The Grim Reaper, in the form of a skeleton carrying a scythe, appears in sculptures, paintings, and illustrations since at least 1450 CE, when this was how death was presented on a deck of hand-drawn Tarot cards. These early representations of death largely favored artists, allowing an allegorical way to represent the threat of the final sleep. In short, death is not only inevitable, but required. Without an end to living things, the world would quickly become crowded to the point of no movement and all would be hungry for lack of things to eat, for none could kill to acquire food. The earliest such fictional account of a meeting with the Grim Reaper that I've found is a 1401 German poem by Johannes von Tepl called Der Ackermann aus Böhmen ( 'The Ploughman from Bohemia'), in which a dialogue takes place between a ploughman, whose wife has recently died, and a skeletal Death who refers to himself as “ Master Death, a truly effective reaper.”Īccused of being the basest of evil things by the upset ploughman, Death defends himself by pointing out that all things must end it is merely his job to bring that end.

Many of these stories tell of people attempting to trick or stall the Grim Reaper to prolong their mortal lives some succeed, but most don’t.

but there are also stories that portray the Grim Reaper as the actual cause of death, charged with ending the lives of those he collects. The cloak appears to be a 18th or 19th Century addition to the Grim Reaper's appearance, as most older illustrations and statues do not include this garment.Īccounts of the Grim Reaper sometimes portray him ( this being is most often portrayed in male terms) as a 'psychopomp,' which means a guide of the newly dead whose job is to collect and safely transport the spirits of the once-living to their designated afterlife. so the implication is the Grim Reaper could easily cut off the lives of many people at one stroke. A scythe is an old farm tool used to mow down large patches of tall stalks from the base with each sweep. That death should be represented as either a skeleton or skeletally thin person is a common theme to many cultures this appearance evokes both the last mortal remains of humans, as well as what many people actually look like before dying. For at least six hundred years, this traditional representation of death in Europe and the United States has been known as the “Grim Reaper” or just “Death” ( with a capital “D”), and is most often portrayed as a skeleton carrying a scythe, and usually wearing a black cloak. By creating such a personification, the concept of death itself can then be used in both fictional tales to explore ideas regarding it and in folklore beliefs to prescribe ways to address and deal with death when it strikes. so it should not be too much of a surprise to find that death is personified - represented as a singular, intelligent being - in most cultures around the world. likely much earlierĪll humans, no matter where they were born or what they believe, are subject to death at some point in their lives. Area(s) Reported: Europe and the United Statesĭate(s) Reported: since at least 1401 CE.

Grim reaper without scythe sketch