THE ORIGIN OF THE
DEMOGORGON
BY : KRISTEN ASSINCK
Whether you first heard the name
Demogorgon in stories of ancient mythology , while playing Dungeons & Dragons , or more recently while binge watching season 1 of Stranger Things , it likely conjures up visions of a dark , ominous and supernatural creature associated with the terrors of the underworld .
The very origins of the Demogorgon are just as mysterious . Scholars of religion believe that the name Demogorgon actually stems from a misreading of the Greek term demiurge , which refers to a craftsman who is responsible for
the creation and maintenance of the physical world . Around 350-400 AD , we see the first appearance of the spelling Demogorgon alongside a description of the demon as a supreme God whose name is taboo and must not be spoken - perhaps the original , “ He Who Must Not Be Named ”?
During the Middle Ages , Christian scholars and authors began to refer to the Demogorgon as a demon of hell , portraying the creature as a powerful otherworldly demon to be feared by all . He makes an appearance in John Milton ’ s epic poem Paradise Lost , and even later
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