot is revealed in letters, documents, and anecdotes discovered by both Ward and Willet, the action switches back and forth from the present-day to the 18th century.

Adaptations

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• In 1963, Roger Corman filmed a loose adaptation of the story, The Haunted Palace, starring Vincent Price.

• In 1992, Dan O'Bannon filmed a more faithful adaptation, The Resurrected, starring John Terry and Chris Sarandon.

Publications

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• At the Mountains of Madness, and Other Novels (hardcover), S. T. Joshi (ed.), Sauk City, WI: Arkham House, 1985. ISBN 0-870-54038-6. Definitive version.

• The Case of Charles Dexter Ward (paperback) published by Del Rey, ISBN 0-345-35490-7.

External links

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• The H. P. Lovecraft Archive includes additional information and photographs
• The Haunted Palace (1963) at Internet Movie Database
• The Resurrected (1992) at Internet Movie Database

Electronic Texts

• Full text which includes a scan of the "Saxon minuscules" (not included in the other resources shown)
• Full text

H.P. Lovecraft | Novellas

Der Fall Charles Dexter Ward | El caso de Charles Dexter Ward | Charles Dexter Wardin tapaus | Gengångaren