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What is the Grim Reaper?

Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

The Grim Reaper is the personification of death. Many cultures have some version of this figure, who may also be known as the Angel of Death, with this figure humanizing the experience of death and being designed to reduce the fear of death. The term “Grim Reaper” is most commonly used in Western culture, and this figure is associated with some very specific visual symbolism. Depictions of the personification of death date back to at least Greek times, when he took a young man's form and was known as Thanatos, and artworks from earlier cultures also suggest that death was personified in other ways and under other names.

The symbolism most closely associated with the Grim Reaper today appears to have emerged in medieval Europe. This figure is always depicted as a man. In some regions, this figure wears a black hooded cloak, while in other instances, he takes the form of a skeleton. Traditionally, the Reaper holds a scythe, representing the fact that he is coming to harvest lives, and in some depictions, he also holds an hourglass, representing the inevitable passage of time which will eventually lead to death.

The grim reaper is typically depicted as a figure wearing a black hooded cloak.
The grim reaper is typically depicted as a figure wearing a black hooded cloak.

People do not literally see the Grim Reaper when they die, or if they do, they haven't mentioned it. This figure is instead used as a metaphorical representation of death in works of art, including poetry and fiction. In the Medieval era in particular, people had a fascination with death which was intertwined with fear, probably because of the pandemic diseases which swept Europe repeatedly during this period, and the Grim Reaper was commonly depicted in drawings and paintings of people who were near death.

Stories about the grim reaper often feature cemeteries.
Stories about the grim reaper often feature cemeteries.

In some parts of the West, the Reaper is said to bring about death, which creates the possibility of tricking or cheating death. In other areas, he is simply a guide who helps the soul part with the world and the body, leading the soul into the afterlife. Some myths about the Grim Reaper suggest that he occasionally appears to show someone the error of their ways, giving them visions of the future and a warning that they will die or suffer torment in the afterlife if they continue along their current path.

People near death often report seeing a bright light, not the Grim Reaper.
People near death often report seeing a bright light, not the Grim Reaper.

Well through the 19th century, the Grim Reaper was also commonly included on headstones in some form or another, such as the winged death's heads seen on many Colonial graves. The Grim Reaper continues to show up in political cartoons which depict death, and he has even become a pop culture figure, showing up in songs, television shows, and films from many eras. People may also dress in black cloaks on Halloween, costuming themselves as the Angel of Death and thereby reducing the fear of death.

Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a WiseGEEK researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.

Learn more...
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a WiseGEEK researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.

Learn more...

Discussion Comments

ChanDawn

I have seen the grim reaper on four occasions and within minutes to months of seeing him/it, someone died, either in the place I saw him or a person I was acquainted with or knew well.

Perhaps it was a fear of someone dying or understanding of the inevitable, or perhaps I saw him in a dangerous place and subconsciously conjured the apparition. In any case, it is a little creepy but somewhat consoling. I am not morbid nor do I think that a person dying is in any way consoling, but death is a part of life and the foresight thereof is something of a blessing because I am reminded to be kind not just to those I love and care for, but to everyone because this may be their last day on Earth.

For whatever the reason I perceive the Reaper, I feel both blessed and burdened that I do.

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    • The grim reaper is typically depicted as a figure wearing a black hooded cloak.
      By: davidevison
      The grim reaper is typically depicted as a figure wearing a black hooded cloak.
    • Stories about the grim reaper often feature cemeteries.
      By: AlienCat
      Stories about the grim reaper often feature cemeteries.
    • People near death often report seeing a bright light, not the Grim Reaper.
      By: Les Cunliffe
      People near death often report seeing a bright light, not the Grim Reaper.
    • Images of the grim reaper often focus on death.
      By: FER737NG
      Images of the grim reaper often focus on death.