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{{trope}}
{{creator}}
[[File:Clark Ashton Smith 1912.jpg|thumb|300px|Clark Ashton Smith, 1912]]
'''Clark Ashton Smith''' (1893-1961) was an American writer of [[Horror]], [[Fantasy]] and [[Science Fiction]]. He is most notable for being one of the founders of the [[Cthulhu Mythos]] along with [[HP Lovecraft]], [[Robert E Howard]] and others.
'''Clark Ashton Smith''' (1893-1961) was an American writer of [[Horror]], [[Fantasy]] and [[Science Fiction]]. He is most notable for being one of the founders of the [[Cthulhu Mythos]] along with [[H.P. Lovecraft]], [[Robert E. Howard]] and others.


Compared to Lovecraft's, Smith's stories tend to focus less on the [[Cosmic Horror Story]] and more on the pure exoticism of the setting. Some Mythos entities recur between them, such as the god Tsathoggua, but these entities tend to be less malevolent in Smith's portrayal than in Lovecraft's.
Compared to Lovecraft's, Smith's stories tend to focus less on the [[Cosmic Horror Story]] and more on the pure exoticism of the setting. Some Mythos entities recur between them, such as the god Tsathoggua, but these entities tend to be less malevolent in Smith's portrayal than in Lovecraft's.


Also unlike Lovecraft, sexuality plays a strong role in many of Smith's works and female characters are a lot stronger and more prominent than in Lovecraft (most likely to Smith having a much more... ''active'' love life than Lovecraft). Unlike Howard, sorcerers in Smith [[Linear Warriors Quadratic Wizards|tend to have the upper hand against swordsmen]] and Smith has many sorcerer protagonists, both good and evil. Unlike both Lovecraft and Howard, Smith was not a racist or a xenophobe, which can be seen best in stories like ''The Great God Awto'' and ''A Star-Change''.
Also unlike Lovecraft, sexuality plays a strong role in many of Smith's works and female characters are a lot stronger and more prominent than in Lovecraft (most likely to Smith having a much more... ''active'' love life than Lovecraft). Unlike Howard, sorcerers in Smith [[Linear Warriors, Quadratic Wizards|tend to have the upper hand against swordsmen]] and Smith has many sorcerer protagonists, both good and evil. Unlike both Lovecraft and Howard, Smith was not a racist or a xenophobe, which can be seen best in stories like ''The Great God Awto'' and ''A Star-Change''.


Smith was fond of playing with tropes and his stories occasionally feature [[Black Comedy]].
Smith was fond of playing with tropes and his stories occasionally feature [[Black Comedy]].


