Ghosts have been reported for centuries and interpreted in different ways by different cultures. While today, many are unsure if ghosts are harmful, peaceful, or why their presence is among the living in the first place, many different groups of people throughout the years have had their own ideas, as well. For example, ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics contained many pictures of ghosts. They believed that the soul was made of up to nine parts; two of these nine parts, ba and ka, stayed after one's death to protect the corpse. The ba stayed at the burial ground, while the ka would haunt the living if a priest failed to make it a daily offering of food and and drink. If made mad enough, the ka would kill many people, including small children. In Greece, one's ghost was said to take form of a bat and fly to the underworld, or Hades. These ghosts remained in the underworld and complained constantly about the loss of their lives they once enjoyed. From time to time, ceremonies would be held to call up such ancestors' ghosts to receive advice. However, these ghosts would become mischievous if the Greeks did not hold their annual festival for the dead. This festival, Anthesteria, was to help ensure that such spirits remained in the underworld. Throughout the Middle Ages, many Europeans had become very strong Christians, but suffered from many hardships. Throughout starvation, disease, and war, many were surrounded by death and ghosts of ones who had died. The grim reaper soon became the scariest ghost of all. He was said to appear to a person and force them to face his or her own death. The grim reaper would then perform a dance with its victim and say to him or her, "As I am you will be." Towards the end of the 1400's, many Protestants viewed reports of apparitions to be untruthful. By the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, anyone claiming to have seen a spirit was considered to be drunk or suffering from a mental and/or physical illness. Many were also accused of witchcraft. Finally, during the nineteenth century, or Victorian era, ghosts began to become accepted once again. Newspapers and books became constantly filled with reports of ghostly encounters. Apparition reports became so popular that in London, in 1882, Sir William Barrett and Edmund Dawson Rogers even established the Society for Psychical Research. Today, Hollywood portrays ghosts throughout the media as harmful, humorous, and peaceful. High-tech equipment is used to play up stories and images in order to give viewers a more entertaining experience. Throughout the centuries, while many different cultures and religions have viewed spirits as harmful, harmless, mischievous, and peaceful, all believers seem to all share a common outlook on spirits. They all are believed to be simply the souls of the deceased, lingering among the living on earth. According to Kallen, "Ghosts are timeless phenomena that have been assigned surprisingly sommon characterisitcs across all cultures throughout history" (14). Today, one can compare and contrast such differences seen throughout the years.
Ghosts appear to have been reported for centuries passed, and continue to be seen among us today. Many different cultures seems to have different beliefs as to exactly why deceased people's spirits return. Personally, I think religion plays a huge part to such ideas. For example, a Protestant would have a different view of ghosts based on his or her personal beliefs in Heaven and Hell, while an Greek from hundreds of years ago, would view such ghosts in a different perspective because of his or her beliefs in Hades. However, all cultures seem to share the similar idea that these ghosts are simply souls from the dead that have come back to be among the living for a purpose. In the same way, none of the cultures can be sure about what that purpose may be. Overall, this chapter in The Mystery Library: Ghosts provides numerous examples of the changes in beliefs and views of ghosts over the passed hundreds of years, allowing the reader to compare and contrast different reports of apparitions to what one may consider reality.
Very informative 50/50
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