Even though Thanatos was the embodiment of non-violent and peaceful passing many believed that he was a merciless god, who brought about painful death.
Unfortunately, a misconception about him had developed. Death was not a subject much liked within Greek society, so his name was never uttered. Thanatos is just one of the many gods that serve under Hades. “And Night bore hateful Doom and black FateĪnd Death, and Sleep and the brood of Dreams.” This lineage is established within the Theogony, a poem written by the Greek poet Hesiod in which he states: Thanatos was born from the union of Nyx (night) and Erebus (darkness) and is the twin of Hypnos (sleep). That role resided with Thanatos, whose name literally means “death.” While it is true that Hades is depicted as the ruler and master of the underworld, he had very little to do with death itself. Within Greek mythology, Hades is often mistaken as being the god of the dead. ( matiasdelcarmine / Adobe Stock) The Lineage of Thanatos, Born of Night and Darkness Even the mighty hero Achilles is quoted to have said “I’d rather slave on earth for another man-some dirt-poor tenant farmer who scrapes to keep alive-than rule down here over all the breathless dead.” Therefore, it is no surprise that the ancient Greeks did not view Thanatos, the personification of death, in a favorable light.īorn of the union of night and darkness, Thanatos, the god of death, was the twin of Hypnos, the god of sleep. Since people did not believe they had anything to look forward to they preferred life over death. Charon, Son of Night and Shadow, Ferrier of the DeadĪfter death, most people would be sent to the fields of Asphodel, a concept similar to that of the Catholic Limbo.The Hell of Tartarus, Ancient Greek Prison of the Damned.The ancient Greeks believed that there were three levels of the underworld: the fields of Asphodel, the Elysian fields and Tartarus. Unlike in Christianity and other religions, where a person either goes to heaven or hell depending on their behavior during life, in Greek mythology the afterlife was not a pleasant place at all. The concept of life after death is an old one, helping provide solace to families with the belief that their dearly departed are in a better place. Analyzing the scant stories in which he appears can help us understand the way the ancient Greeks understood and dealt with inevitability of death within their pantheon.īefore the birth of science, ancient Greeks used mythology to make sense of everything that happened around them - especially when it came to the loss of a loved one. We are thrilled to have completed ‘Hypnos’, and with good faith wish that it will invoke a similar curiosity in you just the same.Son of night and darkness, and brother of the god of sleep, Thanatos was the personification of death in Greek mythology. As a piece aligned more with poetry than prose, many aspects to the film’s creation were driven by an intuition not only of my own accord, but that of the fellow filmmakers as well, resulting in a journey of discovery for all involved. In finding a familiar thematic thread of mortality, transcendence, and serenity in these reference points, as well as an aesthetic similarity in relation to the gothic and the biblical, ‘Hypnos’ allowed me to explore these styles and narratives in a manner that was personal, unique, and unrestrained by my creative vision and interpretation of the mythological canon.įrom a production standpoint, ‘Hypnos’ was primarily an exercise in risk-taking, spontaneity, and self-belief. There were numerous inspirations that contributed to the conception of ‘Hypnos’ alongside Greek mythology, I was equally led by my interests in dark ambient soundscapes, 19th century Romantic artwork, and various iterations of underground/experimental cinema. Given my previous experience with more dialogue-centric cinema, ‘Hypnos’ was an exciting venture into the unknown in creating what is essentially a silent film, reliant on visual storytelling, aesthetics, and symbolism. ‘Hypnos’ is my second completed short film, produced as part of my MA in ‘Film Direction & Production’ with the Huston School of Film and Digital Media.
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