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| Something only gimps believe in. | |||
| {{Otheruses|Ghost (disambiguation)}} | |||
| ] and ] invoking the spirit of a deceased person (engraving from the ''Astrology'' by ], 1806).]] | |||
| {{paranormal}} | |||
| According to traditional belief, a '''ghost''' is the ] or ] of a deceased person or animal, taken to be capable of appearing in visible form or otherwise manifesting itself to the living. Descriptions of the ] vary widely: The mode of manifestation can range from an invisible presence to translucent or wispy shapes, to realistic, life-like visions. The deliberate attempt to contact the spirit of a deceased person is known as ], or in spiritism as a '']''. | |||
| The belief in manifestations of the spirits of the dead is widespread, dating back to ] or ] in pre-literate cultures. Certain religious practices—funeral rites, ]s, and some practices of ] and ]—are specifically designed to appease the spirits of the dead. Ghosts are generally described as solitary essences which haunt particular ], objects, or people with which they were associated in life, though stories of phantom armies, ], ], and even ghost ] have also been recounted.<ref>Hole, pp. 150-163</ref><ref>Daniel Cohen (1994) ''Encyclopedia of Ghosts''. London, Michael O' Mara Books: 8</ref> | |||
| ==Terminology== | |||
| {{See|spirit|soul|anima|genius (mythology)|Geist}} | |||
| The English word '']'' continues ] '']'', from a hypothetical ] ''*gaistaz''. It is common to ], but lacking in North and East Germanic (the equivalent word in ] is ''ahma'', ] has ''andi'' m., ''önd'' f.). | |||
| The pre-Germanic form would have been ''{{PIE|*ghoisdo-s}}'', apparently from a root denoting "fury, anger" reflected in Old Norse ''geisa'' "to rage". The Germanic word is recorded as masculine only, but likely continues a neuter ''s''-stem. The original meaning of the Germanic word would thus have been an animating principle of the ], in particular capable of excitation and fury (compare '']''). In ], "]", and the later ], was at the same time the ] and the "lord of fury" leading the ]. | |||
| Besides denoting the human spirit or soul, both of the living and the deceased, the Old English word is used as a synonym of Latin '']us'' also in the meaning of "breath, blast" from the earliest (9th century) attestations. It could also denote any good or evil spirit, i.e. angels and demons; the ] gospel refers to the ] of Matthew 12:43 as ''se unclæna gast''. Also from the Old English period, the word could denote the spirit of God, viz. the "]". | |||
| The now prevailing sense of "the soul of a deceased person, spoken of as appearing in a visible form" only emerges in ] (14th century). | |||
| The modern noun does, however, retain a wider field of application, extending on one hand to soul, spirit", ], ] or ], the seat of feeling, thought and moral judgement; on the other hand used figuratively of any shadowy outline, fuzzy or unsubstantial image, in optics, photography and cinematography especially a flare, secondary image or spurious signal.<ref>]</ref> | |||
| The synonym '']'' is a ] loanword, akin to ] ''spôk'' (of uncertain etymology); it entered the English language via the ] in the 19th century.<ref>. Retrieved 2009-05-12.</ref><ref>Mencken, H. L. (1936, repr. 1980). The American Language: An Inquiry into the Development of English in the United States (4th edition). New York: Knopf, p. 108.</ref><ref>''Webster's Third New International Dictionary'', Merriam-Webster, ''spook''.</ref><ref>''Webster's New World College Dictionary'' (4th edition), Wiley, ''spook''.</ref> Alternate words in modern usage include ''spectre'' (from Latin ''spectrum''), the Scottish ''wraith'' (of obscure origin), ''phantom'' (via French ultimately from Greek ''phantasma'', compare '']'') and ''apparition''. The term '']'' in ] translates Greek σκιά,<ref></ref> or Latin ''umbra'',<ref></ref> in reference to the notion of spirits in the ]. "Haint" is a synonym for ghost used in regional English of the southern United States<ref>''Dictionary of American Regional English'', Belknap Press, 1985</ref>, and the "haint tale" is a common feature of southern oral and literary tradition.<ref>Joseph M. Flora, Lucinda Hardwick MacKethan, Todd W. Taylor, ''The Companion to Southern Literature'', ], 2001, pg. 304.</ref> The term '']'' is a German word, literally a "noisy ghost", for a spirit said to manifest itself by invisibly moving and influencing objects.<ref name="Cohen1984">{{cite book | |||
| |author=Daniel Cohen | |||
| |title=The encyclopedia of ghosts | |||
| |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=5lcMRQryEQMC | |||
| |accessdate=23 September 2010 | |||
| |date=1 January 1984 | |||
| |publisher=Dodd, Mead | |||
| |isbn=9780396083085 | |||
| |pages=137–156}}</ref> | |||
| '']'' is a ] dialectal word for "ghost, spectre, apparition". It came to be used in Scottish Romanticist literature, and acquired the more general or figurative sense of "portent, ]". In 18th- to 19th-century Scottish literature, it was also applied to aquatic spirits. The word has no commonly accepted etymology; ] notes "of obscure origin" only. | |||
| An association with the verb '']'' was the etymology favored by ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.greenmanreview.com/book/book_shippey_tolkien.html|title=Tom Shippey, J.R.R. Tolkien: Author of the Century (Houghton Mifflin Company, 2001)|author=Liz Milner|work=greenmanreview.com|accessdate=2009-01-04}}</ref> Tolkien's use of the word in the naming of the creatures known as the ] has influenced later usage in ] literature. | |||
| A ] is a deceased person returning from the dead to haunt the living, either as a disembodied ghost or alternatively as an animated ("]") corpse. Also related is the concept of a ], the visible ghost or spirit of a person yet alive. | |||
| ==Typology== | |||
| ===Anthropological context=== | |||
| {{See|Animism|Ancestor worship|Origin of religion|Anthropology of religion}} | |||
| A notion of the ], ] or ], usually involving entities like ghosts, ]s or ], is a ].<ref>] (1991) ''Human Universals''. Philadelphia, ] ().</ref> In pre-literate ]s, these beliefs are often summarized under ] and ].<ref name="EncyOccult">Some people believe the ghost or ] never leaves ] until there is no-one left to remember the one who died. Encyclopedia of Occultism and Parapsychology edited by ], ], ISBN 0-8103-5487-X</ref> | |||
| In many cultures malignant, restless ghosts are distinguished from the more benign spirits which are the subject of ].<ref>Richard Cavendish (1994) ''The World of Ghosts and the Supernatural''. Waymark Publications, Basingstoke: 5</ref> | |||
| Ancestor worship typically involves rites intended to prevent ], vengeful spirits of the dead, imagined as starving and envious of the living. Strategies for preventing revenants may either include ], i.e. the provision of the dead with food and drink in order to pacify them, or the magical banishment of the deceased, preventing them from returning by force. Ritual feeding of the dead is performed in traditions like the Chinese ] or the Western ]. Magical banishment of the dead is present in many of the world's ]s. The bodies found in many ] (]) had been ritually bound before burial,<ref>e.g. in graves of the ] </ref> and the custom of binding the dead persists, for example, in rural ].<ref>"In the immediate aftermath of a death, the deceased is removed from the bed he died in and placed on the prepared floor, called a ‘comfort bed.’ His jaw is bound up and his feet tied together (usually at the big toes)." </ref> | |||
