Monster (nonfiction): Difference between revisions
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[[File:William Blake 002.jpg|thumb|''Das Gespenst eines Flohs'' ("The Ghost of a Flea") by [[William Blake]]. Date: 1819-1820. Medium: tempera on mahogany panel, heightened with gold leaf.]]A '''monster''' is any creature, usually found in legends or horror fiction, that is often hideous and may produce fear or physical harm by its appearance and/or its actions. | [[File:William Blake 002.jpg|thumb|''Das Gespenst eines Flohs'' ("The Ghost of a Flea") by [[William Blake]]. Date: 1819-1820. Medium: tempera on mahogany panel, heightened with gold leaf. See also [[Human Flea Circus]].]]A '''monster''' is any creature, usually found in legends or horror fiction, that is often hideous and may produce fear or physical harm by its appearance and/or its actions. | ||
See also [[Demon]]. | |||
The word usually connotes something wrong or evil; a monster is generally morally objectionable, physically or psychologically hideous, and/or a freak of nature. | The word usually connotes something wrong or evil; a monster is generally morally objectionable, physically or psychologically hideous, and/or a freak of nature. | ||
It can also be applied figuratively to a person with similar characteristics like a greedy person or a person who does horrible things. | It can also be applied figuratively to a person with similar characteristics like a greedy person or a person who does horrible things. | ||
The word "monster" derives from Latin ''monstrum'', meaning an aberrant occurrence, usually biological, that was taken as a sign that something was wrong within the natural order. | The word "monster" derives from Latin ''monstrum'', meaning an aberrant occurrence, usually biological, that was taken as a sign that something was wrong within the natural order. | ||
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Thus, the monster is also a sign or instruction. This benign interpretation was proposed by Saint Augustine, who did not see the monster as inherently evil, but as part of the natural design of the world, a kind of deliberate category error. | Thus, the monster is also a sign or instruction. This benign interpretation was proposed by Saint Augustine, who did not see the monster as inherently evil, but as part of the natural design of the world, a kind of deliberate category error. | ||
== | == In the News == | ||
<gallery> | |||
File:Do_Not_Tease_Monster_by_Karl_Jones_800x600.jpg|link=Do Not Tease Monster (nonfiction)|December 16, 2017: ''[[Do Not Tease Monster]]'' voted Image of the Year in a survey of 3200 monsters. | |||
File:The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters.jpg|link=The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters (nonfiction)|[[The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters (nonfiction)|The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters]], says Francisco Goya. | |||
File:Azerbaijan-monster-wants-lapilli-soup.jpg|link=[[Lapilli soup]]|Monster wants [[Lapilli soup]]. | |||
File:Thule Greenlanders Whaling.png|link=Comer's Midden (nonfiction)|[[Comer's Midden (nonfiction)|Comer's Midden]] will always be home, wherever a [[Comer's Midden Monster]] may roam. | |||
File:Zahhak is nailed to wall of cave in Mount Damavand.jpg|link=Zahhak (nonfiction)|The evil [[Zahhak (nonfiction)|Zahhak]], nailed to wall of cave in Mount Davamand, vows revenge. | |||
File:Medusa at Didyma.jpg|Medusa at Didyma. | |||
File:Do_Not_Tease_Monster_by_Karl_Jones_800x600.jpg|link=Do Not Tease Monster (nonfiction)|''[[Do Not Tease Monster]]'' means what it says, warn experts. | |||
File:Karl Jones Halloween 2009.jpg|link=Demon (nonfiction)|Karl Jones in [[Demon (nonfiction)|Demon]] costume, Halloween 2009. | |||
</gallery> | |||
== Fiction cross-reference == | == Fiction cross-reference == | ||
* [[Egg Tooth (monster)]] | * [[Egg Tooth (monster)]] | ||
* [[Human Flea Circus]] | |||
* [[You Are the Monsters]] - Never "agree to disagree" with monsters. Always say "Here is the truth: you are the monsters." | |||
=== Categories === | === Categories === | ||
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* [[:Category:Egg Tooth]] | * [[:Category:Egg Tooth]] | ||
* [[:Category:Monsters]] | * [[:Category:Monsters]] | ||
== Nonfiction cross-reference == | |||
* [[Stephen T. Asma (nonfiction)]] | |||
* [[Demon (nonfiction)]] | |||
* [[Where The Wild Things Are (nonfiction)]] | |||
== External links == | == External links == | ||
Latest revision as of 07:38, 27 November 2022
A monster is any creature, usually found in legends or horror fiction, that is often hideous and may produce fear or physical harm by its appearance and/or its actions.
See also Demon.
The word usually connotes something wrong or evil; a monster is generally morally objectionable, physically or psychologically hideous, and/or a freak of nature.
It can also be applied figuratively to a person with similar characteristics like a greedy person or a person who does horrible things.
The word "monster" derives from Latin monstrum, meaning an aberrant occurrence, usually biological, that was taken as a sign that something was wrong within the natural order.
The root of monstrum is monere, which means both to warn, and to instruct.
Monere is also the root of the modern English demonstrate.
Thus, the monster is also a sign or instruction. This benign interpretation was proposed by Saint Augustine, who did not see the monster as inherently evil, but as part of the natural design of the world, a kind of deliberate category error.
In the News
December 16, 2017: Do Not Tease Monster voted Image of the Year in a survey of 3200 monsters.
The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters, says Francisco Goya.
Monster wants Lapilli soup.
Comer's Midden will always be home, wherever a Comer's Midden Monster may roam.
The evil Zahhak, nailed to wall of cave in Mount Davamand, vows revenge.
Medusa at Didyma.
Do Not Tease Monster means what it says, warn experts.
Karl Jones in Demon costume, Halloween 2009.
Fiction cross-reference
- Egg Tooth (monster)
- Human Flea Circus
- You Are the Monsters - Never "agree to disagree" with monsters. Always say "Here is the truth: you are the monsters."
Categories
Nonfiction cross-reference
External links
- Monster @ Wikipedia