Anthropomorphic Anthropomorphic personifications of personifications of death: comparative death: comparative

studystudyby Andrey Toptunov, Northern by Andrey Toptunov, Northern

(arctic) Federal University(arctic) Federal University

Main questionsMain questions

► What is an anthropomorphic personification? What is an anthropomorphic personification? ► Common traits and characteristics for the Common traits and characteristics for the

anthropomorphic personifications of Deathanthropomorphic personifications of Death► Death (HE) by Terry Pratchett and Death Death (HE) by Terry Pratchett and Death

(she) by Neil Gaiman: general and special(she) by Neil Gaiman: general and special► Transformation of the Death’s image to our Transformation of the Death’s image to our

days (using the comparison with modern days (using the comparison with modern works or images)works or images)

► The impact of the anthropomorphic The impact of the anthropomorphic personification of Death in our dayspersonification of Death in our days

Chapter One: Anthropomorphic Chapter One: Anthropomorphic personificationpersonification

► An anthropomorphic personification An anthropomorphic personification personifies a phenomenon or a concept.personifies a phenomenon or a concept.

► An anthropomorphic personification may An anthropomorphic personification may work on the very fabric of reality so that work on the very fabric of reality so that the phenomenon happens. the phenomenon happens.

► An anthropomorphic personification may An anthropomorphic personification may also preside over events. also preside over events.

► Some of the anthropomorphic Some of the anthropomorphic personifications have a capacity to personifications have a capacity to evolve and grow as individuals.evolve and grow as individuals.

Some of the most famous Some of the most famous personifications: personifications: Pestilence, War, Pestilence, War,

Famine, and DeathFamine, and Death

Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse by Viktor VasnetsovFour Horsemen of the Apocalypse by Viktor Vasnetsov

Chapter Two: Death as Chapter Two: Death as anthropomorphic personificationanthropomorphic personification

► And I looked, and behold And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his a pale horse: and his name that sat on him name that sat on him was Death, and Hell was Death, and Hell followed with him. And followed with him. And power was given unto power was given unto them over the fourth part them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.the beasts of the earth.

Revelation 6:8Revelation 6:8 The Fourth Horseman in Bamberg Apocalypse (1000-1020)

social social dismembermentdismemberment

religious differencesreligious differences

regional and national regional and national characteristicscharacteristics

From the Dance of Death by Michael Wolgemut (1493)

Death in the tarot deck

Death: illustration to a polish fairy tale "Three Lamp"

►From horsemen of the apocalypse is like a From horsemen of the apocalypse is like a human (anthropomorphic, yeah)human (anthropomorphic, yeah)

►From the image of a man it was gradually From the image of a man it was gradually shifted to the image of the skeleton or shifted to the image of the skeleton or rotting corpse (emphasizes remoteness, rotting corpse (emphasizes remoteness, contrast of death and its uniqueness and contrast of death and its uniqueness and universality)universality)

►A big role in the image of death played a A big role in the image of death played a plague epidemicplague epidemic

►Depending on the cultures and traditions Depending on the cultures and traditions that can be feminine image (triune deity that can be feminine image (triune deity virgin-woman-old woman = death)virgin-woman-old woman = death)

►Reaper with a scythe is a fairly traditional Reaper with a scythe is a fairly traditional image associated with agricultural activitiesimage associated with agricultural activities

Chapter Three: DEATH and Chapter Three: DEATH and DeathDeath

DEATH by Paul Kirby Death by Chris Bacholo

DEATH/Grim ReaperDEATH/Grim Reaper►skeletal body, a skeletal body, a

black robe and a black robe and a scythescythe

►talks in UNQUOTED talks in UNQUOTED SMALL CAPSSMALL CAPS

► fascinated with fascinated with humans in generalhumans in general

►seems to lack seems to lack comprehension of comprehension of some human some human conceptsconcepts

► had an apprentice had an apprentice named Mort named Mort

► and an adopted (!) and an adopted (!) daughter named daughter named YsabellYsabell

► Susan, his grand-Susan, his grand-daughter through daughter through themthem

► lives alone in lives alone in Death's Domain Death's Domain with his manservant with his manservant Albert and the Albert and the Death of Rats. Death of Rats.

Terry Pratchett's HogfatherTerry Pratchett's Hogfather

Death of RatsDeath of Rats

► Death himself Death himself cannot be seen cannot be seen by most by most individuals, (with individuals, (with the exceptions of the exceptions of cats, children, cats, children, wizards and other wizards and other anthropomorphic anthropomorphic personifications)personifications)

► he thinks, there he thinks, there will be life. And will be life. And therefore death. therefore death. He will be He will be needed. He can needed. He can wait.wait.