| Nineteenth-century ] ] stated in his classic work, '']'', that souls were seen as the creature within that animated the body.<ref name="GoldenBough">"If a man lives and moves, it can only be because he has a little man or animal inside, who moves him. The animal inside the animal, the man inside the man, is the soul. And as the activity of an animal or man is explained by the presence of the soul, so the repose of sleep or death is explained by its absence; sleep or trance being the temporary, death being the permanent absence of the soul... " , ], accessed January 16, 2007</ref> | |||
| ==Additional== | |||
| ===Ghosts and the afterlife=== | |||
| {{See|Soul|Psyche (psychology)|Underworld|Hungry ghost|Psychopomp}} | |||
| {{See|Ghost Festival|All Souls' Day|Day of the Dead}} | |||
| Although the human soul was sometimes symbolically or literally depicted in ancient cultures as a bird or other animal, it was widely held that the soul was an exact reproduction of the body in every feature, even down to clothing the person wore. This is depicted in artwork from various ancient cultures, including such works as the '']'', which shows deceased people in the afterlife appearing much as they did before death, including the style of dress. | |||
| ===Common attributes=== | |||
| Another widespread belief concerning ghosts is that they are composed of a misty, airy, or subtle material. ] link this idea to early beliefs that ghosts were the person within the person (the person's spirit), most noticeable in ancient cultures as a person's breath, which upon exhaling in colder climates appears visibly as a white mist.<ref name="EncyOccult">''Encyclopedia of Occultism & Parapsychology'' edited by J. Gordon Melton, Gale Group, ISBN 0-8103-5487-X</ref> This belief may have also fostered the metaphorical meaning of "breath" in certain languages, such as the ] ''spiritus'' and the ] '']'', which by ] became extended to mean the soul. In the ], ] is depicted as animating ] with a breath. | |||
| In many traditional accounts, ghosts were often thought to be deceased people looking for vengeance, or imprisoned on earth for bad things they did during life. The appearance of a ghost has often been regarded as an omen or portent of death. Seeing one's own ghostly double or ] is a related omen of death.<ref>Hole, pp. 13-27</ref> | |||
| ] were reported to appear in many rural areas, and supposed to have died tragically or suffered trauma in life. White Lady legends are found around the world. Common to many of them is the theme of losing or being betrayed by a husband or fiancé. They are often associated with an individual family line, as a harbinger of death. When one of these ghosts is seen it indicates that someone in the family is going to die, similar to a ]. | |||
| Legends of ghost ships have existed since the 18th century; most notable of these is the '']''. This theme has been used in literature in '']'' by Coleridge. | |||
| ===Locale=== | |||
| {{See also|Haunted house}} | |||
| A place where ghosts are reported is described | |||
| as ], and often seen as being inhabited by ] of deceased who may have been former residents or were familiar with the property. Supernatural activity inside homes is said to be mainly associated with ] or ] events in the building's past such as murder, accidental death, or ] — sometimes in the recent or ancient past.But not all hauntings are at a place of a violent pass, or even on violent grounds. Amongst many cultures and ]s it is believed that the essence of a being such as the ']' continues to exist. Some philosophical and religious views argue that the 'spirits' of those who have died have not 'passed over' and are trapped inside the property where their memories and energy are strong. | |||
| ==History== | |||
| ===Antiquity=== | |||
| {{See|Shade (mythology)}} | |||
| ====Mesopotamia==== | |||
| {{main|Ghosts in Mesopotamian religions}} | |||
| <!--This section is a summary of the main article on Ghosts in Mesopotamian religions. Please do not remove content from this section that appears in the lead section of the main article. If you have new content, please first add it to the main article, then update the main article summary if necessary, and only then update this section to reflect the change in summary. See ] --> | |||
| There are many references to ] - the religions of ], ], ] and other early states in ]. Traces of these beliefs survive in the later ]s that came to dominate the region.<ref>{{cite book | |||
| |title=The treasures of darkness: a history of Mesopotamian religion | |||
| |author=Thorkild Jacobsen | |||
| |publisher=Yale University Press | |||
| |year=1978 | |||
| |isbn=0300022913}}</ref> | |||
| ] were thought to be created at time of death, taking on the memory and personality of the dead person. They traveled to the netherworld, where they were assigned a position, and led an existence similar in some ways to that of the living. | |||
| Relatives of the dead were expected to make offerings of food and drink to the dead to ease their conditions. | |||
| If they did not, the ghosts could inflict misfortune and illness on the living. | |||
| Traditional healing practices ascribed a variety of illnesses to the action of ghosts, while others were caused by gods or demons.<ref name=black>{{cite book | |||
| |title=Gods, demons, and symbols of ancient Mesopotamia: an illustrated dictionary | |||
| |author=Jeremy A. Black, Jeremy Black, Anthony Green, Tessa Rickards | |||
| |publisher=University of Texas Press | |||
| |year=1992 | |||
| |isbn=0292707940}}</ref> | |||
| ====Ancient Egypt==== | |||
| ] | |||
| {{main|Ghosts in ancient Egyptian culture}} | |||
| <!--This section is a summary of the main article on Ghosts in ancient Egyptian culture. Please do not remove content from this section that appears in the lead section of the main article. If you have new content, please first add it to the main article, then update the main article summary if necessary, and only then update this section to reflect the change in summary. See ] --> | |||
| There was widespread belief in ] in the sense of the continued existence of the soul and spirit after death, with the ability to assist or harm the living, and the possibility of a second death. Over a period of more than 2,500 years, Egyptian beliefs about the nature of the afterlife evolved constantly. Many of these beliefs were recorded in inscriptions, papyrus scrolls and tomb paintings. The ] compiles some of the beliefs from different periods of ancient Egyptian history.<ref>{{cite book | |||
| |last=Goelet | |||
| |first= Ogden | |||
| |title= A Commentary on the Corpus of Literature and Tradition which constitutes the Book of Going Forth By Day | |||
| |publisher= Chronicle Books | |||
| |location= San Francisco | |||
| |year=1998 | |||
| |pages=139–170}}</ref> | |||
| In modern times, the fanciful concept of a mummy coming back to life and wreaking vengeance when disturbed has spawned a whole genre of horror stories and movies.<ref name="Vieira2003">{{cite book | |||
| |author=Mark A. Vieira | |||
| |title=Hollywood horror: from gothic to cosmic | |||
| |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=QyR2QgAACAAJ | |||
| |accessdate=23 September 2010 | |||
| |date=1 November 2003 | |||
| |publisher=Harry N. Abrams | |||
| |isbn=9780810945357 | |||
| |pages=55–58}}</ref> | |||
| ====Biblical references & Judæo–Christian belief==== | |||
| The ] ] and the ] contain few references to ghosts, associating spiritism with forbidden occult activities cf. ] 18:11. The most notable reference is in the First ] (I Samuel 28:3-19 KJV), in which a disguised ] has the ] summon the spirit/ghost of ]: | |||
