R.B. Russell, author and founder of Tartarus Press, takes us on a deep dive into the life and works of Welsh author and mystic Arthur Machen. 

Ray traces the religious life of Machen, his involvement with the occult society the Golden Dawn, and his friendship with famed occultist A.E. Waite.

Ray details Machen’s fascination with the esoteric symbolism of the Grail mythology; his role in originating and spreading the supernatural, urban myth of the Bowman; and impact of his notorious horror-fantasy novella ”The Great God Pan”.

Ray also shares his reflections on literary theory, the various interpretations of Shakespeare, and the prevalence of psychoanalytic readings of classic genre fiction.

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Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep343-the-mystic-arthur-machen-rb-russell

Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’.

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Topics include:

00:00 - Intro

01:07 - First encounter with the works of Arthur Machen

05:25 - Hill of Dreams and an abiding interest

06:21 - Mysteries of Machen

07:12 - Life of Arthur Machen

09:29 - Involvement with occultism

17:11 - The Great God Pan

22:19 - Machen, Lovecraft, and the mystical

26:17 - Reflections on literary theory

27:26 - Why so many psychoanalytic readings of horror?

29:13 - Historicism vs textualism

31:40 - Shakespeare and classic vs modern productions

34:38 - The Great God Pan needs to be Victorian

35:25 - Machen’s involvement in the Golden Dawn

38:43 - Grail Myth as a spiritual path and an early Welsh church

39:26 - Friendship with occultist A.E. Waite

40:05 - The Great Return and the evolution of awe

43:41 - Why were so many writers fascinated by the Grail Myth and King Arthur?

46:15 - Esoteric symbolism of the Grail

48:52 - Links to Roman Britain

49:58 - Machen’s Oxford disappointment and subsequent work

53:05 - The Bowmen and urban myths

57:28 - Reading vs collecting books

01:02:27 - Ray’s prized item and Machen collection

01:03:34 - Tartarus Press and Machen publishing projects

01:05:28 - Friends of Arthur Machen society

01:07:06 - Faunus journal

01:07:22 - Where to start with Machen for those interested in the occult and mysticism

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Previous episode with Ray:

- https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/p319-mystery-of-t-lobsang-rampa-rb-russell

Find out more about Ray here:

- http://tartaruspress.com/russell-rampa.html

- https://www.arthurmachen.org.uk/

For more interviews, videos, and more visit:

- https://www.guruviking.com

Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James