Undead 31938 225619550 2008-07-14T16:16:30Z Tj9991 192259 Reverted edits by [[Special:Contributions/76.70.109.203|76.70.109.203]] to last version by 216.82.171.6 (using [[WP:HG|Huggle]]) {{Otheruses}} [[Image:Barbara Radziwill ZjawaBarbary 19th century.jpg|right|thumb|The ghost of [[Barbara Radziwiłł]] by [[Wojciech Gerson]]: ghosts are a common form of undead in folklore]] '''Undead''' is a collective name for beings that the [[superstition|superstitious]] believe are deceased yet behave as if alive. Undead may be [[Supernatural|spiritual]], such as [[ghost]]s, or [[Body|corporeal]], such as [[vampire]]s and [[zombie]]s. Undead are featured in the [[legend]]s of most cultures and in many works of [[fantasy fiction|fantasy]] and [[horror fiction]]. [[Bram Stoker]] considered the term "The Un-Dead" for the original title for his novel ''[[Dracula]]'' (1897),<ref>{{cite web|title=About ''Dracula''|url=http://www.gradesaver.com/classicnotes/titles/dracula/about.html |accessdate=2006-05-21}}</ref> and its use 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]]''. Stoker's use of the term refers only to [[vampires]], and the extension to other types of supernatural beings arose later. Most commonly, it is now taken to refer to supernatural beings which had at one time been alive and continue to display some aspects of life after death, but the usage is highly variable. ==Creation== {{Original research|section|date=September 2007}} [[Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley]]'s novel ''[[Frankenstein|Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus]]'' introduced a new variant of undead, the dead brought back to "life" by [[science]], though Frankenstein's creature bears some similarity to a [[golem]]. Similar works include [[H. P. Lovecraft]]'s short story "[[Herbert West|Herbert West&mdash;Reanimator]]" and the ''[[Re-Animator]]'' film franchise inspired by the story. Both legend and popular culture discuss various methods for creating undead creatures. Most involve the reanimation of a corpse, as with zombies, skeletons, and ghouls. Regarding ghosts, the spirit lives on after death, forming an intangible physical body that often mirrors the one the spirit had in life. [[Ritual]]s propitiating the uneasy spirits of the dead were a feature of [[ancient Greek religion]] (''[[Keres (mythology)|keres]]'') and [[ancient Roman religion]] (''[[lemures]]''). In some cases, the undead, especially skeletons and zombies, are under the control of a [[necromancer]]. In other cases, such as zombies as depicted in film and vampires, the undead existence is passed on like a curse or disease. With liches, the powers of undead are sought after by the participant of a magical ritual that turns them from a living being to a lich. Ghosts are said to be kept in their undead state by willpower, either from a keen desire to remain with the living or from a wish to see something completed that they could not do during their lifetime. ===Creation of Zombies=== Zombies are a part of Voodoo, a religion which originated in [[Haiti]] and [[Western Africa]]. The necromancer -- known as a Bokor -- selects a victim. The Bokor placed a cocktail of poisonous substances, most notably [[pufferfish]]. Over a course of a couple weeks, the victim would assume a death-like state, and be buried, only to be dug up by the Bokor. The victim, suffering from brain damage, would seem to many to be a reanimated corpse. This process is assumed to work because of the brain damaging properties of the poison. However, a substantial specimen has yet to be found. ==Forms of Undead== *Skeletons See ''[[Skeleton (undead)]]'' *Zombies See ''[[Zombie]]'' *Vampires See ''[[Vampire]]'' *Ghouls See ''[[Ghouls]]'' *Ghosts See ''[[Ghost]]'' *Wraiths See ''[[Wraith]]'' *Liches See ''[[Lich]]'' In many popular cultures (Mainly videogames) these forms of undead are also seen in a variety of subgroups, such as Ancient Vampires, Guardian Wraiths and Archliches. ==Vulnerabilities== {{Original research|section|date=September 2007}} In fiction and folklore, undead creatures are often hostile toward the living. Defending against the undead is often portrayed as difficult; most zombie movies, for example, usually depict zombies as being resistant to normal attacks. In such movies (e.g. [[Night of the Living Dead]]), only a direct shot to the head seems to stop them. Some times it is even required to destroy the whole body, such as burning it. They are often shown as vulnerable to sacred or blessed objects, such as crosses and [[holy water]]. This is seen in [[Dracula]], wherein a crucifix burns the vampire. In some games, undead are damaged by magic spells that normally heal a living being and by fire-based attacks. Additionally, a line of [[salt]] is sometimes shown as a suitable barrier to the undead.