Ogre (mythology)
An ogre is a fictional creature commonly found in folklore and fairy tales, often depicted as a large, grotesque being characterized by unpleasant traits such as greed, violence, and gluttony. Ogres typically serve as antagonists in stories, contrasting sharply with the virtues of the heroes they oppose. Their intimidating size and strength make them formidable threats, but the narratives often focus on the hero's cunning ability to outsmart the ogre, resulting in moral lessons about behavior and conduct. The physical appearance of ogres can vary widely, ranging from animal-like features to oversized humans, and they share similarities with mythological giants.
The origin of the term "ogre" is believed to come from the Latin word "Orcus," associated with death and the underworld, though its exact beginnings in folklore are uncertain. The portrayal of ogres has evolved over time, with notable examples appearing in stories like Charles Perrault's "Puss in Boots," where an ogre's characteristics are illustrated through its actions and role in the narrative. Ogres have also influenced modern media, featuring prominently in tabletop games like Dungeons & Dragons and animated films such as the "Shrek" franchise, which subverts traditional ogre stereotypes by presenting a kind-hearted ogre who challenges conventional notions of beauty and heroism.
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Ogre (mythology)
An ogre is a fictional monster from folklore. Ogres are often characterized by their large size and proportions, grotesque features, and unpleasant behaviors and mannerisms, which include greed, violence, and gluttony. They sometimes wield clubs or other crude melee weapons.
An ogre is a common antagonist in folklore and fairy tales, mainly because its negative or undesirable traits sharply contrast with those of the hero. Many tales involving ogres contain morals or teach lessons, and ogres serve as examples of how one should not behave; an ogre's ugly appearance is a straightforward identifier of its unpleasant nature. An ogre's incredible strength (one of its few positive qualities) makes it an imposing threat to the hero, who often appears to be the underdog. The hero must outsmart the ogre in order to defeat it, and the size difference makes the defeat even more satisfying.
Background
An ogre's appearance varies depending on the story. Some look like animals; they might have slimy skin, excessive hair, sharp teeth, or hooves. Others are simply large humans, and still others are completely unrecognizable as either a human or an animal, and many are somewhere in between.
Ogres share many traits and roles with mythological giants, and the two are interchangeable in many cases. Some stories, such as "Jack the Giant Killer," have even changed between the two terms over the years, depending on the version of the story being published. Giants are more likely to be portrayed as large humans, but much variety exists in the depiction of both beings.
The term ogre has been used as an insulting way to describe someone, though it has become less common in the twenty-first century. Ogre can refer to both physical appearance and behavior, frequently describing someone who is acting in an openly selfish, indulgent, or cruel way.
Some controversy surrounds the origin of the term ogre. It is believed to have descended from the Latin name Orcus, which describes a god of death and hell. There are similar words in Italian and Spanish, and some linguists believe that they all have a common root. Exactly when ogre was first used in its modern context is unclear, with different sources indicating the 1600s, the 1300s, or prior to 1000. Many of the earliest published works featuring ogres were inspired by storytelling and may have been passed down for many generations without being recorded, which makes determining when the term was first used even more difficult.
Some of the earliest ogre stories use the term ogress or ogresse, which remained in use later as a way to distinguish a female ogre. The term ogree has occasionally been used to refer to ogres' young, but this term has not endured like the other variants. Few stories include young ogres.
Overview
One story that made the ogre well known is "Puss in Boots," by Charles Perrault, which was published in the 1600s. Perrault derived the story from earlier fables, which did not feature ogres. In Perrault's version, the youngest of three brothers is given a cat by his father. Although the gift initially seems much less impressive than those his older brothers received, the cat demonstrates that he is intelligent and can speak. The cat uses his prowess at hunting and trickery to earn the favor of the king, helping his young master rise far above his station.
Among his adventures, the youngest brother encounters an ogre that has taken over a castle. Many of the traditional ogre traits are demonstrated in this portrayal: the creature is large, ugly, greedy, and brutal. However, the ogre in "Puss in Boots" has an ability that is essential to the story, but not very common among later ogres—it can transform into many different animals. The ogre attempts to frighten the cat by transforming into large, vicious animals. The cat outsmarts the ogre by goading it into transforming into a mouse, which the cat then eats.
The ogre in "Puss in Boots" inspired many ogres in later stories. The ogre has taken over something that rightfully belonged to someone else. It is ugly, greedy, and very dangerous to the protagonist. The protagonist has to outsmart the ogre to defeat it.
Ogres have become a regular addition to modern media with a fantasy setting. They were one of the first monsters featured in the tabletop role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons. The game had a massive influence on the fantasy-based fiction that followed, particularly games. From that point on, ogres were common menaces. Some of the more popular games to feature them include the Warcraft series of video games and the Warhammer tabletop game franchise.
Ogres have appeared in film for decades. The most well-known film ogre is Shrek, from the film and franchise of the same name. The Shrek films are computer-generated family movies created by DreamWorks that were initially based on a 1990 picture book. In the films, Shrek shares many traits with typical ogres—he has gross habits and terrorizes people who approach his home. Unlike his predecessors, however, Shrek is not vicious or evil; he simply wants to maintain the quiet, undisturbed life that he enjoys.
The Shrek films directly poke fun at many characters in and elements of fairy tales, including the portrayal of ogres. While many fairy tales use ogres' ugliness to highlight their evil nature, the ogre in Shrek is kind despite his appearance. His love interest, a human princess, is cursed to periodically transform into an ogress, which initially repulses her. When the condition becomes permanent, she and Shrek happily accept it, further twisting the traditional fairy-tale depiction of physical beauty. The Shrek films have been tremendously successful, grossing among the top of all animated franchises, and among the top fifteen of all film franchises.
Bibliography
Bane, Theresa. "Ogre." Encyclopedia of Fairies In World Folklore and Mythology, McFarland & Company, 2013, p. 258.
Bouloumie, Arlette. "The Ogre In Literature." Companion to Literary Myths, Heroes and Archetypes, edited by Pierre Brunel, Routledge, 1992, pp. 912–924.
"Box Office History for Shrek Movies." The Numbers, 2018, www.the-numbers.com/movies/franchise/Shrek#tab=summary. Accessed 17 Sept. 2017.
"Elements of Fantasy: Ogres and Ogresses." Fantasy Faction, 24 Feb. 2012, fantasy-faction.com/2012/elements-of-fantasy-ogres-and-ogresses. Accessed 17 Sept. 2017.
Lang, Andrew. The Blue Fairy Book. Longmans, Green, and Co., ca. 1889, pp. 141–147.
Vocelle, L.A. "Origins of the Story Puss In Boots." The Great Cat, 27 Sept. 2013, www.thegreatcat.org/origins-story-puss-boots/. Accessed 17 Sept. 2017.