Apocalyptic Symbolism,
Apocalyptic Bestiary
From Antiquity Archetypes to Digital Mass Media
The H E L L E R
Guest Lecture Series
University of Colorado
Colorado Springs
H E L L E R CENTER
for Arts & Humanities
Dr. H U B B E S László Attila
S A P I E N T I A
Hungarian University
of Transylvania
The Faculty of Economics,
Socio-Human Sciences
and Engineering in
Miercurea Ciuc / Csíkszereda
A beastly question
Why are there so many
animals, beasts,
monsters in apocalyptic?
… even compared to the imagery of
any other religious or fantastic
traditions …
Theory
• Frye, Jung, Durand, Tánzos,
Szilágyi
• Farrer, Lawrence, Keel,
de Hulster, Rogers, Rowland
• Barkun, Cardone, Partridge
Methodological aspects
•
semiotic aspects
- metaphorization
- symbolism – archetypology
- semantics: changes of meaning
•
iconographic aspects
- mythograms
- changes in representation
•
art historical aspects
- antique and medieval bestiaries
- renaissance and later iconologies
•
rhetorical aspects
- visual rhetoric
•
media theory aspects
- digital literacy
- digital communities/networks and cyber-religiosity
- web-folklore
Source texts and image sources
• Apocalypses:
–
–
–
–
1 Henokh,
Daniel,
Ezekiel,
Book of
Revelation
+ commentaries
• Image archives &
social media
apocalypse : semiotic paradox
- APOKALYPSIS – reveals and conceals at the
same time (it unveils and veils)
- it “turns over” the Augustinian sign definition
- it is iconic and symbolic at the same time
(2 interpretations!)
our animal images
•
The first (known) creation of imagination:
the lion-(wo)man: cca. 35.000 years old,
Stadel-cave, Schwäbische Alb, Cermany
•
Gilbert Durand (1999): the images of animality: „the
essence of the animal is tat it is full of life” – moving
! (dangerous, impure) (cf. Tánczos Vilmos, 2007)
•
Szilágyi N. (2011-12) – animal – „animated being” –
cognitive metaphorisation: animation
•
zoomorphisation NOT anthropomorphisation
origins
•
animal – soul-image (symbol):
lion-man, antlered shaman, bird-woman
•
numinosus – Göbekli Tepe
•
Archetype (Jung): arch-image
ancestral image – totem animal
•
Hunter and game (D’Huy, Jankovics) –
victim, sacrifice
•
Animal cults – Astral myths
•
jószág – „Mistress of beasts” – taming
/ force
Göbekli Tepe, Anatolia
12.0000 years
Native American, African,
Polynesian totem poles
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhsKv1srqOg
Cosmic hunt (D’Huy)
Heavenly hunt (Jankovics)
Lord of the beasts (hunter) - Marduk
Mistress of the beasts (tamer) - Asherah
astral origins
• Astral myths – D’Huy – the
cosmic hunt
• Zodiac: Mesopotamia, East,
Mediterraneum
• Aries, Taurus, Gemini,
Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra,
Scorpio, Sagittarius,
Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces
+ parazodiac: (Eagle,
Snake, Dragon etc.)
The zodiac in the sky
Materializing fears and desires
• heavenly, „neutral” & infernal
• simple & mixed (chimaera)
• demonic, teriomorph, anthropomorph
Animal Spirits
Metaphoric animation and
de-humanization / depersonification:
beneficial or malevolent
spirits as well as any human
worldly forces, such as
certain individuals or
outsider, inimical groups,
oppressing or just foreign
authorities were often
represented in symbolic
practice as animals,
demons and monsters
Beelzebub
lion
bear
leopard
locusts
scorpions
Leviathan
horned beast
horse
vultures
jackal
nephilim
Arche-typologies
hurting or helping animal spirits
• Frye: apocalyptic – demonic – (analogic)
(heavenly – infernal)
• Durand – Tánczos:
• teriomorph archetypes
– Chaos –
- Sacrifice
– Sworming
– Running –
– Biting –
– Libido –
+ Fear –
Apocalyptic Demons
superior monsters
griffins
nephilim
beasts of land
and sea
dragons
-
fearful
larger in size
mixed creatures
rather imaginary
inferior animals
dog
flies
maggots
monkeys
swine
rats
scorpions, locusts
- loathsome
- smaller in size
- often swarming
- rather realistic
DANGEROUS – monster-like
IMPURE – faggot-like
special elements
heads
horns
eyes
wings
fangs
tails
(teeth & claws)
Ancient bestiaries
3. northern
simpler / caniform
2. western
simple / reptiliform
1. middle-eastern
complex / chimaerical
demonic
Animals of Chaos
Rev 9.3-10
www.faithandsurvival.com
Dune
Running animals
Rev 6:8; 9:14-17; 1 En3 54:9-10
http://sysmanpros.net/
pirospirula.blogspot.hu/
The four horsemen of the Apocalypse
Wallpaper Abyss - Alpha Coders
Biting animals
Dan 7:3-27; Rev 13; 17
www.worldslastchance.com
Libidinal animals
1 En1 7:11-14; Rev 17:1-6
Youtube - The Amazonjude
The Ancient Beast of the Abyss
Jel 12
Skyrim – Elder Scrolls
Carnotaur – from the Jurassic Park
The combat myth and
the Dragon of the primordial waters
• creation and funding
myths
• dragon / chaos-monster /
sea snake
• „unholy trinity”
The demonic beast-man
Pacher: St. Augustin and the devil
Diablo
Alien
The heavenly animal-human mix
The Tetramorph
Ez 1:10; Rev 4:7
http://hannahscupboard.com
The sacrificial animal
Rev 5:11-12
Paddy Chayefsky - VISUP
American
Wisdom
Conclusions
Apocalyptic animals –
animal symbolism:
- Powerful images
- Chanelling fear
- Demonizing foes
- Purification
Thank you for your interest
and your attention!
www.apokaliptikum.lap.hu