{{Fact|date=February 2007}} Vampires are traditionally depicted as being susceptible to a stake through the heart or decapitation, though various traditions have different means of dealing with them.<ref>{{cite web|last= Adams|first= Cecil |authorlink=Cecil Adams|date=[[1982-07-16]]| url=http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_039.html|accessdate=2006-05-11 |title=What's the best way to kill a vampire?|publisher=The Straight Dope}}</ref> Zombies are often portrayed as able to attack when dismembered, although the zombie-like ghouls in [[Night of the Living Dead]] could be dispatched by a "shot in the head, or a heavy blow to the skull". Incorporeal undead are frequently shown as being difficult to defend against, as in most depictions normal physical weapons pass harmlessly through their forms. In some [[game]]s (such as [[Dungeons & Dragons]]) ghosts can only be dispatched by enchanted,silver or pure iron weapons.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.d20srd.org/srd/typesSubtypes.htm#incorporealSubtype|accessdate=2006-05-11|title=Subtypes: Incorporeal Subtype}}</ref> However, in other fiction the only way to get rid of them permanently is to discover what duty or task they failed to complete in life (such as in Chapter 4 of ''[[The Monk]]'' by [[Matthew Gregory Lewis]]).<ref>{{cite book|url=http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/etcbin/toccer-new2?id=LewMonk.xml&images=images/modeng&data=/texts/english/modeng/parsed&tag=public&part=4&division=div2|title= The Monk|chapter=Chapter 4|author=Matthew Gregory Lewis|accessdate=2006-05-11}}</ref> Undead are often depicted as vulnerable to sunlight and fire. They may also perish when their creator is likewise dispatched, and may be unable to cross certain symbolic boundaries or even natural barriers like running water as in [[Sabriel]] by Garth Nix. In fantasy games, mummies are often depicted as being exceptionally vulnerable to fire due to the presence of dry cloth filled with chemicals used to preserve their bodies. They have also been described as vulnerable to water as it dissolves the flesh and dampens the bandages, destroying them by using the damp bandages to crush its dusty core. In some cultures, various plants are said to repel the undead. Examples include [[garlic]] and [[Aconitum|wolfsbane]], as well as [[rosewood]], [[rowan]], [[hazel]], [[willow]], and [[holly]]. This modern tradition appears to be based on pre-Christian belief that some plants are sacred.<ref>{{cite book | last = Müller-Ebeling | first = Claudia | authorlink = http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claudia_M%C3%BCller-Ebeling | coauthors = Wolf-Dieter Storl and Christian Rätsch | title = Witchcraft Medicine: Healing Arts, Shamanic Practices, and Forbidden Plants | publisher = Inner Traditions | date = October 31, 2003 | location = Rochester, Vermont | pages = 272 | url = http://www.amazon.com/Witchcraft-Medicine-Shamanic-Practices-Forbidden/dp/0892819715/ref=dp_return_1/002-8726701-2901608?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books | doi = | id = | isbn = 978-0892819713 }}</ref> [[Aconitum|Wolfsbane]], in fact, is a powerful poison, and should be handled with extreme care. ==Fiction and films== {{seealso|Vampire fiction|Zombies in popular culture}} Many [[film]]s have been made about the undead, usually vampires, zombies, and mummies, including such fiction as ''[[Dracula]]'', ''[[The Crow]]'', ''[[Night of the Living Dead]]'', and ''[[The Mummy]]''. ==Games and popular culture== <!