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Although Professor Angell dies prior to the start of the story, he nevertheless proves himself to be a key character because of the foundation he lays for Thurston. He is the ultimate social scientist, a professor of ancient languages, and his extensive research sets the stage for the mystery of Cthulhu to unfold. Establishing Professor Angell as an expert in his field of study is an important detail that allows Lovecraft to emphasize that the existence of Cthulhu and the Great Old Ones is truly beyond comprehension. If someone as knowledgeable as Professor Angell spends years struggling to make sense of the stories he hears, the average person would surely fail to grasp the truth. Of course, once he does come to a conclusion about Cthulhu, the results prove disastrous and he loses his life for knowing too much. This outcome, one which he ultimately shares with Thurston, reflects what Lovecraft perceived as the dangers of scientific advancement. The understanding Professor Angell gains from his relentless pursuit of answers becomes a cruel burden.
In addition to setting a precedent for Thurston’s own engagement with the Cthulhu cult, the paper trail that Professor Angell leaves behind after his death hints at how his journey of discovery impacted him psychologically. The fact that Wilcox’s bas-relief is locked away in a box suggests that he was attempting to hide it from others, and the various scraps of paper with stories and notes frantically written on them reflect his growing anxiety about the subject of his research. He was desperate to document every bit of information he could gather, hoping that he could make sense of the disturbing details that unfolded as he learned more about Cthulhu. This trajectory foreshadows the psychological turmoil that Thurston eventually experiences and emphasizes the idea that the universe’s capacity for darkness will endure across generations.
