Shapeshifting has a prominent role in lore and dates back to the oldest of tales. The Epic of Gilgamesh features Humbaba, a demon who guards the Cedar Forest. Humbaba appears to have changed forms while fighting Gilgamesh and Enkidu—during the fight, Gilgamesh cried, “My Friend, Humbaba’s face keeps changing!” Shapeshifting is also common in Greek and Roman mythology. Zeus, in his pursuit of women, shifted into a variety of shapes ranging from a swan to a shower of gold. Ovid’s Metamorphoses is essentially
Dracula's Death in Bram Stroker's Novel Dracula In Bram Stroker's infamous novel, Dracula, he tries to explain the life of the undead, then continues to explain how to kill these creatures of the night. We find out that you must stab a vampire in the heart with a wooden stake, and then slash off their head. This is the only way that we are led to believe that you may be able to kill these undead. We learn this through Stoker's vampire expert Van Helsing, he seems to be the most educated on the
For as long as mankind has been around the fascination of savage beasts were greatly integrated through its cultures. The concept of monsters has been used in many historical and ideological context to vilify what society deems abhorrent. Monsters serve as our own depictions of ourselves and the world around us. They challenge our cultural mores and force us to analyze what is within us. The reason why monsters are becoming increasingly popular is because it allows people to break out of social norms
Transformations in Ovid's Metamorphosis Transformations from one shape or form into another are the central theme in Ovid's Metamorphoses. The popularity and timelessness of this work stems from the manner of story telling. Ovid takes stories relevant to his culture and time period, and weaves them together into one work with a connecting theme of transformation throughout. The thread of humor that runs through Metamorphoses is consistent with the satire and commentary of the work. The theme
“And he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles’ feathers, and his nails like birds’ claws” (Daniel 4:33, King James Version). Just as in the book of Daniel, cases of human beings believing themselves to be animals have occurred throughout all of history. This condition, being scientifically named Clinical Lycanthropy, is not only rare, but also very much a mystery. The term Lycanthropy comes from two Greek
of whatever means to claim its victim. It Follows is a psychological horror film about a sexually transmitted curse; the curse itself is the entity hellbent on claiming its victims. The monster strikes fear into its victims by its unpredictable shapeshifting ability and its sadistic decision making. Because of the monster’s ability to shapeshift and make sadistic decisions, It Follows is a successfully scary psychological horror
Narve and Vali (McLeish, par. 5). In addition, Loki also gave birth to Sleipnir, a horse that he later gave to Odin, “after shapeshifting into a mare and courting the stallion Svaðilfari” (McCoy, par. 4). Not only is Loki a trickster, but he is also famous for his shapeshifting, meaning he is “able to take on the appearance of whatever chose” (McLeish, par. 2). Shapeshifting is an ability that few of the Norse... ... middle of paper ... ...s character, makes him one of the most interesting god
Bram Stoker had Dracula published for the first time. Dracula is considered, by many, Stoker’s best work. It is an exemplary example of Gothic literature. In Dracula, three essential motifs of Gothic literature are revenants, cemeteries, and shapeshifting. Revenants is an essential Gothic literature motif; it allowed there to be a force of evil in this eerie novel. Revenants is the most important Gothic literature motif in Dracula. Revenants is when deceased creatures return to invoke fear in the
a cunning, selfish and self-sufficient trickster. Brother Lustig’s burgeoning conscious is demonstrated through an analysis of his Jungian archetypes, with the shapeshifting beggar, acting as his positive shadow, and St. Peter personifying as his symbolic Self. An analysis if Lustig’s positive shadow, St. Peter as the poor shapeshifting beggar, is particularly useful in understanding the various challenges which the main character of the story will eventually have to face later on. In the folk
Queerness in Rick Riordan’s Mythological Fantasy Rick Riordan’s children’s fantasy The House of Hades (2013) revealed the first queer child in mainstream children’s fantasy: Nico di Angelo, the demigod son of Hades. Though Riordan’s novels revolve around largely Greco-Roman mythology, as well as Norse and Egyptian, The House of Hades was the first time queer themes from mythology made an appearance in his works. Since The House of Hades, Riordan’s novels have featured gay, bisexual, and transgender