| {{Quotation|<sup>3</sup>Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul had put away those that had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land. <sup>4</sup>And the Philistines gathered themselves together, and came and pitched in Shunem: and Saul gathered all Israel together, and they pitched in Gilboa. <sup>5</sup>And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled. <sup>6</sup>And when Saul enquired of the LORD, the LORD answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets. <sup>7</sup>Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and enquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor. <sup>8</sup>And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and he went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said, I pray thee, divine unto me by the familiar spirit, and bring me him up, whom I shall name unto thee. <sup>9</sup>And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land: wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die? <sup>10</sup>And Saul sware to her by the LORD, saying, As the LORD liveth, there shall no punishment happen to thee for this thing. <sup>11</sup>Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he said, Bring me up Samuel. <sup>12</sup>And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice: and the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul. <sup>13</sup>And the king said unto her, Be not afraid: for what sawest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth. <sup>14</sup>And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed himself. <sup>15</sup>And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do. <sup>16</sup>Then said Samuel, Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing the LORD is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy? <sup>17</sup>And the LORD hath done to him, as he spake by me: for the LORD hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and given it to thy neighbour, even to David: <sup>18</sup>Because thou obeyedst not the voice of the LORD, nor executedst his fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore hath the LORD done this thing unto thee this day. <sup>19</sup>Moreover the LORD will also deliver Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines: and to morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me: the LORD also shall deliver the host of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.|] 28:3-19|]}} | |||
| In the ], ] has to persuade the ] that he is not a ghost following the ], ] 24:37-39 (note that some versions of the Bible, such as the KJV and NKJV, use the term "spirit"). In a similar vein, Jesus' followers at first believe him to be a ghost (spirit) when they see him ]. | |||
| As such, much of the ] considers ghosts as beings who while tied to earth, no longer live on the material plane.<ref name="Emissary">{{cite book|url = http://books.google.com/?id=q469xc7mbksC&pg=PA69&dq=Walter+Halloran+exorcism+ouija&cd=13#v=onepage&q=Walter%20Halloran%20exorcism%20ouija| title = A Faraway Ancient Country|quote=if we have ghosets, then where do we put them in the Christian universe? While they are tied to the earth, they are no longer living on the material plain. Heaven and hell are exclusive places, so it's extremely unlikely that people come and go from these destinations as they please. There must be a third state in the afterlife where souls linger before continuing their journey.|publisher = ]|accessdate = 2010-03-27|isbn = 9780615158013|author1 = Emissary,|date = 2007-09-30}}</ref> Furthermore, some ] teach that ghosts are beings who linger in an ] before continuing their journey to ].<ref name="Emissary"/><ref name="UMC">{{cite web|url = http://www.umportal.org/article.asp?id=5101| title = Heavenly minded: It’s time to get our eschatology right, say scholars, authors|quote=John Wesley believed in the intermediate state between death and the final judgment “where believers would share in the ‘bosom of Abraham’ or ‘paradise,’ even continuing to grow in holiness there,” writes Ted Campbell, a professor at Perkins School of Theology, in his 1999 book Methodist Doctrine: The Essentials (Abingdon).|publisher = ]|accessdate = 2010-03-27}}</ref><ref name="Eleanor Prosser">{{cite book|url = http://books.google.com/?id=1zasAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA115&dq=purgatory+ghost&cd=3#v=onepage&q=purgatory%20ghost| title = Hamlet and revenge|quote=Primarily the Purgatory ghost appeared only to ask for masses, alms, fasts, pilgrimages, and, above all, prayers.|publisher = ]|accessdate = 2010-03-27|isbn = 9780804703161|author1 = Prosser, Eleanor|year = 1967}}</ref><ref name="Paulist Fathers">{{cite book|url = http://books.google.com/?id=X_kWAQAAIAAJ&q=purgatory+ghost&dq=purgatory+ghost&cd=9| title = Catholic world, Volume 162|quote=That the Ghost comes from Purgatory is evident from his description of his abode in the other world as primarily a state of purification, consisting of...|publisher = ]|accessdate = 2010-03-27|author1 = Fathers, Paulist|year = 1945}}</ref> On occasion, ] would allow the ] in this state to return to earth to warn the living of the need for ].<ref name="J.P. Somerville">{{cite web|url = http://history.wisc.edu/sommerville/367/367-102.htm| title = Ghosts, Fairies and Omens|quote=The Roman Catholic Church taught that at death the souls of those too good for hell and too bad for heaven were sent to Purgatory. Here they were purged of their sins by punishment, but might on occasion be allowed to return to earth to warn the living of the need for repentance.|publisher = ]|accessdate = 2010-03-27}}</ref> Nevertheless, ] and ] are taught that it is ] to attempt to ] in accordance with ] XVIII: 9–12.<ref name="Eric Stoutz">{{cite web|url = http://catholicexchange.com/2006/10/07/83644/| title = Do You Believe in Ghosts?|quote=Ghosts can come to us for good, but we must not attempt to conjure or control spirits. |publisher = Catholic Exchange|accessdate = 2010-03-27}}</ref><ref name="Michele Klein">{{cite book|url = http://books.google.com/?id=tqG29pi8HPUC&pg=PA171&dq=conjuring+spirits+bible&cd=7#v=onepage&q=conjuring%20spirits%20bible|title= Not to worry: Jewish wisdom and folklore|quote=Jews have sometimes engaged in conjuring spirits when worried, even though the Bible prohibits this behavior. |publisher = ]|accessdate = 2010-03-27|isbn = 9780827607538|author1 = Klein, Michele|date = 2003-06-30}}</ref> | |||
| Accepting, but moving beyond this position, some ghosts are actually said to be ] in disguise,<ref name="Ron Rhodes">{{cite web|url = http://www.gotquestions.org/ghosts-hauntings.html|title = What does the Bible say about ghosts / hauntings?|quote=Appearing as a “ghost” and impersonating a deceased human being definitely seem to be within the power and abilities that demons possess.|publisher = Got Questions Ministries|accessdate = 2010-03-27}}</ref> who the Church teaches, in accordance with ] 4:1, that they "come to deceive people and draw them away from God and into bondage."<ref name="Spotlight Ministries">{{cite web|url = http://www.spotlightministries.org.uk/hauntings.htm|title=A Christian Perspective on Ghosts and Hauntings|quote=The Bible warns of the very real danger of seductive spirits that will come to deceive people and draw them away from God and into bondage: "But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons..." (1 Tim. 4:1).|publisher = Spotlight Ministries|accessdate = 2010-03-27}}</ref> As a result, ] may lead to ] with a demon or an ], as was said to occur in the case of ], a fourteen year old Maryland youth.<ref name="Sue Lim - Contact">{{cite book|url =http://books.google.com/?id=_ZH_CdJpxoUC&pg=PA98&dq=Phyllis+Mannheim&cd=2#v=onepage&q=Phyllis%20Mannheim|title= Good Spirits, Bad Spirits: How to Distinguish Between Them|quote= Robbie's playing of the Ouija board gave occult spirits the jurisdiction or right to control him, which they did until they were commanded to leave (cast out).|publisher = Writers Club Press|accessdate = 2010-04-02|isbn =9780595227716|author1 =Lim, Sue|date =2002-06-18}}</ref> | |||