► He is also one of the He is also one of the Horsemen of the Horsemen of the ApocralypseApocralypse

► The Apocralypse is The Apocralypse is the end of the the end of the world, so named world, so named because it is an because it is an apocryphalapocryphal apocalypse, nobody apocalypse, nobody is sure when it will is sure when it will happen, how it will happen, how it will happen, and happen, and whether it will whether it will happen in the here-happen in the here-and-now sense.and-now sense.

Death/Death/Elder Sister Elder Sister ► beautiful dark-haired girl beautiful dark-haired girl

with a pale (but not white) with a pale (but not white) skin color. Prefers black skin color. Prefers black and wears ankh around and wears ankh around his neck. Although she his neck. Although she can change her image can change her image anytimeanytime

► second oldest of seven second oldest of seven Endless – Endless – anthropomorphic anthropomorphic creatures that are creatures that are associated with certain associated with certain aspects of the universe aspects of the universe and possess absolute and possess absolute authority in their areas of authority in their areas of responsibilityresponsibility

► dysfunctional family of dysfunctional family of seven siblingsseven siblings

► CClockwise, from left: lockwise, from left: Death, Destiny, Dream, Death, Destiny, Dream, Destruction, Desire, Destruction, Desire, Delirium, and DespairDelirium, and Despair

► First rule: Death can First rule: Death can not shed the blood of a not shed the blood of a member of her family. member of her family.

► Second rule: Death has Second rule: Death has no right to fall in love no right to fall in love with a mortal. with a mortal. Otherwise, the whole Otherwise, the whole race of people will die.race of people will die.

Endless by Frank Quitely

►Death embodies any Death embodies any death and every death and every possible life. possible life.

►Death has the power Death has the power to liberate the soul to liberate the soul from the mortal from the mortal body, and then send body, and then send it to the destination. it to the destination.

►Death always comes Death always comes to see the baby to see the baby during his birth and during his birth and her touching gives her touching gives him the warmth of him the warmth of life.life.

Death is the most fun of the Eternals, Death is the most fun of the Eternals, being frequently a mediator in their being frequently a mediator in their

disputesdisputes

►Death wears a Death wears a silver ankh silver ankh around her neck. around her neck. It allows her to It allows her to know the life and know the life and death, and death, and through it she through it she can contact with can contact with God.God.

Death by Chris Bacholo

► Death is present in all Death is present in all places, but people can places, but people can not see her, except the not see her, except the moments when Death moments when Death shows herself shows herself voluntarilyvoluntarily

► Every hundred years for Every hundred years for one day death clothed one day death clothed in mortal flesh, to in mortal flesh, to better feel the life that better feel the life that she takes, taste bitter she takes, taste bitter poison of mortality: this poison of mortality: this price she must pay for price she must pay for the right to share the the right to share the living and the living and the deceased, and all who deceased, and all who will come after.will come after.

Death by Chris Bacholo

Chapter Four: TransformationChapter Four: Transformation►the restriction of religious beliefs the restriction of religious beliefs ►the philosophy of death and the philosophy of death and

immortalityimmortality ►sciencescience also contributed greatly to also contributed greatly to

the de-Christianization of the the de-Christianization of the concepts of deathconcepts of death

►vulgarizationvulgarization►no sacrednessno sacredness►death does not depend on the persondeath does not depend on the person ►Death is an enemyDeath is an enemy

► When people die, they are usually slightly When people die, they are usually slightly shocked, offended, or worse. And all they shocked, offended, or worse. And all they need is a kind word and a friendly face. need is a kind word and a friendly face.

► At the end each of us exposed. At the end each of us exposed. ► At the end each of us alone.At the end each of us alone.

Dispute between a man and his Ba

IInstead of a nstead of a conclusionconclusion

ReferencesReferences► Causes of death //

http://www.benbest.com/lifeext/causes.html► Death in Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (!) //

http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/death/#5 ► Discworld Characters //

http://wiki.lspace.org/mediawiki/index.php/Discworld_%26_Terry_Pratchett_Wiki:Characters

► Holy Bible http://bibleonline.ru/bible/eng/ ► Myth, Lore and Legends of Death //

http://travelingwithintheworld.ning.com/group/mythloreandlegendsofdeath

► Native American Death Mythology // http://www.native-languages.org/legends-death.htm

► Neil Gaiman // http://www.neilgaiman.com/ ► Terry Pratchett // http://www.terrypratchett.co.uk/# ► Yeah, you do not care what Wikipedia says. But it is

quit useful // http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_(personification)