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{{creatortropes}}
=== Tropes found in Clark Ashton Smith's works: ===
* [[Action Girl]]: Vixeela in ''The Theft of Thirty-Nine Girdles''.
* [[Action Girl]]: Vixeela in ''The Theft of Thirty-Nine Girdles''.
* [[Action Hero]]: Subverted.
* [[Action Hero]]: Subverted.
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* [[Anyone Can Die]]
* [[Anyone Can Die]]
* [[Apothecary Alligator]]: In "The Return of the Sorcerer":
* [[Apothecary Alligator]]: In "The Return of the Sorcerer":
{{quote| There were tables strewn with archaic instruments of doubtful use, with astrological charts, with skulls and alembics and crystals, with censers such as are used in the Catholic Church, and volumes bound in worm-eaten leather with verdigris-mottled clasps. In one corner stood the skeleton of a large ape; in another, a human skeleton; and overhead a stuffed crocodile was suspended.}}
{{quote|There were tables strewn with archaic instruments of doubtful use, with astrological charts, with skulls and alembics and crystals, with censers such as are used in the Catholic Church, and volumes bound in worm-eaten leather with verdigris-mottled clasps. In one corner stood the skeleton of a large ape; in another, a human skeleton; and overhead a stuffed crocodile was suspended.}}
* [[The Bad Guy Wins]]
* [[The Bad Guy Wins]]
* [[Baleful Polymorph]]: In ''The Maze of Maal Dweb''.
* [[Baleful Polymorph]]: In ''The Maze of Maal Dweb''.
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* [[Best Served Cold]]
* [[Best Served Cold]]
* [[Better Living Through Evil]]: the [[Evil Sorcerer]] Namirrha's backstory in ''The Dark Eidolon''
* [[Better Living Through Evil]]: the [[Evil Sorcerer]] Namirrha's backstory in ''The Dark Eidolon''
* [[Big Screwed Up Family]]: One of Smith's more notable contributions to the Mythos is the idea that the various [[Eldritch Abomination]] are all related to each other in some way or another like a classical pantheon, rather than a bunch of random, unrelated extradimensional aliens. For instance, Hastur is supposedly Cthulhu's half-brother. And he's married to Shub Niggurath and therefore, presumably the father of at least some of her enigmatic Thousand Young.
* [[Big Screwed-Up Family]]: One of Smith's more notable contributions to the Mythos is the idea that the various [[Eldritch Abomination]] are all related to each other in some way or another like a classical pantheon, rather than a bunch of random, unrelated extradimensional aliens. For instance, Hastur is supposedly Cthulhu's half-brother. And he's married to Shub Niggurath and therefore, presumably the father of at least some of her enigmatic Thousand Young.
* [[Black Comedy]]
* [[Black Comedy]]
* [[Body Horror]]
* [[Body Horror]]
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* [[Celibate Hero]]
* [[Celibate Hero]]
* [[Charm Person]]: Part of the repertory of every self-respecting evil female caster.
* [[Charm Person]]: Part of the repertory of every self-respecting evil female caster.
* [[Chased By Angry Natives]]
* [[Chased by Angry Natives]]
* [[Cold Blooded Torture]]
* [[Cold-Blooded Torture]]
* [[Comet of Doom]]
* [[Comet of Doom]]
* [[Cosmic Horror Story]]: Used straight and subverted.
* [[Cosmic Horror Story]]: Used straight and subverted.
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* [[Dead Man Writing]]
* [[Dead Man Writing]]
* [[Deadly Decadent Court]]: All of them.
* [[Deadly Decadent Court]]: All of them.
* [[Deal With the Devil]]: In ''Xeethra''.
* [[Deal with the Devil]]: In ''Xeethra''.
* [[Death By Materialism]]: In ''The Weird of Avoosl Wuthoqquan''.
* [[Death by Materialism]]: In ''The Weird of Avoosl Wuthoqquan''.
* [[Disposing of a Body]]
* [[Disposing of a Body]]
* [[Disproportionate Retribution]]: ''The Dark Eidolon'' is all about this.
* [[Disproportionate Retribution]]: ''The Dark Eidolon'' is all about this.
* [[Doomed Protagonist]]
* [[Doomed Protagonist]]
* [[Downer Ending]]: Toyed with a lot. Sometimes we get a simple [[The Bad Guy Wins]] downer; sometimes a [[Kill Em All]] ending, where the villains go down as well; and sometimes a straight happy ending.
* [[Downer Ending]]: Toyed with a lot. Sometimes we get a simple [[The Bad Guy Wins]] downer; sometimes a [[Kill'Em All]] ending, where the villains go down as well; and sometimes a straight happy ending.
* [[Dragged Off to Hell]]: Inverted {{spoiler|in ''The Devotee of Evil''.}} Averted {{spoiler|in ''Xeethra'' to the surprise of the main character. It's still a [[Downer Ending]] though.}}
* [[Dragged Off to Hell]]: Inverted {{spoiler|in ''The Devotee of Evil''.}} Averted {{spoiler|in ''Xeethra'' to the surprise of the main character. It's still a [[Downer Ending]] though.}}
* [[Drives Like Crazy]]: The titular cult in his [[Future Imperfect]] satire "The Great God Awto." A postscript reveals that in the 60th Century, people drive like crazy in stratospheric rocket ships, although of course they don't do this as part of some savage religion like Awto's barbaric "Hammuriquanean" worshippers.
* [[Drives Like Crazy]]: The titular cult in his [[Future Imperfect]] satire "The Great God Awto." A postscript reveals that in the 60th Century, people drive like crazy in stratospheric rocket ships, although of course they don't do this as part of some savage religion like Awto's barbaric "Hammuriquanean" worshippers did in the 20th.
* [[Drop Dead Gorgeous]]
* [[Drop-Dead Gorgeous]]
* [[Due to The Dead]]
* [[Due to the Dead]]
* [[Dying Alone]]
* [[Dying Alone]]
* [[Egomaniac Hunter]]: The main character in ''The Seven Geases''.
* [[Egomaniac Hunter]]: The main character in ''The Seven Geases''.
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* [[Eldritch Abomination]]
* [[Eldritch Abomination]]
* [[Empty Piles of Clothing]]: In ''The Weaver in the Vault''.
* [[Empty Piles of Clothing]]: In ''The Weaver in the Vault''.
* [[The End of the World As We Know It]]
* [[The End of the World as We Know It]]