| According to Christian belief, appearances of ], a common paranormal phenomenon attributed to ghosts,<ref name="Gerald Brittle - Orbs of Light">{{cite book|url = http://books.google.com/?id=0qscomSDhcoC&pg=PA21&dq=orbs+of+light&cd=6#v=onepage&q=orbs%20of%20light|title=The Demonologist: The Extraordinary Career of Ed and Lorraine Warren|publisher = ]|quote="Instead of orbs of light, other people report seeing hundreds of tiny pinpoints of light in a cluster that -like the orbs-blend into a larger cylindrical glow. In either case, within this tall, bioluminescent glow, the definable features of a person will begin to emerge until the spirit has manifested as much as it possibly can. To be accurate by the way, it's called a ''ghost'' if the features are not recognizable to the viewer, if the features are recognizable to the viewer, it's an ''apparition''. Either way, though, you've got a visitor."|accessdate = 2010-03-27|isbn = 9780595246182|author1 = Brittle, Gerald|date = 2002-09}}</ref> can be explained by ] 11:14, which states that "even ] disguises himself as an ]" (]).<ref name="Spotlight Ministries - Orbs of Light">{{cite web|url = http://www.spotlightministries.org.uk/hauntings.htm|title=A Christian Perspective on Ghosts and Hauntings|publisher = Spotlight Ministries|accessdate = 2010-03-27}}</ref> | |||
| ====Classical Greece==== | |||
| Ghosts appeared in ]'s '']'' and '']'', in which they were described as vanishing "as a vapor, gibbering and whining into the earth." Homer’s ghosts had little interaction with the world of the living. Periodically they were called upon to provide advice or prophecy, but they do not appear to be particularly feared. Ghosts in the classical world often appeared in the form of vapor or smoke, but at other times they were described as being substantial, appearing as they had been at the time of death, complete with the wounds that killed them.<ref>Finucane, pp. 4, 16</ref> | |||
| By the 5th century BC, ] ghosts had become haunting, frightening creatures who could work to either good or evil purposes. The spirit of the dead was believed to hover near the resting place of the corpse, and cemeteries were places the living avoided. The dead were to be ritually mourned through public ceremony, sacrifice and libations, or they might return to haunt their families. The ancient Greeks held annual feasts to honor and placate the spirits of the dead, to which the family ghosts were invited, and after which they were “firmly invited to leave until the same time next year”.<ref>Finucane, pp. 8-11</ref> | |||
| The 5th century BC play '']'' contains one of the first ghosts to appear in a work of fiction. | |||
| ====Roman empire==== | |||
| The ] believed a ghost could be used to exact revenge on an enemy by scratching a curse on a piece of lead or pottery and placing it into a grave.<ref>Finucane, pg 12</ref> | |||
| ], in the 1st century AD, described the haunting of the baths at ] by the ghost of a murdered man. The ghost’s loud and frightful groans caused the people of the town to seal up the doors of the building.<ref>Finucane, pg 13</ref> Another celebrated account of a haunted house from the ancient classical world is given by ] (] 50 AD).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.siu.edu/news/ghosts.html |title=Classical ghost stories |accessdate=2007-09-19 |last=Jaehnig |first=K.C. |date=1999-03-11 |publisher= Southern Illinois University |archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20070908171955/http://www.siu.edu/news/ghosts.html |archivedate = September 8, 2007}}</ref> Pliny describes the haunting of a house in ] by a ghost bound in chains. The hauntings ceased when the ghost's shackled skeleton was unearthed, and given a proper reburial.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bartleby.com/9/4/1083.html |title=LXXXIII. To Sura |accessdate=2007-09-19 |first=Pliny the Younger |work=bartleby.com }}</ref> The writers ] and ] also wrote stories about haunted houses. | |||
| One of the first persons to express disbelief in ghosts was ] in the 2nd century AD. In his tale "The Doubter" (circa 150 AD) he relates how ] "the learned man from ] in ]" lived in a tomb outside the ]s in order to prove that cemeteries were not haunted by the spirits of the departed. Lucian relates how he persisted in his disbelief despite ]s perpetrated by "some young men of Abdera" who dressed up in black robes with skull masks in order to give him a fright.<ref>"The Doubter" by Lucian in Roger Lancelyn Green (1970) ''Thirteen Uncanny Tales''. London, Dent: 14-21; and Finucane, pg 26</ref> This account by Lucian notes something about the popular classical expectation of how a ghost should look. | |||
| In the 5th century AD, the Christian priest ] recorded an instance of the recurring theme of the improperly buried dead who come back to haunt the living, and who can only cease their haunting when their bones have been discovered and properly reburied.<ref>F. R. Hoare, ''The Western Fathers'', Sheed & Ward: New York, 1954, pp. 294-5.</ref> | |||
| ===European Middle Ages=== | |||
| Ghosts reported in ] tended to fall into two categories: the souls of the dead, or demons. The souls of the dead returned for a specific purpose. Demonic ghosts were those which existed only to torment or tempt the living. The living could tell them apart by demanding their purpose in the name of Jesus Christ. The soul of a dead person would | |||
| divulge their mission, while a demonic ghost would be banished at the sound of the Holy Name.<ref>Finucane, Ch. 3</ref> | |||
| Most ghosts were souls assigned to ], condemned for a specific period to atone for their transgressions in life. Their penance was generally related to their sin. For example, the ghost of a man who had been abusive to his servants was condemned to tear off and swallow bits of his own tongue; the ghost of another man, who had neglected to leave | |||
| his cloak to the poor, was condemned to wear the cloak, now "heavy as a church tower". These ghosts appeared to the living to ask for prayers to end their suffering. Other dead souls returned to urge the living to confess their sins before their own deaths.<ref>Fincucane, pp. 70-77.</ref> | |||
| Medieval European ghosts were more substantial than ghosts described in the ], and there are accounts of ghosts being wrestled with and physically restrained until a priest could arrive to hear its confession. Some were less solid, and could move through walls. Often they were described as paler and sadder versions of the person they had | |||
| been while alive, and dressed in tattered gray rags. The vast majority of reported sightings were male.<ref>Finucane, pp. 83-84.</ref> | |||
| There were some reported cases of ghostly armies, fighting battles at night in the forest, or in the remains of an ] hillfort, as at ], near Cambridge, England. Living knights were sometimes challenged to single combat by phantom knights, which vanished when defeated.<ref>Finucane, pg. 79.</ref> | |||
| From the medieval period an apparition of a ghost is recorded from 1211, at the time of the ].<ref>] (2008) ''A Most Holy War''. ], New York: 3-5, 116-117. ISBN 978-0-19-517131-0</ref> ], Marshal of ], wrote that the image of Guilhem, a boy recently murdered in the forest, appeared in his cousin's home in ], near ]. This series of "visits" lasted all of the summer. Through his cousin, who spoke for him, the boy allegedly held conversations with anyone who wished, until the local priest requested to speak to the boy directly, leading to an extended disquisition on theology. The boy narrated the trauma of death and the unhappiness of his fellow souls in ], and reported that God was most pleased with the ongoing Crusade against the ] heretics, launched three years earlier. The time of the Albigensian Crusade in southern France was marked by intense and prolonged warfare, this constant bloodshed and dislocation of populations being the context for these reported visits by the murdered boy. | |||
| ===Arabian Nights=== | |||
| Haunted houses are featured in the 9th century '']'' (such as the tale of '']'').<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Arabian Nights and Orientalism: Perspectives from East & West|last=Yuriko Yamanaka|first=Tetsuo Nishio|publisher=]|year=2006|isbn=1850437688|page=83|postscript=<!--None-->}}</ref> | |||
