Where Does the Grim Reaper Come From?

Where does the Grim Reaper come from? Who is this skeletal incarnation of death really? In this video we’ll explore the origins of the Grim Reaper. A journey that takes us from ancient deities/archetypes of mortality all the way to history’s worst pandemic, the Black Death, the ghoulish environment from which the grim reaper (as we now know it) surfaced.

You may be surprised to know that the Grim Reaper isn’t actually mentioned in the Bible, and whilst there are descriptions of angels of death and apocalyptic horsemen that seem similar, it may be largely superficial. Let me know your thoughts though. Perhaps the Grim Reaper originally developed from figures from European folklore, especially the Ankou which comes from Celtic Mythology (Cornish and Breton to be exact). These figures synthesised with an increased number of images of death in medieval paintings post Black Death, in a movement known as the Danse Macabre. And there we have it: The Grim Reaper.

On another note, we made it! 1,000 subscribers. It’s been a rather sudden rise in views and subscribers, and I couldn’t be happier that more people can see my content. Thank you all for your nice comments, I feel truly inspired and excited for what comes next for the channel. Next stop: 10k. Bring it on.
H.

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Sources:

Ankou

Why Does the Grim Reaper Exist? | The New Yorker

Death (Personification)

List of Death Deities

How the Grim Reaper Works

What is the origin of the legend about the Grim Reaper?

Black Death

The Grim Reaper: Deathbed Visitations and the Angel of Death

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Music:

Elf Meditation Preview by Kevin MacLeod

Intro/Outro - Epic of Gilgamesh in Sumerian (Peter Pringle)
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#GrimReaper

[hochelaga]

1, 000 subscribers! Thank you all so much. Let's see where this goes :)

[thelordnaevis]

“The grim reaper is so creepy”

The grim reaper: *literally just accompanying you to the afterlife so you won’t have to go alone or not know where to go*

[xhosagibran]

The tranquil background music and clear calming voice made this video perfect.

[AyubuKK]

I imagine Death to be mostly chill and blunt. Generally benevolent with a dark sense of humor

[zucchero]

Can we just talk about how awesome he pronounced the Aztec names?

[morten]

In Norway the Black Death produced the character ‘Pesta’, an old woman who travelled from farm to farm personifying the plague.

If she came holding a broom, all inhabitants would be ‘swept away’, but if she came holding a rake some would survive.

The artist Theodor Kittelsen has some of the creepiest and most widely recognised depictions of her.

[Satan-nwlv]

"Dance of death"

My mind: *Spooky Scary Skeletons bass boosted*

[brmuopd]

I love how Korean grim reaper just wants to make his quota that's it

[williameyer]

I'm such a huge fan of The Grim Reaper, I would die to see him.

[Donnygast]

As a dutchman, i can tell you that the 'Magere Hein' is weird to explain in english. Magere means skinny, as in bony stature. And Hein is just a name, quite common in dutch history.
We might call it Skinny Steve from now. Yeah, i like that. Watch out grandma Skinny Steve is coming for you!

[jaxthewolf]

I remember having a vivid dream which was at first a nightmare in which the Grim Reaper came to me and gave off a loving energy. He than took his scythe and struck through me but there was no pain and I became a ghost. After that the dream became very peaceful and I was happy. When I tried to thank him he had already vanished.

[teriyakii]

Poor Grim Reaper getting negative perspectives on other people even if he's just a guy taking people to the afterlife

[Anarchsis]

‘Death smiles at every man, and as men, all we can do is smile back.’ Marcus Aurelius

[cramerfloro]

I'd like to add something:
The roman god of harvests, Saturn, had a scythe as his symbol. The Romans identified him with the greek Kronos, because in mythology, his weapon was again a scythe. But the Orphic cults identified this deity with Chronos (the ch is pronounced like a strong H), the god of time. And so, classicists from the 14th century onward would unite this Saturn/Kronos/Chronos figure with the popular depictions of Death to express the passage of time and life.

[robotone]

3:57 “Around 1346, a mysterious disease had arrived to Europe from Asia. And people were being infected by the millions.”
2020: Here we go again.

[fabledgalaxies]

If Soul Eater has taught me anything, the Grim Reaper's actually a pretty chill guy /j

[larrykarganot]

they always ask "who is the grim reaper" but never "how is the grim reaper" :(

[heshiram]

Your editing and script is well made and polished! Your voice is also quite pleasant to listen to. I hope you keep making more videos on interesting topics and that you grow. :D

[dilly-dally-mations]

I dont wanna die
Grim reaper: relax relax, I just work here dude, I don't make the rules

[broadusthompson]

A cool one is the German version, the “Dengelgeist”, dengeln being the act of sharpening a scythe by light hammering, the dengelgeist is literally the scythe sharpening ghost- who sits in the graveyard preparing to reap. So much more ominous than just a skeletal reaper