First Hate

“First Hate” is a psychological and quasi-supernatural short story by Algernon Blackwood that explores the concept of instinctive human antipathy. Framed within a hunting-party conversation, the narrative unfolds as a first-person confession about an immediate, unreasoned hatred between two men that feels as primal and undeniable as instinctive love. What begins as social dialogue about animal instinct quickly escalates into a disturbing philosophical claim: that humans, like animals, can recognize a “natural enemy” on first sight. This idea drives the central confession of John Ericssen, who recounts an obsessive, mutual hatred for a man named Hazel—an animosity that feels biological, almost evolutionary, rather than moral or rational. The story moves from psychological tension into moral ambiguity and violence, blending realism with Blackwood’s characteristic exploration of unseen forces, instinct, and the limits of rational self-control. Beneath its hunting and adventure framing, the narrative questions whether hatred can be as instinct-driven and fated as love, or whether it is something more dangerous: a justification for irreversible action.