| ===European Renaissance to Romanticism=== | |||
| ] and his father's ghost" by ] (1780s drawing). The ghost is wearing stylized ] in 17th century style, including a ] type helmet and ]. Depicting ghosts as wearing armour, to suggest a sense of antiquity, was common in ].]] | |||
| ] took a revived interest in the ], including ]. In the era of the Reformation and Counter Reformation, there was frequently a backlash against unwholesome interest in the dark arts, typified by writers such as ].<ref>Walker, D.P. (1958) ''Spiritual and Demonic Magic from Ficino to Campanella.'' London: Warburg Institute, passim.</ref> The Swiss Reformed pastor ] supplied one of the most frequently reprinted books of the period with his ''Of Ghosts and Spirits Walking By Night.''<ref>Original German edition: ''Von Gespänsten ..., kurtzer und einfaltiger bericht,'' Zürich, 1569 </ref> | |||
| The ] '']'' (1868) recounts the story of a ghost returning to beg a woman to free him from his promise to marry her, as he obviously cannot being dead; her refusal would mean his damnation. This reflects a popular British belief that the dead would haunt their lovers if they took up with a new love without some formal release.<ref>], ''The English and Scottish Popular Ballads'', v 2, p 227, Dover Publications, New York 1965</ref> '']'' expresses a belief even more widespread, found in various locations over Europe: ghosts can stem from the excessive grief of the living, whose mourning interferes with the dead's peaceful rest.<ref>Francis James Child, ''The English and Scottish Popular Ballads'', v 2, p 234, Dover Publications, New York 1965</ref> In many folktales from around the world, the hero arranges for the burial of a dead man. Soon after, he gains a companion who aids him and, in the end, the hero's companion reveals that he is in fact the ].<ref name="encybrit">{{Cite web|url=http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9037771/grateful-dead#23476.hook|title=Grateful dead|accessdate=2007-12-14|publisher=Encyclopædia Britannica Online|year=2007|work=Encyclopædia Britannica}}</ref> Instances of this include the Italian ] '']'' and the Swedish '']''. | |||
| ===Modern period of western culture === | |||
| ] | |||
| ====Spiritualist movement==== | |||
| {{Main|Spiritualism}} | |||
| <!--This section is a summary of the main article on Spiritualism. Please do not remove content from this section that appears in the lead section of the main article. If you have new content, please first add it to the main article, then update the main article summary if necessary, and only then update this section to reflect the change in summary. See ] --> | |||
| '''Spiritualism''' is a ] belief system or ], postulating a belief in ], but with a distinguishing feature of belief that ]s of the dead residing in the ] can be contacted by "]", who can then provide information about the ].<ref name="Carroll">{{cite book | |||
| | last = Carroll | |||
| | first = Bret E. | |||
| | year = 1997 | |||
| | title = Spiritualism in Antebellum America. (Religion in North America.) | |||
| | publisher = Bloomington: Indiana University Press | |||
| | isbn = 0-25333-315-6 | |||
| | quote = | |||
| | pages = 248}}</ref> | |||
| Spiritualism developed in the ] and reached its peak growth in membership from the 1840s to the 1920s, especially in ],<ref name=Braude>{{cite book | |||
| | last = Braude | |||
| | first = Ann Braude | |||
| | year = 2001 | |||
| | title = Radical Spirits: Spiritualism and Women's Rights in Nineteenth-Century America, Second Edition | |||
| | publisher = Indiana University Press | |||
| | isbn = 0-25321-502-1 | |||
| | quote = | |||
| | pages = 296}} | |||
| </ref><ref name="Britten">{{cite book | last = Britten| first = Emma Hardinge| authorlink = Emma Hardinge Britten| title = Nineteenth Century Miracles: Spirits and their Work in Every Country of the Earth | publisher = New York: William Britten | year = 1884 | isbn = 0766162907 }}</ref> By 1897, it was said to have more than eight million followers in the United States and ],<ref name="NYT">{{cite journal | |||
| | last = Times | |||
| | first = New York | |||
| | year = 29/11/1897 | |||
| | title = Three Forms of Thought; M. M. Mangassarian Addresses the Society for Ethical Culture at Carnegie Music Hall. | |||
| | publisher = The New York Times | |||
| | pages = 200 | |||
| }}</ref> mostly drawn from the ] and ]es, while the corresponding movement in continental Europe and Latin America is known as ]. | |||
| The religion flourished for a half century without canonical texts or formal organization, attaining cohesion by periodicals, tours by trance lecturers, camp meetings, and the missionary activities of accomplished mediums. Many prominent Spiritualists were women. Most followers supported causes such as the ] and ].<ref name="Braude" /> By the late 1880s, credibility of the informal movement weakened, due to accusations of fraud among mediums, and formal Spiritualist organizations began to appear.<ref name="Braude" /> Spiritualism is currently practiced primarily through various denominational ]es in the United States and ]. | |||
| ] (1804-69), "decoder" of Spiritism]] | |||
| ====Spiritism==== | |||
| {{Main|Spiritism}} | |||
| <!--This section is a summary of the main article on Spiritism. Please do not remove content from this section that appears in the lead section of the main article. If you have new content, please first add it to the main article, then update the main article summary if necessary, and only then update this section to reflect the change in summary. See ] --> | |||
| '''Spiritism''', or French ], is based on the five books of the ] written by ] educator Hypolite Léon Denizard Rivail under the ] ] reporting ]s in which he observed a series of phenomena that he attributed to incorporeal intelligence (]s). His assumption of spirit communication was validated by many contemporaries, among them many scientists and philosophers who attended séances and studied the phenomena. His work was later extended by writers like ], ], ], Ernesto Bozzano, ], Divaldo Pereira Franco, ], ]<ref></ref> and others. | |||
| Spiritism has adherents in many countries throughout the world, including Spain, United States, Canada<ref>In Canada, Spiritism is an officially recognized religious denomination (unique in the world) as (Church #A145 registered by Department of Vital Statistics, Government of Alberta - under The Marriage Act of Alberta) with government-licensed clergy and legal authority to perform marriages.</ref>, Japan, Germany, France, England, Argentina, Portugal and especially Brazil, which has the largest proportion and greatest number of followers<ref>David Hess. ''Spirits and Scientists: Ideology, Spiritism, and Brazilian Culture'', Pennsylvania State Univ Press, 1991</ref>. | |||
| ==== Scientific skepticism ==== | |||
| {{seealso|Paranormal}} | |||
| ] of the ], wrote that there was no credible ] that any location was inhabited by spirits of the dead.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.csicop.org/si/show/haunted_inns_tales_of_spectral_guest |title=Haunted Inns Tales of Spectral Guests |accessdate=2009-12-19 |last=Nickell |first=Joe |date=Sept-Oct 2000 |publisher=] }}</ref> Limitations of ] and ordinary physical explanations can account for ghost sightings; for example, ] changes in a home causing doors to slam, or lights from a passing car reflected through a window at night. ], an innate tendency to recognize patterns in random perceptions, is what some skeptics believe causes people to believe that they have seen ghosts.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://skepdic.com/pareidol.html |title=pareidolia |accessdate=2007-09-19 |last=Carroll |first=Robert Todd |date=June 2001 |work=skepdic.com }}</ref> Reports of ghosts "seen out of the corner of the eye" may be accounted for by the sensitivity of human ]. According to Nickell, peripheral vision can easily mislead, especially late at night when the brain is tired and more likely to misinterpret sights and sounds."<ref name=visit>{{cite web|url=http://www.csicop.org/sb/show/paranormal_visit/ |title=The Paranormal Visit |accessdate=2010-02-12 |last=Weinstein |first=Larry |date=June 2001 |publisher=] }} | |||
