The Archetypal Death

The many forms of death throughout history are figurative depictions usually of some humanoid type being represented artfully in the crafts performed by death. In the tarot, death is represented by a skeleton shrouded figure sometimes cloaked yielding a scythe for he is the reaper of souls, hence the common name “Grimm Reaper.” In Voodoo this figure is known as Baron Semedi, a skeletal figure wearing a suit with long coat tails and a top hat. It is only he who can accept souls into the land of the dead. I personally find this version of the figurative death to be quite classy. There is also, of course, the ferryman in Greek mythology going by the name Charon. Again, the image is of the classic cloaked and shrouded skeletal figure trading in his scythe for an oar. Pass the ferryman a coin and he will take you across the river Styx to the land of the dead. If the fee could not be paid, then the soul was left do wonder the shores for one hundred years.

I don’t know if I have mentioned this before or not but, I’m not a fan of touching dead stuff. It just leaves me with this dirty feeling. I can wash my hands for hours but it’s my memory of the experience that I seek to cleanse. In Leviticus there is even a cleansing ritual for someone who has been defiled by a corpse. So, I probably wouldn’t make a good coroner, taxidermist or Grimm Reaper but, If I were to give a modern depiction of this classic archetype I would put him in a black suit, matching tie, black trench coat, collar turned up and a black fedora. Not a skeletal figure per say but, skin and bones thin with a deep pale tone and eyes that glowed a thin pink and,  instead of a scythe or an oar, he would carry in his hand a cell phone with an infinite contact list that he scrolled through endlessly looking for the next whose number is up.

Salutation pending 

Johnny R Draper