Karma: a reincarnation play in prologue, epilogue & three acts

by Algernon Blackwood, Violet Pearn

Delve into the realms of spiritual exploration with Algernon Blackwood’s “A Re-incarnation Play,” a thought-provoking work that explores the complexities of life, death, and the cycle of rebirth. Originally published in 1918, this play takes the audience on a metaphysical journey that transcends the boundaries of time.

As the curtains rise, “Karma” introduces characters entwined in the intricate tapestry of reincarnation. Blackwood skillfully weaves together themes of destiny, cosmic justice, and the interconnectedness of souls. The play unfolds as a philosophical exploration, challenging audiences to contemplate the profound questions surrounding existence and the karmic forces that shape our individual and collective fates.

Through vivid characters and evocative dialogue, Blackwood invites the audience to reflect on the timeless concept of karma—the law of cause and effect that governs the soul’s journey through successive lives. The play is a meditation on the nature of human experience, the consequences of actions, and the eternal quest for spiritual enlightenment.

For those drawn to metaphysical themes and the mysteries of existence, “A Re-incarnation Play” stands as a unique and compelling work by Algernon Blackwood, showcasing his ability to blend the mystical with the theatrical. Take a seat in the cosmic theatre and witness the unfolding drama of karma, where the eternal dance of souls plays out across the stages of time.

Genres: Horror

216 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1918

About the author

Algernon Henry Blackwood (1869–1951) was an English broadcasting narrator, journalist, novelist and short story writer, and among the most prolific ghost story writers in the history of the genre. The literary critic S. T. Joshi stated, "His work is more consistently meritorious than any weird writer's except Dunsany's" and that his short story collection Incredible Adventures (1914) "may be the premier weird collection of this or any other century".

Blackwood was born in Shooter's Hill (today part of south-east London, but then part of northwest Kent) and educated at Wellington College. His father was a Post Office administrator who, according to Peter Penzoldt, "though not devoid of genuine good-heartedness, had appallingly narrow religious ideas." Blackwood had a varied career, farming in Canada, operating a hotel, as a newspaper reporter in New York City, and, throughout his adult life, an occasional essayist for various periodicals. In his late thirties, he moved back to England and started to write stories of the supernatural. He was very successful, writing at least ten original collections of short stories and eventually appearing on both radio and television to tell them. He also wrote fourteen novels, several children's books, and a number of plays, most of which were produced but not published. He was an avid lover of nature and the outdoors, and many of his stories reflect this.

H.P. Lovecraft wrote of Blackwood: "He is the one absolute and unquestioned master of weird atmosphere." His powerful story "The Willows," which effectively describes another dimension impinging upon our own, was reckoned by Lovecraft to be not only "foremost of all" Blackwood's tales but the best "weird tale" of all time.

Among his thirty-odd books, Blackwood wrote a series of stories and short novels published as John Silence, Physician Extraordinary (1908), which featured a "psychic detective" who combined the skills of a Sherlock Holmes and a psychic medium. Blackwood also wrote light fantasy and juvenile books.