| : "Once the idea of a ghost appears in a household . . . no longer is an object merely mislaid. . . . There gets to be a dynamic in a place where the idea that it's haunted takes on a life of its own. One-of-a-kind quirks that could never be repeated all become further evidence of the haunting."</ref> | |||
| Some researchers, such as ] of ], ], have speculated that changes in ] fields (created, e.g., by tectonic stresses in the Earth's crust or ]) could stimulate the brain's ]s and produce many of the experiences associated with hauntings.<ref>, retrieved September 25, 2007</ref> ] is thought to be another cause of supposed sightings. | |||
| Richard Lord and ] have concluded that ] can cause humans to experience bizarre feelings in a room, such as anxiety, extreme sorrow, a feeling of being watched, or even the chills.<ref name=sound>{{cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/09/08/1062901994082.html?oneclick=true |title=Sounds like terror in the air |accessdate=2007-09-19 |date=2003-09-09 |work=Reuters |publisher=smh.com.au }}</ref> ], which can cause changes in perception of the visual and auditory systems,<ref name="pmid11410684">{{cite journal|author=Choi IS|title=Carbon monoxide poisoning: systemic manifestations and complications|journal=J. Korean Med. Sci.|volume=16|issue=3|pages=253–61|year=2001|pmid=11410684|doi=|issn=}}</ref> was speculated upon as a possible explanation for ]s as early as 1921. | |||
| ==By culture== | |||
| ]]] | |||
| ===Austronesia=== | |||
| {{main|Malay ghost myths|Ghosts in Filipino culture|Ghosts in Polynesian culture}} | |||
| <!--This section is a summary of the main articles listed above. Please do not remove content from this section that appears in the lead section of the main articles. If you have new content, please first add it to the main article, then update the main article summary if necessary, and only then update this section to reflect the change in summary. See ] --> | |||
| There are many ], remnants of old animist beliefs that have been shaped by later Hindu, Buddhist and Muslim influences in the modern states of ], ] and ]. Some ghost concepts such as the female vampires ] and ] are shared throughout the region. | |||
| Ghosts are a popular theme in modern Malaysian and Indonesian movies. | |||
| There are also many references to ], ranging from ancient legendary creatures such as the ] and ] to more modern urban legends and horror movies. | |||
| The beliefs, legends and stories are as diverse as the people of the ]. | |||
| There was widespread belief in ], some of which persists today. | |||
| After death, a person's ghost would normally travel to the sky world or the underworld, but some could stay on earth. In many ] legends, ghosts were often actively involved in the affairs of the living. Ghosts might also cause sickness or even invade the body of ordinary people, to be driven out through strong medicines.<ref>{{cite book | |||
| |title=Hawaiian Legends of Ghosts and Ghost-Gods | |||
| |author=William Drake Westervelt | |||
| |publisher=Forgotten Books | |||
| |year=1985 | |||
| |isbn=1605069647 | |||
| |url=http://books.google.com/?id=hVd46sXgkSAC&dq=polynesian+ghost}}</ref> | |||
| ], the vanquisher of ghosts and evil beings, painted sometime before ] A.D. by ].]] | |||
| ===China=== | |||
| {{main|Ghosts in Chinese culture}} | |||
| <!--This section is a summary of the main article listed above. Please do not remove content from this section that appears in the lead section of the main article. If you have new content, please first add it to the main article, then update the main article summary if necessary, and only then update this section to reflect the change in summary. See ] --> | |||
| There are many references to ghosts in Chinese culture. Even Confucius said, "Respect ghosts and gods, but keep away from them."<ref name=mincul>{{cite web | |||
| |url=http://www1.chinaculture.org/gb/en_chinaway/2004-03/17/content_46337.htm | |||
| |title=Chinese Ghost Culture | |||
| |accessdate=2010-07-07 | |||
| |publisher=Ministry of Culture, P.R.China}}</ref> | |||
| The ghosts take many forms depending on the way in which the person died, and are often harmful. | |||
| Many of the Chinese ghost beliefs have been accepted by neighboring cultures, notably Japan and south-east Asia. | |||
| Ghost beliefs are closely associated with the traditional Chinese religion based on ancestor worship, many of which were incorporated in ]. Later beliefs were influenced by ], and in turn influenced and created uniquely Chinese Buddhist beliefs. | |||
| Many Chinese today consider that it is possible to contact the spirits of their ancestors through a medium, and that the ancestor can help their descendants if properly respected and rewarded. | |||
| The annual ] is celebrated by Chinese around the world. On this day ghosts and ], including those of the deceased ancestors, come out from the ]. | |||
| Ghosts are described in classical Chinese texts, and continue to be depicted in modern literature and movies. | |||
| ===European folklore=== | |||
| {{See|Revenant (folklore)|Necromancy|Samhain|Halloween|All Souls' Day}} | |||
| Belief in ghosts in ] is characterized by the recurring fear of "returning" or '']'' deceased which may harm the living. This includes the Scandinavian '']'', the Romanian '']'', the Serbian '']'', the Greek '']'', etc. | |||
| ] is particularly notable for its numerous ]. | |||
| Popular folklore has always been dismissed as ] by the educated elite, but belief in the ] and an ] remained near universal until the emergence of ] in the 18th century "]". In the 19th century, ] resurrected "belief in ghosts" as the object of systematic inquiry, and popular opinion in ] remains divided.<ref>Paul Chambers (2006) ''The Cock Lane Ghost''. London, Sutton: 61-2</ref> | |||
| ===Japan=== | |||
| ] "]"]] | |||
| {{main|Yūrei}} | |||
| <!--This section is a summary of the main article listed above. Please do not remove content from this section that appears in the lead section of the main article. If you have new content, please first add it to the main article, then update the main article summary if necessary, and only then update this section to reflect the change in summary. See ] --> | |||
| {{nihongo|'''Yūrei'''|]}} are figures in ], analogous to Western legends of ghosts. The name consists of two ], ] (''yū''), meaning "faint" or "dim" and ] (''rei''), meaning "soul" or "spirit." Alternative names include 亡霊 (Bōrei) meaning ruined or departed spirit, 死霊 (Shiryō) meaning dead spirit, or the more encompassing 妖怪 (]) or お化け (]). | |||
| Like their ] and Western counterparts, they are thought to be ] kept from a peaceful ]. | |||
| ===India=== | |||
| {{Main|Bhoot (ghost)}} | |||
| ] are a recurrent motives both in ] and in modern day ] as well, references to ghosts may be often found. The common word for ghosts in ] is ''bhoot'' ({{lang|bn| ভূত}}). | |||
| In Central and Northern Asia, ] ]s play a central role. The word Bhoot referring to ghosts is also commonly used all over Northern India, Hindi speaking areas and in all the regions using related dialects. | |||
| ===Mexico=== | |||
| ], one of the most popular figures of the ''Day of the Dead'' celebrations in Mexico]] | |||
| <!--This section is a summary of the main article on Ghosts in Mexican culture. Please do not remove content from this section that appears in the lead section of the main article. If you have new content, please first add it to the main article, then update the main article summary if necessary, and only then update this section to reflect the change in summary. See ] --> | |||