* [[Everythings Sparkly With Jewelry]]
* [[Everything's Sparkly with Jewelry]]
* [[Even Evil Has Standards]]: In ''The Dark Eidolon'', the archdemon Thasaidon, Lord of the Seven Hells, refuses to help the sorcerer Namirrha in his plan for vengeance. This may be because all the people who would be killed by the plan are evil, and therefore unwitting servants of Thasaidon.
* [[Even Evil Has Standards]]: In ''The Dark Eidolon'', the archdemon Thasaidon, Lord of the Seven Hells, refuses to help the sorcerer Namirrha in his plan for vengeance. This may be because all the people who would be killed by the plan are evil, and therefore unwitting servants of Thasaidon.
* [[Evil Is Deathly Cold]]: In ''The Coming of the White Worm'' and ''The Ice Demon''.
* [[Evil Is Deathly Cold]]: In ''The Coming of the White Worm'' and ''The Ice Demon''.
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* [[Evil Versus Evil]]: every single character in ''The Dark Eidolon'' is evil.
* [[Evil Versus Evil]]: every single character in ''The Dark Eidolon'' is evil.
* [[Eye of Newt]]
* [[Eye of Newt]]
* [[Fantastic Flora]]: Evidently one of his favorite tropes.
* [[Faux Death]]: played for horror in ''The Charnel God'' and ''The Second Internment''.
* [[Faux Death]]: played for horror in ''The Charnel God'' and ''The Second Internment''.
* [[Functional Magic]]
* [[Functional Magic]]
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* [[Heroic Sacrifice]]
* [[Heroic Sacrifice]]
* [[Hologram]]: Used by the villains in ''Vulthoom'' and ''The Immortals of Mercury''.
* [[Hologram]]: Used by the villains in ''Vulthoom'' and ''The Immortals of Mercury''.
* [[How Do You Like Them Apples]]: In ''Xeethra''.
* [[How Do You Like Them Apples?]]: In ''Xeethra''.
* [[Humanoid Aliens]]
* [[Humanoid Aliens]]
* [[Human Sacrifice]]
* [[Human Sacrifice]]
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* [[It Got Worse]]
* [[It Got Worse]]
* [[Irony]]
* [[Irony]]
* [[Kill Em All]]: Repeatedly, to various degrees of scale and completeness.
* [[Kill'Em All]]: Repeatedly, to various degrees of scale and completeness.
* [[Kiss of Death]]: Most notably the non-vampiric one in ''The Kiss of Zoraida''.
* [[Kiss of Death]]: Most notably the non-vampiric one in ''The Kiss of Zoraida''.
* [[Kiss of the Vampire]]
* [[Kiss of the Vampire]]
* [[Lady Land]]: A surprisingly proto-feminist version in ''The Root of Ampoi''.
* [[Lady Land]]: A surprisingly proto-feminist version in ''The Root of Ampoi''.
* [[The Legions of Hell]]
* [[The Legions of Hell]]
* [[Libation for The Dead]]: A non-symbolic version in ''The Death of Ilalotha''.
* [[Libation for the Dead]]: A non-symbolic version in ''The Death of Ilalotha''.
* [[Linear Warriors Quadratic Wizards]]
* [[Linear Warriors, Quadratic Wizards]]
* [[Living Shadow]]: prominently in ''The Double Shadow'' and in a minor role in ''The Abominations of Yondo''.
* [[Living Shadow]]: prominently in ''The Double Shadow'' and in a minor role in ''The Abominations of Yondo''.
* [[Loveable Rogue]]: Satampra Zeiros.
* [[Loveable Rogue]]: Satampra Zeiros.
* [[Love Potion]]: In ''The Mandrakes'' and ''The Mother of Toads''.
* [[Love Potion]]: In ''The Mandrakes'' and ''The Mother of Toads''.
* [[Mad Scientists Beautiful Daughter]]: Subverted in ''The Dark Age''.
* [[Mad Scientist's Beautiful Daughter]]: Subverted in ''The Dark Age''.
* [[Magic Mirror]]: Present with different powers in ''Necromancy In Naat'' and ''The Enchantress of Sylaire''.
* [[Magic Mirror]]: Present with different powers in ''Necromancy In Naat'' and ''The Enchantress of Sylaire''.
* [[Magic Wand]]: Used by Maal Dweb in ''The Flower Women''.
* [[Magic Wand]]: Used by Maal Dweb in ''The Flower Women''.
* [[Magnificent Bastard]]: Maal Dweb.
* [[Magnificent Bastard]]: Maal Dweb.
* [[Malevolent Masked Men]]: In ''The Charnel God''.
* [[Malevolent Masked Men]]: In ''The Charnel God''.
* [[Man Eating Plant]]
* [[Man-Eating Plant]]
* [[The Middle Ages]]: Where the Averoigne stories take place.
* [[The Middle Ages]]: Where the Averoigne stories take place.
* [[Muck Monster]]: Abhoth, appearing in "The Seven Geases".
* [[Muck Monster]]: Abhoth, appearing in "The Seven Geases".
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* [[Summon Magic]]
* [[Summon Magic]]
* [[Taken for Granite]]: In ''The Maze of Maal Dweb''.
* [[Taken for Granite]]: In ''The Maze of Maal Dweb''.
* [[Taking You With Me]]
* [[Taking You with Me]]
* [[Theory Before Phenomenon]]: In ''The Devotee of Evil'' and ''The Tomb-Spawn.''
* [[Theory Before Phenomenon]]: In ''The Devotee of Evil'' and ''The Tomb-Spawn.''
* [[The Time of Myths]]: Where the Hyperborea and Poseidonis stories take place.
* [[The Time of Myths]]: Where the Hyperborea and Poseidonis stories take place.
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* [[Victory Is Boring]]: Affects Maal Dweb.
* [[Victory Is Boring]]: Affects Maal Dweb.
* [[Villain Protagonist]]: Repeatedly.
* [[Villain Protagonist]]: Repeatedly.
* [[What Do You Mean It Wasn't Made On Drugs]]: The [[Narrative Poem]] ''The Hashish-Eater, or the Apocalypse of Evil'' plays with/subverts/does ''something'' to this trope. Its narrator travels through various fantastic visions, but apart from the title, it contains no mention of drugs.
* [[What Do You Mean It Wasn't Made on Drugs?]]: The [[Narrative Poem]] ''The Hashish-Eater, or the Apocalypse of Evil'' plays with/subverts/does ''something'' to this trope. Its narrator travels through various fantastic visions, but apart from the title, it contains no mention of drugs.
* [[Wicked Witch]]: In ''The Mother of Toads''.
* [[Wicked Witch]]: In ''The Mother of Toads''.
* [[Woman Scorned]]: Ilalotha in ''The Death of Ilalotha''.
* [[Woman Scorned]]: Ilalotha in ''The Death of Ilalotha''.
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[[Category:Authors]]
[[Category:Authors]]
[[Category:Clark Ashton Smith]]
[[Category:Clark Ashton Smith]]
[[Category:Trope]]
[[Category:Pages with working Wikipedia tabs]]

