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The bogeyman (/ ˈ b oʊ ɡ i m æ n /; also spelled or known as bogyman, [1] bogy, [1] bogey, [1] and, in North American English, also boogeyman) [1] is a mythical creature typically used to frighten children into good behavior.
- Overview
- Creation of the bogeyman
- Cultural variations of the bogeyman
- Portrayal of the bogeyman in Western pop culture
bogeyman, any of a variety of fictional and oftentimes folkloric monsters described in stories designed to frighten children. Tales of the bogeyman and various analogues have been used for centuries all across the world to influence children to behave as their parents command and to exercise caution in dangerous situations or areas. The term is als...
The word bogeyman, used to describe a monster in English, comes from the Middle English bugge or bogge, which means “a frightening spectre.” Bogeyman itself is known from the 15th century, though bogeyman stories are almost certainly much older. Because of the nature of the tales and the often indistinct or changing nature of the monster, it is impossible to trace the character to a single origin in any culture, much less globally.
It is generally thought that the bogeyman was invented to serve as a caution or deterrent to children. By warning children that a bogeyman will capture them if they stray into the dark woods, for instance, parents might better ensure that children are cautious about where they go and when. In this way, the bogeyman may serve as a shorthand for the various dangers to lone children in the woods. Instead of explaining that they may fall into a ravine, be attacked by an animal, touch something poisonous, and so on, a parent may more easily say “if you go into the woods at night, the bogeyman will get you.” The bogeyman also represents a supernatural presence that can do things a parent cannot do and go places a parent cannot go. Children may know what punishments their parents are capable of assigning, but a bogeyman’s capabilities and motivations are unknowable—thus, all the more terrifying.
In some cultures, the bogeyman is amorphous, shapeless, and perhaps described as just a dark figure or something seen out of the corner of the eye. It may even be said to change its shape into anything it chooses or any number of terrible things. It may have claws or nails to scratch against doors or windowpanes, glowing eyes that can be seen in the dark, or horns like an animal. In other cultures, the bogeyman may have a more specific appearance or a recognizable role or belong to another species. It may be a witch, goblin, or ghost, or it may have animal characteristics. La Llorona is a Mexican bogeyman who is the ghost of a woman who wears a white dress. The vodnik (also called vodyanoy) of the Czech Republic is a water spirit who can assume many different forms to entice humans to the banks of rivers and lakes. The Yara-ma-yha-who of Australia looks like a frog with bright red fur, and the Kludde of the Flemish countryside (northern Belgium) is a large doglike demon with a beak, scales, fur, and sharp claws.
Most bogeyman stories involve the punishment, capture, or assault of a disobedient child. Hombre del saco (Sack Man) of Spain spirits children away in a sack, either to sell them or to eat them. The namahage of Japan look for disobedient children on New Year’s Eve; they take away children who don’t mind their parents or who are lazy or cry too much. A Brazilian lullaby warns children that if they do not go to sleep, they will be taken by a cuca, a crocodile woman.
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The pervasive fear of unknown spectres has led to a variety of depictions of bogeymen in popular media. Arguably, any number of supernatural horror movie icons—such as Jason Voorhees and Freddy Krueger, of the Friday the 13th and Nightmare on Elm Street film franchises, respectively—are bogeymen of sorts. Michael Myers, the slasher from the Hallowe...
- Alison Eldridge
Jul 8, 2018 · The boogeyman terrifies children around the world into good behavior – or else. Who is the Bogeyman? The bogeyman is a mythical monster whose impact can be traced around the world.
May 23, 2019 · Fungus the Bogeyman, a 1977 children’s book by UK artist Raymond Briggs, follows one day in the life of a working-class bogeyman whose job is to scare people.
- 1 min
Dec 25, 2023 · In European folklore, he is known as the “Bogeyman” or “Boogeyman,” an elusive figure who hides under beds or lurks in the shadows, waiting to scare misbehaving children. In Latin America, the “El Coco” or “Cucuy” serves a similar purpose, instilling fear in disobedient youngsters.
The Bogeyman (also called Boogeyman) is a mythical creature that frightens both children and adults. He shape varies in the mind of the child who sees him, usually taking the form of the child’s worst nightmare.
The term boogeyman or bogeyman originated in England centuries ago and comes from the Middle English word for “frightening spectre.” Our idea of the character hasn’t gotten any more specific...