| {{Main|Ghosts in Mexican culture}} | |||
| There is extensive and varied belief in ]. The modern state of ] before the ] was inhabited by diverse peoples such as the ] and ], and their beliefs have survived and evolved, combined with the beliefs of the ] colonists. The ] incorporates pre-Columbian beliefs with ] elements. Mexican literature and movies include many stories of ghosts interacting with the living. | |||
| ===Tibet=== | |||
| {{main|Ghosts in Tibetan culture}} | |||
| <!--This section is a summary of the main article listed above. Please do not remove content from this section that appears in the lead section of the main article. If you have new content, please first add it to the main article, then update the main article summary if necessary, and only then update this section to reflect the change in summary. See ] --> | |||
| There is widespread belief in ghosts in Tibetan culture. Ghosts are explicitly recognized in the ] religion as they were in Indian ],<ref>{{cite book |last=Conze |first=Edward |authorlink= |coauthors= |editor= |others= |title=A Short History of Buddhism |origdate= |origyear= |origmonth= |url= |format= |accessdate= |edition=2 |series= |volume= |year=1993 |month= |publisher=Oneworld |location=Oxford |language= |isbn= |oclc= |doi= |id= |pages= |chapter= |chapterurl= |quote= }}</ref> occupying a distinct but overlapping world to the human one, and feature in many traditional legends. | |||
| When a human dies, after a period of uncertainty they may enter the ghost world. | |||
| A ] (Tibetan: ''yidag'', ''yi-dvags''; Sanskrit: ''preta'', प्रेत) has a tiny throat and huge stomach, and so can never be satisfied. | |||
| Ghosts may be killed with a ritual dagger or caught in a spirit trap and burnt, thus releasing them to be reborn. | |||
| Ghosts may also be exorcised, and an annual festival is held throughout Tibet for this purpose. | |||
| Some say that ], the ghost of a powerful 17th-century monk, is a deity, but the ] asserts that he is an evil spirit, which has caused a split in the Tibetan exile community. | |||
| ===United States=== | |||
| {{See|Ghosts of the American Civil War|Shadow people}} | |||
| According to the Gallup Poll News Service, belief in haunted houses, ghosts, communication with the dead, and witches had an especially steep increase over the 1990s.<ref>Newport F, Strausberg M. 2001. "Americans' belief in psychic and paranormal phenomena is up over last decade", Gallup Poll News Service. 8 June <!--year?-->, Chapter 7 of ''Science and Engineering Indicators 2004'', National Science Board, National Science Foundation; ''Science and Engineering Indicators 2006'', National Science Board, National Science Foundation.</ref> A 2005 Gallup poll found that about 32 percent of Americans believe in ghosts.<ref name=gallup>{{cite web|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2843/is_5_29/ai_n15400020 |title=Gallup poll shows that Americans' belief in the paranormal persists |accessdate=2007-09-19 |last=Musella |first=David park |date=Sept-October 2005 |publisher=] |archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20070821134210/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2843/is_5_29/ai_n15400020 <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archivedate = 2007-08-21}}</ref> | |||
| ==Depiction in the arts== | |||
| ] by ] of the ] as depicted in ]' '']'']] | |||
| Ghosts are prominent in the popular cultures of various nations. The ] is ubiquitous across all cultures from oral ] to works of literature. | |||
| ===Renaissance to Romanticism (1500 to 1840)=== | |||
| One of the more recognizable ghosts in ] is the ] in Shakespeare’s ''The Tragical History of ].'' In ''Hamlet'', it is the ghost who demands that ] investigate his "murder most foul" and seek revenge upon his usurping uncle, ]. In Shakespeare’s '']'', the murdered ] returns as a ghost to the dismay of the title character. | |||
| In ], ghosts were often depicted in the garb of the living and even in armor, as with the ghost of Hamlet’s father. Armor, being out-of-date by the time of the Rennaissance, gave the stage ghost a sense of antiquity.<ref>Ann Jones & Peter Stallybrass, ''Renaissance Clothing and the Materials of Memory'', Cambridge University Press, 2000.</ref> But the sheeted ghost began to gain ground on stage in the 19th century because an armored ghost could not satisfactorily convey the requisite spookiness: it clanked and creaked, and had to be moved about by complicated pulley systems or elevators. These clanking ghosts being hoisted about the stage became objects of ridicule as they became clichéd stage elements. Ann Jones and Peter Stallybrass, in ''Renaissance Clothing and the Materials of Memory'', point out, “In fact, it is as laughter increasingly threatens the Ghost that he starts to be staged not in armor but in some form of 'spirit drapery'.” An interesting observation by Jones and Stallybrass is that | |||
| {{quote|...at the historical point at which ghosts themselves become increasingly implausible, at least to an educated elite, to believe in them at all it seems to be necessary to assert their immateriality, their invisibility. The drapery of ghosts must now, indeed, be as spiritual as the ghosts themselves. This is a striking departure both from the ghosts of the Rennaissance stage and from the Greek and Roman theatrical ghosts upon which that stage drew. The most prominent feature of Rennaissance ghosts is precisely their gross materiality. They appear to us conspicuously clothed.}} | |||
| Ghosts figured prominently in traditional British ballads of the 16th and 17th centuries, particularly the “]” of the turbulent ] between England and Scotland. Ballads of this type include '']'', '']'', and '']'', which feature the recurring theme of returning dead lovers or children. In the ballad '']'', a particularly ravenous ghost devours the king’s horse and hounds before forcing the king into bed. The king then awakens to find the ghost transformed into a beautiful woman.<ref>Helen Child Sargent & George Lyman Kittredge, ''English and Scottish Popular Ballads edited from the Collection by Francis James Child'', Houghton Mifflin: New York, 1904.</ref> | |||
| One of the key early appearances by ghosts in a gothic tale was '']'' by Horace Walpole in 1764.<ref name="Newman, pg. 135">Newman, pg. 135.</ref> | |||
| ]'s ] '']'' (1820), based on an earlier German folktale, features a ]. It has been adapted for film and television many times, such as '']'', a successful 1999 feature film.<ref name="sleepyhollow"> at ], accessed 29 January 2009</ref> | |||
| ===Victorian/Edwardian (1840 to 1920)=== | |||
| ]'s ''Book of Pirates'' (1903).]] | |||
| The “classic” ghost story arose during the Victorian period, and included authors such as ], ], ], and ]. Classic ghost stories were influenced by the ] tradition, and contain elements of folklore and psychology. M. R. James summed up the essential elements of a ghost story as, “Malevolence and terror, the glare of evil faces, ‘the stony grin of unearthly malice', pursuing forms in darkness, and 'long-drawn, distant screams', are all in place, and so is a modicum of blood, shed with deliberation and carefully husbanded...”<ref>M. R. James. "Some Remarks on Ghost Stories", The Bookman, December 1929.</ref> | |||
| Famous literary apparitions from this period are the ghosts of '']'', in which ] is helped to see the error of his ways by the ghost of his former colleague ], and the ghosts of Christmas Past, Christmas Present and Christmas Yet to Come. | |||
| ]'s comedy '']'' has been adapted for film and television on several occasions. Henry James's '']'' has also appeared in a number of adaptations, notably the film '']'' and ]'s ] '']''. | |||
