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Grim reaper : The personification of death

03 Jul 2022

By Nethmie Dehigama I just finished watching ‘Tomorrow’, a Korean drama based on characters who are grim reapers. It was a pretty fantastic show. It left me wondering where the concept of the grim reaper came from. The grim reaper, or the personification of death, seems to be pervasive in many cultures, and I was curious to know its origins. This is what I found. What is a grim reaper? A grim reaper is a personification of death. Death is represented as a human-like but supernatural figure and is generally depicted as wearing a black cloak and wielding a scythe. Sometimes the grim reapers are skeletal figures who appear to be donning this attire. Grim reapers are psychopomps – figures that carry the responsibility to accompany, fetch, or ferry souls from the land of the living to the afterlife. In many popular books and movies, the grim reaper is depicted as a villain or a ghoul – someone to be feared. But in actuality, grim reapers were merely supposed to be forces of nature, carrying out their duty of accompanying lost or newly passed souls. Where did the concept of the grim reaper come from? The personification of death has appeared in various historical cultures around the world, from the Norse to the ancient Chinese. The conceptual beginning of the grim reaper seems to be during the times that Greek mythology flourished. The Greeks named death ‘Thanatos’. He was portrayed as a young and pleasant man. Thanatos’ main job was to escort departed souls to the underworld Hades. He would deliver the souls to Charon, who would ferry the souls across the mythical river Styx. Additionally, Cronus was a titan and father of Zeus. He was depicted with a harp, sickle, or scythe. He is also considered to have devoured his children. On the other hand, Chronos was the father of time (or personification of time). Modern-day grim reapers are also shown to be carrying an hourglass and accompanied by a crow. The hourglass could have come from Chronos signifying the passing of time. The names Chronos and Cronus also sound like ‘Korone’ – a Greek word meaning ‘crow’. So, you can see the possibility that these two figures also lend themselves to the image of the modern-day grim reaper, similar to Thanatos. It is during the 14th century that the image of the grim reaper that we know of today seemed to have established itself. The Angel of Death – another way the grim reaper was referred to – came about during the black plague that caused millions of deaths across Europe and beyond. At least 25 million people died during this pandemic – known to be one of the deadliest in history. An air of morbidity hung over the people during this time. In fact, it was not uncommon to see stacks of rotting corpses along streets. Death and dying were a daily part of life. Many artists’ works reflected this, naturally. So, it is believed that this is why the grim reaper is drawn as a skeleton – the result of a decayed corpse. Artists would depict the grim reaper waiting in the wings, ready to take away loved ones. At the time though, this reaper would be holding something like a crossbow. Only later did this change to a scythe. It is also during this time that people began drawing these reapers in black cloaks – signifying death and mourning.  Examples of personifications of death in other cultures Banshee In Irish mythology, banshees were female figures. When you heard them wailing, that meant death was close. Typically, banshees also wore black cloaks. They also appeared around the time of the plague.  Pesta Pesta is another figure that appeared during the black death. In Scandinavia, if you saw an old, haggard woman with a rake, it was a sign that someone was going to die. If she was carrying a broom, then everyone within that household was about to face death.  Shinigami Shinigami is a Japanese death god. These spirits or gods also ferry people from the land of the living to the dead, much like the grim reaper. The Shinigami’s role is to make sure people die at their appointed time. This signified the existence of fate, the idea that everyone has a specific path in life to follow. Śmierć or kostuch This appears in Slavic traditions. Here, death is frequently portrayed as an old, skeletal woman wearing a white robe. Smrt This is a grim reaper figure that appears in Serbia and South Slavic regions. People associated them with the devil.  Jeoseungsaja Jeoseungsaja is the Korean netherworld emissary. This male figure is known to escort the dead, whether good or evil, to the afterlife So, here’s a question to all readers: Why do you think that many cultures took it upon themselves to personify death? Do you think it makes it easier for people to digest the concept of death? Or, maybe it creates some sort of comfort that a loved one would have someone to accompany them once they pass away.  PHOTOS © THE STATE RUSSIAN MUSEUM, RICHARD TENNANT COOPER, MARIE-LAN NGUYEN, INDIGO, THEODOR KITTELSEN  


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