Monstrum

The Macabre Origins of the Grim Reaper

There are fewer images of Death personified than the scythe-wielding skeletal form of the Grim Reaper. But where did it come from? You may have heard that this haunting figure emerged as a result of the Black Plague, but that’s only a fraction of the story. This episode looks at the long history of skeletal Death in religion, literature, art, and pop culture.

The Macabre Origins of the Grim Reaper

10m 2s

There are fewer images of Death personified than the scythe-wielding skeletal form of the Grim Reaper. But where did it come from? You may have heard that this haunting figure emerged as a result of the Black Plague, but that’s only a fraction of the story. This episode looks at the long history of skeletal Death in religion, literature, art, and pop culture.

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