According to folklore, Ogres are, in fact, not like onions. That is, while they actually do have layers, they are far more terrifying than their portrayals in media. For instance, ogres come in many shapes and sizes. This includes their description in famous literature, to their awesome power in roleplaying games.
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“Rattle of Bones” by Robert E Howard: Swords, Sorcery, and Death
The horrible darkness of unknowing and terror glides through our subconscious in terrible times. It occurs when it is dark and we can’t find our way, or when a strange visage appears on the horizon. In “Rattle of Bones” by Robert E Howard, who was also the progenitor of the sword and sorcery genre. Howard’s story features weird elements and hallmarks of the sword and sorcery genre: intense action and menacing villains.
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Spring-Heeled Jack: Folklore and the Supernatural
“Enchanted by that dark and mist-blown strawberry spring, and by the shadow of violent death that walked through it on those nights eight years ago. The shadow of Springheel Jack.” – Stephen King | Strawberry Spring
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Jack-o-Lanterns, Folklore, and the Devil
A pumpkin is just a pumpkin. A turnip is just a turnip. Carve a face into them and suddenly you have a jack-o-lantern. While these carved-out, festive fruits are something to behold, they also have a mythic history to them altogether. These stories carry a deeper connotative meaning then just spooky faces to put on your doorstep. In fact, jack-o’-lanterns may be one of the most important objects in the modern Halloween tradition.
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Was Halloween Built on Sacrifice? The Truth Behind Samhain
In Ray Bradbury’s The Halloween Tree (1972), a group of boys are whisked away on a magical Halloween eve and venture through time to learn the true meaning of Halloween. They encounter many obstacles and a great deal of folklore in the process. Some of it is true and some of it not true. All of it is laced with darkness. But just how sinister is it really? While there are many allegations that the ancient tradition of Samhain is actually a sacrificial party for pagans, there seems to be no first-hand accounts of this fact. In actuality, the folkloric origins of “sacrifice” have more to do with propaganda and less to do with tradition.
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A Look at “Memorials” by Emily Dickinson
Life and death are universal themes for a reason. All people experience them in a variety of ways. Death invades our solitude. Life can bring us out of the depths. In “Memorials” by Emily Dickinson, remembering somebody after they are gone is a complex notion. In just five quatrains, her poem discusses the deceased through objects they left behind.
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Writing Compelling Fictional Characters Using Temptation and Vice
“Knowing was a temptation. What you don’t know won’t tempt you.“ Margaret Atwood. The Handmaid’s Tale
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“Knowing was a temptation. What you don’t know won’t tempt you.“ Margaret Atwood. The Handmaid’s Tale
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The Violent Crimes of the Werewolf of Bedburg
In the annals of lycanthropy, there are many stories of violent crime against humans from one with wolf-like attributes. The story of Peter Stumpp is one such story. Historians and speculators have immortalized his crimes in the history books, as judiciaries of the era accused Stumpp of lycanthropy. Not exactly a modern crime. But just like the infamy of the Witches of Salem, today the public knows Stumpp as the Werewolf of Bedburg. Unfortunately, his crimes go beyond simple murders by moonlight.
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A Look at ‘The Once and Future King’
If you’ve read A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court by Mark Twain, you probably look at Arthurian Legend a little differently. Knights aren’t the noble stalwarts touted by history, but bloodthirsty marauders. Merlin is a conman, and Mordred is a monster. Yet, the original tales still exist, and there is a purity in these legends. For example, The Once and Future King (1958) by T.H. White gives readers a traditional telling of Arthurian legend that is simply a must read.
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Book Review: ‘Doomed’ by Chuck Palahniuk
Death and purgatory have a certain beautiful connection, as one informs the other. Trapped in the between places, the tendrils of connection to life are still tangible threads, but death lingers closely. But this tie calls the fears of the latter to mind as doomsday approaches. In Doomed by Chuck Palahniuk, the reader learns the details and exploits about noxious teen, Madison Spencer. Her journey takes her from her death, to purgatory, to the revelation of her own behavior.
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