Alright, the famous character called The Grim Reaper is something we've all heard of and grew up around. I thought it might be a good idea to have others share their knowledge and stories of this figure. Also if anyone knows the history,origin, and meaning of this figure. No I'm not saying one exists, I'm just curious to learn more about this and hear what others have to say. =)

Well, I don't know the history or folklore that goes with him, but basically to me the Grim Reaper is the touch of death.

If you have a wild imagination you can make up plenty of things about him. As if he's always lurking around and going about his business collecting souls and has a date preset for when your time is going to come.

I like the idea of the figure, but as you basically said, the Grim Reaper isn't real.

Is he an incarnation of Charon the ferryman who took the dead across the River styx to Haydes in ancient mythology?

Or perhaps he's better known as Kronos Mythologic origin of the reaper

Hmmm... notwithstanding the "Kronos" suggestion, I reckon it's just an obvious rural metaphor.

After all, the reaper cuts down the grown corn, gathering it in. It's kinda natural to extend that to a mythological 'reaper' of human souls, gathering in the dead and usheriing them onto the Next Place.

Which is - of course.. the Gloomy Miller and the Dour Baker. (who mixes in Yeast.. and LO... the bread Rises Again)

Meow Purr.

Of course, in specific lore aimed squarely at my mode of thought:
The Rendition of the Reaper in the embodiment of Death, wearing shrouds of Black, with Pumpkin Cast of Heads of those towards whom He wishes to Reap, that's my Baby!

However, as far as folk lore of Tradition. Icabad and his ride with satisfaction of the Revolutionary War outcome is probably the most observed. The tale indicates of the Headless Horseman, who is in fact through interpretation, The Grim Reaper. Whence it came...is often heard. And, the scene of passage, underneath the quite brook at the overpass. Impeccable, as it dictates the observance of continuation, through necessity of Death. Price, affixed on the prior, immense is the word for which I'm often probed. Ask of it, watch yourself. As, you see, you see...

Maybe the grim reaper figure started by someone who experienced shadow figures and such.. and came to the conclusion that the shadow person was some how affiliated with a warning of death.. just a thought.

Sounds like a good and logical though

Ever since I've seen the movie Jeepers Creepers, the Grim Reaper reminds me of that movie.

But like the others who posted here, I grew up with the Grim Reaper being a sign of death and life in total horror. I hear that before most people die, their whole life flashes right in front of them, like a really fast movie. And then for those few evil-at-heart, the reaper comes and takes them to neverending torment. Alteast thats what I've heard, not necessarily believe.

I dont know anything about his origions but i sure would like to stitch him in cross stitch. Humm i wonder if there are any kits of the grim reaper out there. There are always lots of angels on the market (angels are nice to stitch too) but ive not seen any of the reaper yet.

In my culture (Breton) we have a character similar to the Grim Reaper known as "An Ankou", or Lankou in French. He is the servant of death. He has quite a solid background story so I thought I might add my 2 pence.
An Ankou, like the Reaper, has the body of a discomposed corpse, long stringy hair, ragged clothes. He carries a scythe but the blade is the other way round (to push the souls out of the bodies?). He has a cart pulled by a just as dead-looking horse ("Carne-Sêche"), and its rusty wheels can be heard from far away, which is generally not a good sign (someone may be fying in the neighbourhood).
Seeing him is not necessarily sign of death: if you see him in the evening, you've got a few years left. If you see him before sunrise, death is closer...
An Ankou appears to you when you're dying (sometimes the people surrounding the dying person can see him too) and takes your soul into the "Sid" (the Here After, or Christians' Heaven). I assume that ghosts are people whose souls, for some reason, did not get taken to the Sid.
The most interesting part is that An Ankou is not one person, his identity changes every year: the last person to die on December 31 becomes An Ankou for the year to come. (however An Ankou is always represented as male, but perhpas because it so happens that the last dead is always a man?)
An Ankou is not a negative person, although his appearance always causes concern for your nearest and dearest. He has been said to spare people's life, for instance when he needs help with repairing his scythe, or his clock. There is also a story where he becomes godfather of the 13th child of a poor family, providing him with education and money. Because of his near omnipresence, death has become familiar in Britanny.

I would have to agree with shankpin here . that its probably came from those who were experiencing strange bedside phenomena. Back then sleep paralysis wasn't heard of and hadnt been studied . Many people who experienced old hag syndrome (SP) really assumed someone was trying to kill them in their beds, lots who have this experience report shadow people at the same time . also with the strangling feeling and pressing down on the chest . I'm pretty certain they were scared enough at the time to think that they were in real danger of losing their life and most probably their soul to this "being" . hence the grim reaper .



SS

I wouldn't go as far to say that the Grim Reaper was based on actual phenomenon, but what do i know. I think for all intents and purposes, the Grim Reaper is just a metaphor for death. Just as Santa is for the spirit of giving.

that is very cool. I have heard of the Ankou from some of my friends, quite an interesting figure

Of course there are Angels of Death mentioned, such as Mastema who was said to be the angel sent to kill the first born of Egypt.

The Demon of Christianity signified in Death is Lucifer.

His Wings Afire, he shall sit. Wandering. For you see, God so despised his love of this Death, he possessed Lucifer. In order He might draw others with its significance.

Lucifers' sole duty, in Armageddon is to cause leighs, which many indicate is typographical error. But, is just a fanciful word for trap. Of the soul...
Many will walk with him, this Lucifer, and fight the struggle, while standing before...as fodder.

The grim reaper is one of those figures that had to be invented by humans. After all, death is scary - humans have to personalize it in order to deal with it and to have a mental focus if they want to fight against it. Therefore, the grim reaper was created for the same reason god was - to have something to picture when trying to imagine the unimaginable...

"DON'T THINK OF IT AS DYING, said Death. JUST THINK OF IT AS LEAVING
EARLY TO AVOID THE RUSH."

-- (Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman, Good Omens)

Lots of old-time personification of life events. Grim Reaper cross stitch... hmmm...

I think it was just a way for people to try and explain death as they thought of it, big, dark, cold, and scary, all the things the grim reaper is, in a way that others could understand, Then the idea of it just got bigger and bigger.

He is the symbal of death

don't fear the reaper

come on baby.

Namtar - Personification of Death, the Original Grim Reaper

source

Good work Bella-Angelique I've never heard of Namtar before, this is cool!

Here's the ultimate description of the Grim Reaper.

MORE COWBELL!