| ]'s ] '']'' (1885) includes ''Judge's Song'' about a ghost at the ] in ].<ref>Leo, the Royal cadet, </ref> | |||
| '']'' is a 1904 collection of ] collected by ], and later made into a film. | |||
| In the United States during the years prior to and during the First World War, folklorists ] and ] collected ballads from the people of the Appalachian Mountains which included ghostly themes, such as '']'', '']'', '']'', and '']''. The theme of these ballads was often the return of a dead lover. These songs were variants of traditional British ballads handed down by generations of mountaineers descended from the people of the Anglo-Scottish border region.<ref>Olive Dame Campbell & Cecil James Sharp, ''English Folk Songs From The Southern Appalachians'', G. Putnam's Sons: New York, 1917</ref> | |||
| ===Modern Era (1920 to 1970)=== | |||
| ]'' ghost photograph, Captain Hubert C. Provand. First published in Countrylife magazine, 1936]] | |||
| Professional parapsychologists and “ghosts hunters”, such as ], active in the 1920s and 1930s, and ], active in the 1940s and 1950s, published accounts of their experiences with ostensibly true ghost stories such as Price's '']'', and Underwood's '']''. | |||
| Children’s benevolent ghost stories became popular, such as ], created in the 1930s and appearing in comics, ]s, and eventually a 1995 feature film. | |||
| ]'s play '']'', later made into a ], places a more humorous slant on the phenomenon of haunting of individuals and specific locations. | |||
| With the advent of motion pictures and television, screen depictions of ghosts became common, and spanned a variety of genres; the works of Shakespeare, Dickens and Wilde have all been made into cinematic versions. Novel-length tales have been difficult to adapt to cinema, although that of '']'' to '']'' in 1963 is an exception.<ref name="Newman, pg. 135"/> | |||
| Sentimental depictions during this period were more popular in cinema than horror, and include the 1947 film '']'', which was later adapted to television with a successful 1968-70 ].<ref name="Newman, pg. 135">Newman, pg. 135.</ref> Genuine ] films from this period include 1944's '']'', and 1945's '']''. | |||
| The 1949 '']'' (]: महल; ]: محل; ]: ''The Mansion'') was a groundbreaking ] movie directed by ] and starring ] and ], one of the earliest known ] films dealing with ]. ''Mahal'' became one of the biggest box office hits of 1949 in India.<ref> Classic Films at upperstall</ref> The movie paved the way for Indian ].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Mishra|first=Vijay|title=Bollywood cinema: temples of desire|publisher=]|year=2002|isbn=0415930146|pages=49–57|postscript=<!--None-->}}</ref> | |||
| {{Main|List of ghost films}} | |||
| ===Post-modern (1970-present)=== | |||
| ]'']] | |||
| The 1970s saw screen depictions of ghosts diverge into distinct genres of the romantic and horror. A common theme in the romantic genre from this period is the ghost as a benign guide or messenger, often with unfinished business, such as 1989's '']'', the 1990 film '']'', and the 1993 comedy '']''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0CE3DE1339F93BA3575BC0A965958260|title=FILM; When It Comes to the Hereafter, Romance and Sentiment Rule|last=Chanko|first=Kenneth M.|date=August 8, 1993|work=The New York Times|accessdate=2009-01-29}}</ref> In the horror genre, 1980's '']'', and the '']'' series of films from the 1980s and 1990s are notable examples of the trend for the merging of ghost stories with scenes of physical violence.<ref name="Newman, pg. 135"/> | |||
| Popularised in such films as the 1984 comedy '']'', ] became a hobby for many who formed ghost hunting societies to explore reportedly haunted places. The ghost hunting theme has been featured in ], such as '']'', '']'', '']'', '']'', '']'', and '']''. It is also represented in children's television by such programs as '']'' and '']''. Ghost hunting also gave rise to multiple guidebooks to haunted locations, and ghost hunting “how-to” manuals. | |||
| The 1990s saw a return to classic “gothic” ghosts, whose dangers were more psychological than physical. Examples of films from this period include 1999s '']'' and 2001s '']''. | |||
| ] has been adept at producing ]s about ghosts, such as the 1998 Japanese film '']'' (remade in the US as '']'' in 2002), and the Pang brothers' 2002 film '']''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E01E1D61330F93BA35755C0A9659C8B63|title=Why Asian Ghost Stories Are the Best |last=Rafferty|first=Terence|date=June 8, 2003|work=The New York Times|accessdate=2009-01-29}}</ref> | |||
| ] are popular not just in in ] but in the ], ], ] and other parts of the world. ] produces more than 700 films a year in the nation's 16 official languages, often melodramatic and usually full of musical interludes where the characters burst into song and dance, and is one of the largest centers of film production in the world.<ref>{{cite web | |||
| |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,985129,00.html?internalid=atm100 | |||
| |title=Hooray for Bollywood! | |||
| |author=Richard Corliss | |||
| |date=September 16, 1996 | |||
| |publisher=Time Magazine | |||
| |accessdate=2010-03-17}}</ref><ref>{{cite book | |||
| |author=K. Jha; Subhash | |||
| |title=The Essential Guide to Bollywood | |||
| |year=2005 | |||
| |publisher=Roli Books | |||
| |isbn=8174363785 | |||
| |pages=1970}}</ref> | |||
| Some Bollywood ghost movies such as the comedy / horror film '']'' have been great hits, dubbed into several languages.<ref name=behind>{{cite web | |||
| |url=http://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movie-articles/movies-06/24-09-07-rajini.html | |||
| |title=The Bus Conductor Turned Superstar Who Took the Right Bus to Demi | |||
| |author=Shoaib Mohamed | |||
| |date=September 24, 2007 | |||
| |work=Behindwoods | |||
| |accessdate=2010-03-17}}</ref> | |||
| Generally the movies are based on the experiences of modern people who are unexpectedly exposed to ghosts. They usually draw on traditional Indian literature or folklore, but in some cases are remakes of western movies, such as ], based on ]'s ghost story ].<ref name=anjaane>{{cite web | |||
| |url=http://www.indiafm.com/movies/review/7199/index.html | |||
| |work=Indiafm.com | |||
| |title=Anjaane - The Unknown | |||
| |date=December 30, 2005 | |||
| |accessdate=2010-03-17}}</ref> | |||
| In fictional television programming, ghosts have been explored in series such as '']'', '']'' and '']''. | |||
| ==See also== | |||
| {{Commons category|Ghosts}} | |||
| {{Wiktionary|ghost}} | |||
| <!-- alphabetize --> | |||
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| ==References== | |||
| {{reflist|2}} | |||
| ==Further reading== | |||
| {{refbegin}} | |||
| * Fairly, John & Welfare, Simon, ''Arthur C. Clarke's World of Strange Powers'', Putnam: New York, 1985. | |||
| * Felton, D., ''Haunted Greece and Rome: Ghost Stories From Classical Antiquity'', University of Texas Press, 1999. | |||
| * Finucane, R. C., ''Appearances of the Dead: A Cultural History of Ghosts'', Prometheus Books, 1984. | |||
| * Johnston, Sarah Iles, ''Restless Dead: Encounters Between the Living and the Dead in Ancient Greece'', University of California Press, 1999. | |||
| * Hole, Christina, ''Haunted England'', Batsford: London, 1950. | |||
| * MacKenzie, Andrew, ''Apparitions and Ghosts'', Arthur Barker, 1971. | |||
| * Moreman, Christopher, ''Beyond the Threshold: Afterlife Beliefs and Experiences in World Religions'', Rowman & Littlefield, 2008. | |||
| * Newman, Kim, ed. ''BFI Companion to Horror'', Cassell: London, 1996. | |||
| ==External links== | |||
| * | |||
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| {{refend}} | |||
| {{Ghost beliefs}} | |||
| {{Theology}} | |||
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Revision as of 13:48, 7 October 2010
Something only gimps believe in.