The undead are beings in mythology, legend, or fiction that are deceased but behave as if alive. Most commonly the term refers to corporeal forms of formerly-alive humans, such as mummies, vampires, and zombies, who have been reanimated by supernatural means, technology, or disease. In some cases (for example in Dungeons & Dragons) the term also includes incorporeal forms of the dead, such as ghosts.
Bram Stoker considered using the title, The Un-Dead, for his novel Dracula (1897), and use of the term in the novel is mostly responsible for the modern sense of the word. The word does appear in English before Stoker but with the more literal sense of "alive" or "not dead", for which citations can be found in the Oxford English Dictionary. In one passage of Dracula, Nosferatu is given as an "Eastern European" synonym for "un-dead".[1]
Stoker's use of the term "undead" refers only to vampires; the extension to other types of supernatural beings arose later. Most commonly, it is now taken to refer to supernatural beings who had at one point been alive and continue to display some aspects of life after death, but the usage is highly variable.[2]
Reanimation or the creation of zombies through non-supernatural means has become a trope since at least the 19th century. Frankenstein (1818) used unspecified technological means, the influential I Am Legend (1954) blamed a germ, The Return of the Living Dead (1985) depicted a toxic gas, and Resident Evil (2002) featured a bioweapon.
‘Before we do anything, let me tell you this. It is out of the lore and experience of the ancients and of all those who have studied the powers of the UnDead. When they become such, there comes with the change the curse of immortality. They cannot die but must go on age after age adding new victims and multiplying the evils of the world. For all that die from the preying of the Undead become themselves Undead, and prey on their kind. And so the circle goes on ever widening, like as the ripples from a stone thrown in the water... But of the most blessed of all, when this now UnDead be made to rest as true dead, then the soul of the poor lady whom we love shall again be free. Instead of working wickedness by night and growing more debased in the assimilating of it by day, she shall take her place with the other Angels. So that, my friend, it will be a blessed hand for her that shall strike the blow that sets her free.
Other notable 19th-century stories about the avenging undead included Ambrose Bierce's The Death of Halpin Frayser,[3] and various Gothic Romanticism tales by Edgar Allan Poe. Though their works could not be properly considered zombie fiction, the supernatural tales of Bierce and Poe would prove influential on later writers such as H. P. Lovecraft, by Lovecraft's own admission.[4] In Russia, the undead was the theme of Alexander Belyaev's novel Professor Dowell's Head (1925), in which a mad scientist performs experimental head transplants on bodies stolen from the morgue, and reanimates the corpses.
^*Stoker, Bram (1975) [1897]. Leonard Wolf (ed.). The Annotated Dracula. Crown. p. 193. ISBN978-0-517-52017-8.
^. Etext.virginia.edu. Archived from the original on 2003-02-16. Retrieved 2012-07-31.
^"Can Such Things Be". Etext.virginia.edu. Retrieved 2012-07-31.
^. Gaslight.mtroyal.ca. 1988-01-01. Archived from the original on 2009-10-12. Retrieved 2012-07-31.
