Imagine you’re alone in a dark room, a strange smell from the towering wardrobe right in front of you suddenly reached your nose. The surrounding silence was deafening, out of nowhere something knocked the wardrobe from the inside, and a grunt of a creature was heard. What would you do?
If that scenario makes you feel a hint of uneasiness. Just know that’s how a prey of a monster would feel. In the face of danger, any helpless creature would either freeze, run, or desperately fight back.
It seems like since the beginning of time, tales of man eating creatures have existed in every child’s nightmare. In every culture, in every part of any continent, we would be likely to meet a new version of monster born out of fears lingering in society. Do we have any safe haven from these ungodly critters? Maybe, the reason for their inevitability is they are so deep-rooted in our culture.
Baca Juga: Mastering the Art of Setting Personal Boundaries in 5 Key Steps
Fear Birthed Monsters, Calamities Raised Them
When it comes to defining the origin of monsters, I think Jeffrey Cohen has the best way to describe what a monster is. His book, Monster Theory, meticulously elaborates that monsters can only manifest from culture. Cohen categorizes the emergence of monsters into seven parts. Right out of the gate, his first statement caught my attention. To quote directly from him:
“The monster’s body quite literally incorporates fear, desire, anxiety, and fantasy, giving them life and an uncanny independence. The monstrous body is pure culture.”
Jeffery Cohen in Monster Theory (1996)
Monsters are quite prevalent in our culture. Be it Frankenstein’s monster, the Basilisk serpent, or Grendel in Beowulf. In his book, Cohen continues to explain that a monster manifests based on the moment it is supposed to represent, along with the emotions that come with it.
The lore behind a monster describes the events it’s supposed to convey. Take the Kraken for example, a humongous squid, a universal danger for any sailor. These sea monsters typically inspired horror stories of the ocean.
The sea has been both a friend and an enemy for humans. While it feeds us its boon, it often takes the lives of unprepared sailors. The deadly risks of treading treacherous waters and the strangeness of these deep-sea animals evoked superstitious attribution from seamen of the past.
The Modern Monster
The creation of monsters in folklore and ancient tales may rely on superstitious, beliefs, and the danger of natural calamities. However, the advanced technologies of the modern world is not a counter for this cultural phenomenon. If anything, humanity used this to portray new dangers the modern world has created.
Godzilla is the perfect example of a modern monster. It starts with Imperial Japan announcing their surrender in WW2 after the US dropped two atomic bombs to Hiroshima and Nagasaki. However, instead of living in peace, humanity faced a new looming threat. WW2 unfortunately led to the Cold War era, where the US and Soviet Union participated in an arms race, including threatening each other with their nuclear arsenal.
Under the fear of possible world destruction, Godzilla emerged as an allegory of nuclear weapons. Fittingly, the original 1954 Godzilla story takes place in Japan. So, it’s easy for people to relate the destruction caused by this monster in the film to the real life event of Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombing. All-in-all, monsters in literature will continue to exist and follow the themes of the current calamitous threats.
Baca Juga: Raya and The Last Dragon: Beautiful Depiction between Nature and Women