Difference between revisions of "Scarecrow (creature)"
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| + | ==History== | ||
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| + | ===Origin=== | ||
| + | In [[1.11 Scarecrow]], a pagan god resides in an ancient tree immigrants brought to the US from Scandinavia. Each year the people of Burkitsville present it with a young man and woman as a sacrifice to ensure the prosperity of their crops. The god kills the couple by inhabiting the form of a scarecrow. The god is vanquished when the sacred tree is destroyed. | ||
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===Scarecrows and Mythology=== | ===Scarecrows and Mythology=== | ||
[[Image:Scarecrow.jpg|300px|thumb|right|The scarecrow from Supernatural]] | [[Image:Scarecrow.jpg|300px|thumb|right|The scarecrow from Supernatural]] | ||
Scarecrows as evil or scary figures probably arise from two contributing factors. Scarecrows link to the planting and protection of crops and the changing of the seasons. In agrarian societies, Spring was celebrated as a time of resurrection – of life reborn after the dark winter. Sacrifice is bound up in this cycle. Winter kills that which grows, and breeds, until it is reborn in Spring. And for many societies existed the idea that some deity or power needed a gift to ensure the prosperity of the new season. [[The Vanir]] were a group of Norse gods connected with fertility that were associated with ritual sacrifice. Effigies representing the gods were erected, and is possibly where scarecrows originated. | Scarecrows as evil or scary figures probably arise from two contributing factors. Scarecrows link to the planting and protection of crops and the changing of the seasons. In agrarian societies, Spring was celebrated as a time of resurrection – of life reborn after the dark winter. Sacrifice is bound up in this cycle. Winter kills that which grows, and breeds, until it is reborn in Spring. And for many societies existed the idea that some deity or power needed a gift to ensure the prosperity of the new season. [[The Vanir]] were a group of Norse gods connected with fertility that were associated with ritual sacrifice. Effigies representing the gods were erected, and is possibly where scarecrows originated. | ||
Scarecrows also possess attributes that lend themselves to being scary. They look human but are expressionless. As is the case with [[clowns]], for us the inability to interpret facial expressions provokes fear – think also of horror villains from the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phantom_of_the_opera Phantom of the Opera] to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween_%281978_film%29 Michael Myers] from Halloween or [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leatherface Leatherface] from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre movies. | Scarecrows also possess attributes that lend themselves to being scary. They look human but are expressionless. As is the case with [[clowns]], for us the inability to interpret facial expressions provokes fear – think also of horror villains from the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phantom_of_the_opera Phantom of the Opera] to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween_%281978_film%29 Michael Myers] from Halloween or [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leatherface Leatherface] from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre movies. | ||
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==Notes== | ==Notes== | ||
*See Also [[Vanir]] | *See Also [[Vanir]] | ||
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| + | ===Scarecrows in Film=== | ||
| + | *[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wicker_Man The Wickerman] This chilling 1973 horror movie in which a policeman travels to a Hebridean island to investigate the disappearance of a young girl. Instead he finds a neo-pagan cult who demand a sacrifice each year – someone they burn inside a giant wicker figure. | ||
| + | *[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Children_of_the_Corn Children of the corn] A young couple stumble onto a town of creepy children and “He Who Walks Behind the Rows”. | ||
| + | *[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Family_of_Blood Doctor Who] In the episode “Family of Blood” formless aliens control an animate army of scarecrows. When the Doctor finally defeats them, he traps one of them inside the form of a scarecrow. | ||
[[Category:Library]][[Category:Creatures & Spirits]][[Category:Urban Legends & Folklore]] | [[Category:Library]][[Category:Creatures & Spirits]][[Category:Urban Legends & Folklore]] | ||
Revision as of 23:57, 29 November 2010
History
Origin
In 1.11 Scarecrow, a pagan god resides in an ancient tree immigrants brought to the US from Scandinavia. Each year the people of Burkitsville present it with a young man and woman as a sacrifice to ensure the prosperity of their crops. The god kills the couple by inhabiting the form of a scarecrow. The god is vanquished when the sacred tree is destroyed.
Scarecrows and Mythology
File:Scarecrow.jpg
The scarecrow from Supernatural
Scarecrows as evil or scary figures probably arise from two contributing factors. Scarecrows link to the planting and protection of crops and the changing of the seasons. In agrarian societies, Spring was celebrated as a time of resurrection – of life reborn after the dark winter. Sacrifice is bound up in this cycle. Winter kills that which grows, and breeds, until it is reborn in Spring. And for many societies existed the idea that some deity or power needed a gift to ensure the prosperity of the new season. The Vanir were a group of Norse gods connected with fertility that were associated with ritual sacrifice. Effigies representing the gods were erected, and is possibly where scarecrows originated. Scarecrows also possess attributes that lend themselves to being scary. They look human but are expressionless. As is the case with clowns, for us the inability to interpret facial expressions provokes fear – think also of horror villains from the Phantom of the Opera to Michael Myers from Halloween or Leatherface from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre movies.
Notes
- See Also Vanir
Scarecrows in Film
- The Wickerman This chilling 1973 horror movie in which a policeman travels to a Hebridean island to investigate the disappearance of a young girl. Instead he finds a neo-pagan cult who demand a sacrifice each year – someone they burn inside a giant wicker figure.
- Children of the corn A young couple stumble onto a town of creepy children and “He Who Walks Behind the Rows”.
- Doctor Who In the episode “Family of Blood” formless aliens control an animate army of scarecrows. When the Doctor finally defeats them, he traps one of them inside the form of a scarecrow.