-- Please list individual games, movies, comics etc only as an example to document trends. This list is not intended to be a complete collection of undead references in popular culture: such a list would be boring and of little value. Instead, we are listing general trends and illustrating them with one example each. --> Undead are a popular adversary in fantasy and horror settings. They feature prominently in many [[role-playing game]]s, [[computer role-playing game]]s, [[MMORPG]]s and [[strategy games]]. In such games, special rules are often given for the undead. In ''[[Dungeons & Dragons]]'' and similar systems, [[Cleric (Dungeons & Dragons)|clerics]] can attempt to "turn" [[Undead (Dungeons & Dragons)|undead]] by invoking their patron deities or channeling "positive energy" (other-dimensional life energy, which animates and heals living creatures, and is the antithesis of negative energy, which animates and heals undead creatures.) This forces the undead creature away from the cleric; powerful clerics are capable of completely destroying weaker undead creatures with this ability. Although the act of turning away the undead relies primarily on power of faith, a [[Religious symbolism|holy symbol]] is usually required as a focus for the divine power being invoked. This is derived from the traditional notion that vampires could be repelled by the [[Christian cross|cross]]. Clerics of evil gods can rebuke and control the undead in a similar fashion, by means of [[necromancy]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/specialAttacks.htm#turnOrRebukeUndead|accessdate=2006-05-11|title=Special Attacks: Turn Or Rebuke Undead}}</ref> In ''Dungeons & Dragons'' and other games such as ''[[Final Fantasy]]'', undead can be damaged by using magical effects that heal normal living beings.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/cureLightWounds.htm|title=Spells: Cure Light Wounds|accessdate=2006-05-21}}</ref> In videogame settings such as ''[[Poxnora]]'' and ''[[World of Warcraft]]'' undead NPC's or players gain advantages that come with the undead state, such as immunity to Fear mechanics, Mind Control, Bleeding, Disease, Poison and a variety of other effects, be it physical or mental, that do not apply to creatures with no living flesh, blood or a conscious state of mind. In these gamesettings undead also gain advantages such as being Incorporeal, disease spreading or being some form of spellcaster who is further augmented by his undead state. (undead spellcasters tend to be conscious in these videogame settings, though the same rules of no Fear or Mind control apply) Undead characters appear in many roles, be it a mindless horde of opponents (such as zombies or skeletons) or a thoughtful, plotting villain (such as vampires). Some games feature undead playable characters, such as ''[[Vampire: The Masquerade]]'' and [[World of Warcraft]]. Others, such as [[Diablo 2]], allow the player to take on the role of a [[Necromancer]] and raise undead from corpses. In some stories and settings, such as the [[Lorien Trust]] [[live action role-playing game|LARP]], the word "unliving" is used as a preferential synonym. In reference to the [[political correctness]] movement, the undead are sometimes jokingly referred to as the "living-impaired". Vampires were sometimes likewise referred to as "Undead Americans" by characters in the TV series ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV series)|Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]'' and the spin-off ''[[Angel (TV series)|Angel]]''. ==In philosophy== [[Jacques Derrida]] used the myth of the undead as a means to [[deconstruction|deconstruct]] the [[binary opposition]] between life and death. == In science == Being a construct of mythology and superstition, the term "undead" is not used in science. In science and medicine, a person that is revived from [[clinical death]] is regarded as alive because biological functions associated with life have been restored. The capacity for dead matter to behave as though it were alive in fictional representations of the "undead" does not scientifically exist. ==See also== {{commonscat}} * [[Monster]] * [[Afterlife]] * [[Maschalismos]] * [[Philosophical zombie]] * [[Death]] and [[Death (personification)]] * [[Life extension]] * [[List of species in folklore and mythology]] * [[List of species in folklore and mythology by type]] * [[List of species in fantasy fiction]] ==Footnotes and references== {{reflist}} <!--Note: Undead is already part of the Legendary creatures category--> [[Category:Undead| ]] [[cs:Nemrtvý]] [[de:Untoter]] [[fr:Mort-vivant]] [[it:Morto vivente]] [[he:אלמת]] [[lt:Nemirėliai]] [[hu:Élőhalott]] [[nl:Ondood]] [[ja:アンデッド]] [[pl:Nieumarli]] [[ru:Нежить]] [[fi:Elävä kuollut]] [[fi:Epäkuollut]] [[sv:Odöd]] [[zh:不死生物]]