The Return - Classic Text | Alexandria
Among the most enigmatic works of supernatural fiction from the early 20th century stands "The Return," a haunting novel published in 1910 by the English poet and author Walter de la Mare (1873-1956). This masterwork of psychological horror weaves together elements of ghost story conventions with profound explorations of identity, consciousness, and the nature of reality itself.
First appearing during a period of significant cultural upheaval, when Victorian certainties were giving way to modernist uncertainties, "The Return" emerged alongside other seminal works questioning the nature of consciousness and reality, such as Henry James's "The Turn of the Screw" (1898) and Oliver Onions's "The Beckoning Fair One" (1911). The novel tells the story of Arthur Lawford, who experiences a mysterious transformation after falling asleep by an old tomb, finding himself possessed by—or perhaps transformed into—a long-dead man named Nicholas Sabathier.
The work's sophisticated treatment of psychological dissolution and identity crisis marked a significant departure from traditional Victorian ghost stories, establishing de la Mare as a pioneer in psychological horror. Critics have long debated whether the events of "The Return" represent genuine supernatural occurrence or psychological breakdown, with some scholars drawing parallels to Robert Louis Stevenson's "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" while others point to emerging contemporary theories of consciousness and personality disorders.
The novel's influence continues to resonate through modern literature and media, particularly in works exploring themes of identity crisis and psychological horror. Its ambiguous narrative style and sophisticated treatment of consciousness prefigured later modernist experiments with unreliable narration and subjective reality. Contemporary readers and critics continue to discover new layers of meaning in the text, particularly in light of modern psychological theories and understanding of identity disorders. The work's central question—whether Lawford's transformation is supernatural or psychological—remains provocatively unanswered, inviting each new generation of readers to grapple with its implications for understanding the nature of self and consciousness.