Most mythological creatures have different morphology and connotation depending on the area or time in which they appear and the ogres are no exception.In this article we will talk about the most fascinating stories about this ugly and terrible creature of humanoid aspect that initially served to terrorize children and now serves to entertain them.You can know how the ogre figure has changed , from its beginnings in the cradle stories and fairy tales to the figure of Shrek, the most sympathetic and famous ogre of today.
You will also discover that there is truth in all these myths and legends about ogres .Do they really exist? What were our ancestors inspired to create them? What was his character like? If you want to know the answer to all these questions, keep reading this article about one of the best known mythological creatures.
Content Index
Ogres | Folklore, legends and evolution
The ogre through the different folklores
The etymological origin of the word ogre, brings the experts to head since for some it was an introduction of the magiares-an ethnic group from Eastern Europe-and for others comes from the Latin orcus.
- Be that as it may , the ogre first appeared in the legends Scandinavian , in them this giant and fierce creature captured children since it fed on its meat.According to other legends, they had a very shy character so they were easy to overcome.For this culture of northern Europe, the ogres they lived in castles near the mountains where they have hidden valuable treasures.
- In Japanese mythology the figure of oni appears, which have the same morphology as European ogres, with the only unlike not all of them are evil and horrible but there are some kind ones.The most famous ogre in Japanese mythology is called Mom otaro , who is the son born of a giant peach and who adopts a couple who cannot have children.Apparently, the ogre ends up becoming a hero defeating all the enemies he finds in his adventures.Oriental story, it has great acceptance in Japan.
- The creature that most closely resembles the ogre to the pygmies is the Negoogunogumbar .the legend, which is a horrible and fierce creature that feeds on newborn children.
- As well as for Muslims and Indians, there are also several tales of ogres in which these are always malevolent creatures that abduct and they feed on babies.
- For the Algonquian peoples of the United States, the ogre we know is called Wendigo and is described as a humanoid with enormous strength and who resorts to cannibalism to survive.The main legend of Wendigo , is that he was actually a great hunter who got lost in the forest and had to become an ogre who ate human flesh to survive without being able to return to its original form.It is believed that this legend may have true origins, which and explain cannibalism in some areas of ancient North America.
Appearance of ogres in popular culture
The first time the term "ogre" was used in a novel was thanks to Charles Perrault and his "Histoires ou Contes du Temps" .In these stories, based on the Neapolitans of Basile , The figure of the ogre appears as an almost human being with a very strong complexion and great bodily beauty.We can say that the French author first described the figure of the classical ogre in Europe and thanks to that everyone who read these tales of Fairies put a shape in his imagination.
In our times, the ogre is a mythological figure that is very present in both role-playing games and video games.Although without a doubt , Shrek was the ogre who made sure we all change our mind about this once-awful creature.The movie Shrek , was screened in theaters in 2001 and was a blockbuster.It featured a green ogre who lived in a pond, was lonely, a both hurricane and very dirty, but at the end of the movie he manages to rob us all of our hearts thanks to his humor and his values that are not very typical of a creature like him.
As you could see after reading this article, the ogre is one of the best known mythological creatures throughout all cultures .In every civilization, it was known in a way although it always had the same common aspects.Many creatures like the orcs or the trolls are similar to them, although we will talk about those other species on other occasions.
If you liked what you read, you would also like to know the details of three of the classic children's stories that we publish on our website.In addition, we would love to hear your opinion on the subject.Did you know that the ogre was known throughout the globe? Did you know the history of Wendigo ? Have you seen any of the Shrek movies? We look forward to reading your comments!
Comments
Post a Comment