How I lifted my arm, so heavy in its loose-lapped skin and felt the scream taking shape like a dark hole in my chest … The trembling in my knees as I pushed myself up, the pain that jabbed the twisted bones of my hands (TMS 59). The magicality of her transformation is a sharp contrast to the realism of everyday world and Tilo, thus, personifies the trait of changing self of an emblematic trickster. Her changing self takes place when she readies herself to the First Mother’s queries who asks her,
the anger out in my opponents. The strength and power I possess gives me the ability to provide unbearable punishments to those who mess with my temper. When few people or gods treated me with honor or respect I rewarded them with the power of shapeshifting which I also possessed. This way they may turn into whatever they please. Being Poseidon has its strengths and its weaknesses, but without me, life in Mount Olympus wouldn’t be as
Every great story has a villain and a trickster. Occasionally these two meet and create a dynamic super-villain. It is the trickster traits created by William Hynes and Lewis Hyde that explain the motivation behind their actions. Hynes breaks his traits down into six categories while Hyde maintains only one. Hynes believes tricksters are defined by an ambiguous and anomalous nature, actions of deceit and trickery, shape-shifting, situation inversion, bricoleur, and imitation of the gods. Hyde maintains
Dracula dons an extravagant attire. Perhaps this modification occurred because of the massive time difference between the two novels. A more significant difference is Edward’s inability to shapeshift. Twilight largely centers around the existence of shapeshifting werewolves preventing the vampires from having the same powers. I am also aware of the incredible amount of weaknesses that Dracula has. For example, he cannot go near garlic or be in direct sunlight, however, Cullen can. The author of
one of his sons. After going to the temple and offering Zeus his child that he murdered. That is when the downfall occurred when he saw Lycaons child. Completely turning away from him with anger. Striking down his sons and turning him into a shapeshifting werewolf. This was meant as punishment, and basically a curse. When certain situations occurred he would
usually inadvertent in being placed in such a position. For example, if one looks at Anansi, the West African cultural hero, he inadvertently provides the world with wisdom. Another interesting aspect that is associated with tricksters is their shapeshifting ability. This ability further increases the variation in the possible appearances of cultural heroes cross
“Shapeshifting requires the ability to transcend your attachments, in particular your ego attachments to identity and who you are. If you can get over your attachment to labeling yourself and you're cherishing of your identity, you can be virtually anybody. You can slip in and out of different shells, even different animal forms or deity forms.” - Zeena Schreck, religious leader of the Sethian Liberation Movement. In the poem “We Wear the Mask” by Paul Laurence Dunbar the reader will learn that individuals
Dracula is the embodiment of evil. Bram Stoker's novel and movie displays evil through the character, Dracula, with the use of supernatural abilities, dark settings and the sinister practices of vampires. Dracula has abilities like no other. Shapeshifting
An archetype has a common and recurring representation in a particular human culture or entire human race. It can be a character, a theme, a symbol, or a setting. An archetype can shape the structure and function of literary work. An example of an archetype as a character is a mother figure. This character can be represented as a Fairy Godmother, seen in “Cinderella,” who guides and directs a child. The trickster is a recurrent figure or archetype in world mythologies, folklore, and literature. A
Bram Stoker’s Dracula is arguably one of the most influential pieces of Gothic literature ever produced highly due to his inclusion of many recurring gothic motifs. Throughout the novel Stoker intertwines many different symbols in order to produce the eerie ominous feel that this novel often tends to give the reader. While there are numerous gothic motifs found throughout this novel, three specifically make this novel the superior piece of work it has came to be known as. Imprisonment, vampires