Latest revision as of 22:49, 13 February 2019

/wiki/Clark Ashton Smithcreator
Clark Ashton Smith, 1912

Clark Ashton Smith (1893-1961) was an American writer of Horror, Fantasy and Science Fiction. He is most notable for being one of the founders of the Cthulhu Mythos along with H.P. Lovecraft, Robert E. Howard and others.

Compared to Lovecraft's, Smith's stories tend to focus less on the Cosmic Horror Story and more on the pure exoticism of the setting. Some Mythos entities recur between them, such as the god Tsathoggua, but these entities tend to be less malevolent in Smith's portrayal than in Lovecraft's.

Also unlike Lovecraft, sexuality plays a strong role in many of Smith's works and female characters are a lot stronger and more prominent than in Lovecraft (most likely to Smith having a much more... active love life than Lovecraft). Unlike Howard, sorcerers in Smith tend to have the upper hand against swordsmen and Smith has many sorcerer protagonists, both good and evil. Unlike both Lovecraft and Howard, Smith was not a racist or a xenophobe, which can be seen best in stories like The Great God Awto and A Star-Change.

Smith was fond of playing with tropes and his stories occasionally feature Black Comedy.

Clark Ashton Smith provides examples of the following tropes:

There were tables strewn with archaic instruments of doubtful use, with astrological charts, with skulls and alembics and crystals, with censers such as are used in the Catholic Church, and volumes bound in worm-eaten leather with verdigris-mottled clasps. In one corner stood the skeleton of a large ape; in another, a human skeleton; and overhead a stuffed crocodile was suspended.

Retrieved from "https://allthetropes.org/wiki/Clark_Ashton_Smith?oldid=1680891"