Guru Viking Podcast Ep343: The Mystic Arthur Machen - RB Russell
Jan 9, 2026
R.B. Russell, an author and founder of Tartarus Press, delves into the intriguing life of Welsh mystic Arthur Machen. He explores Machen's involvement with the occult and the Golden Dawn, revealing his complex relationship with spirituality. Russell highlights Machen's monumental work, 'The Great God Pan,' addressing its chilling reception and feminist interpretations. The conversation also touches on the nuances of literary theory, the interplay of psychoanalysis in horror, and the enduring allure of Grail mythology, showcasing Machen's profound literary legacy.
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How A Bookshop Gift Sparked A Lifelong Obsession
- Ray Russell discovered Arthur Machen as a teenager when a bookseller gave him The Hill of Dreams and he re-read it differently over the years.
- That early gift led Russell to join the Arthur Machen Society and eventually chair the Friends of Arthur Machen.
Machen's Christian Mysticism And The Veil
- Machen combined Anglican ritualism with lifelong mystical curiosity, seeking awe beyond ordinary perception in many genres.
- Russell argues Machen saw a veil over reality that could be lifted, producing wonder or terror in his fiction.
The Great God Pan's Scandalous Origin
- The Great God Pan tells of an experiment that lifts the veil and produces Helen Vaughan, a destructive otherworldly woman.
- The story provoked scandal, library bans, and became symbolic of Machen's shock tactics in the 1890s.
