Here’s a Fascinating History of the Grim Reaper and How the Black Death Birthed Him

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Death has always been a character close to the horror genre. While the presence of a being that is the personification of death appears in a few films, such as The Frighteners, Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey, Final Destination, and the like, there is always the looming shadow of an entity throughout every horror movie. Perhaps the most iconic representation of this character is the one we’ve seen multiple times in art, TV, and films: the Grim Reaper.

But where does the Grim Reaper come from? At what point in history did this shadowy, hooded figure who bears a scythe appear? To answer this, we can turn to The New York Times and their charming video that delves a bit into the history of just such a topic using their own wide array of cartoons as the foundation for their historical dive. You can give it a watch below!


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