Big, Bad and Ugly – The concept of “the monster” in western culture (original) (raw)

Aesthetics in Turkey: Turkish Congress of Aesthetics Proceedings

Abstract

In this essay the concept of “the monster” is analyzed (a) as an augury for some notable fact such as a catastrophe or a divine message in order to bring about human repentance, (b) as a being escaping the physical borders of human dimension and (c) as a person responsible for a dreadful crime. All of these definitions have in common the fact that they correspond to a type of being whose hybrid form is somewhere between the human and the inhuman.

Key takeaways

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1. The concept of 'the monster' evolves from a sign of warning to a symbol of inhumanity and crime.
2. Monstrous figures blend human and animal traits, representing societal fears and ethical dilemmas.
3. Renaissance studies of ideal proportions shifted perceptions of monstrosity and ugliness.
4. The emergence of 'the criminal monster' in criminology distinguished moral from physical deformities by the 19th century.
5. Cultural narratives like 'Beauty and the Beast' reflect societal acceptance of inner qualities over external appearances.

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