External links
Quotations related to Undead at Wikiquote
Media related to Undead at Wikimedia Commons
January 04, 2023
undead, other, uses, disambiguation, undead, beings, mythology, legend, fiction, that, deceased, behave, alive, most, commonly, term, refers, corporeal, forms, formerly, alive, humans, such, mummies, vampires, zombies, have, been, reanimated, supernatural, mea. For other uses see Undead disambiguation The undead are beings in mythology legend or fiction that are deceased but behave as if alive Most commonly the term refers to corporeal forms of formerly alive humans such as mummies vampires and zombies who have been reanimated by supernatural means technology or disease In some cases for example in Dungeons amp Dragons the term also includes incorporeal forms of the dead such as ghosts The Ghost of Barbara Radziwill by Wojciech Gerson Ghosts are a common form of the undead The undead are featured in the belief systems of most cultures and appear in many works of fantasy and horror fiction The term is also occasionally used for real life attempts to resurrect the dead with science and technology from early experiments like Robert E Cornish s to future sciences such as chemical brain preservation and cryonics Contents 1 History 2 Literature 3 List of undead forms 3 1 Living corpses 3 2 Incorporeal spirits 3 3 Mixed 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksHistory EditBram Stoker considered using the title The Un Dead for his novel Dracula 1897 and use of the term in the novel is mostly responsible for the modern sense of the word The word does appear in English before Stoker but with the more literal sense of alive or not dead for which citations can be found in the Oxford English Dictionary In one passage of Dracula Nosferatu is given as an Eastern European synonym for un dead 1 Stoker s use of the term undead refers only to vampires the extension to other types of supernatural beings arose later Most commonly it is now taken to refer to supernatural beings who had at one point been alive and continue to display some aspects of life after death but the usage is highly variable 2 Reanimation or the creation of zombies through non supernatural means has become a trope since at least the 19th century Frankenstein 1818 used unspecified technological means the influential I Am Legend 1954 blamed a germ The Return of the Living Dead 1985 depicted a toxic gas and Resident Evil 2002 featured a bioweapon The undead have become popular adversaries in fantasy and horror settings featuring prominently in many role playing games role playing video games MMORPGs and strategy games Literature Edit The Dead Lovers ca 1470 Strasbourg Musee de l Œuvre Notre Dame In Bram Stoker s novel Dracula Van Helsing describes the Un Dead as the following Before we do anything let me tell you this It is out of the lore and experience of the ancients and of all those who have studied the powers of the UnDead When they become such there comes with the change the curse of immortality They cannot die but must go on age after age adding new victims and multiplying the evils of the world For all that die from the preying of the Undead become themselves Undead and prey on their kind And so the circle goes on ever widening like as the ripples from a stone thrown in the water But of the most blessed of all when this now UnDead be made to rest as true dead then the soul of the poor lady whom we love shall again be free Instead of working wickedness by night and growing more debased in the assimilating of it by day she shall take her place with the other Angels So that my friend it will be a blessed hand for her that shall strike the blow that sets her free Van Helsing Dr Seward s Diary 29 September Dracula Chapter 16 Other notable 19th century stories about the avenging undead included Ambrose Bierce s The Death of Halpin Frayser 3 and various Gothic Romanticism tales by Edgar Allan Poe Though their works could not be properly considered zombie fiction the supernatural tales of Bierce and Poe would prove influential on later writers such as H P Lovecraft by Lovecraft s own admission 4 In Russia the undead was the theme of Alexander Belyaev s novel Professor Dowell s Head 1925 in which a mad scientist performs experimental head transplants on bodies stolen from the morgue and reanimates the corpses Utagawa Yoshiiku Specter frightening a young womanList of undead forms EditLiving corpses Edit Anchimayen Ahkiyyini Draugr Drekavac Deildegast Dhampir Fext Ghoul Gashadokuro Gjenganger Hone onna Jiangshi Kukudh Lich Langsuyar Mummy Nachzehrer Qutrub Revenant Ro langs Orek Skeleton Rusalka Strzyga Vampire Vrykolakas Vetala Wight Wiederganger Zombie Zombie animalIncorporeal spirits Edit Ayakashi Banshee Baykok Bal Bal Bhoot Dullahan Dunnie Funayurei Ghost phantom or spectre Goryō Hupia Hitodama Headless Horseman Inugami Ikiryō The Grim Reaper Jikininki Korean Virgin Ghost Kuntilanak Kuchisake onna Lemures Lietuvens Mavka Moroi Mononoke Mogwai Myling Noppera bō Onryō Poltergeist Pocong Preta Sluagh Shade Shiryō Shikigami Sayona Strigoi Shadow person Umibōzu Ubume Vengeful ghost Yurei Yuki onna WraithMixed Edit Dying and rising deitySee also EditAfterlife Death personification Grogaldr Immortality Necromancy Resurrection Spirit possession True deathReferences Edit Stoker Bram 1975 1897 Leonard Wolf ed The Annotated Dracula Crown p 193 ISBN 978 0 517 52017 8 Can Such Things Be Etext virginia edu Archived from the original on 2003 02 16 Retrieved 2012 07 31 Can Such Things Be Etext virginia edu Retrieved 2012 07 31 Supernatural Horror in Literature 1927 1933 1935 by H P Lovecraft Gaslight mtroyal ca 1988 01 01 Archived from the original on 2009 10 12 Retrieved 2012 07 31 External links Edit Quotations related to Undead at Wikiquote Media related to Undead at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Undead amp oldid 1123533054, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
