Danse Macabre: Origins, Evolution, and Execution

The Danse Macabre is an allegory in which all living things -grand and otherwise -are equally escorted to death’s embrace. Most cultures, from ancient to contemporary, have a belief in an afterlife and interpreted death through funerary practices and religious artwork. Such spirituality associated with Danse Macabre is especially influential within the arts, such as visual storytelling. Two series in particular, FaustFall and Cardinal Junction, incorporate the Danse Macabre allegory through its implementation into accompanying concepts: like the Faustian archetype, the Gothic narrative, and the Byronic hero. Through exploring the Danse Macabre within their dystopian narratives, the notion of a hereafter is emphasized as an integral component within their natural laws. These spiritual ideals perpetuate the Christian concept of death and influence one’s uncertain thought towards dying as a respected inevitability within the natural cycle of creation