Double or Same - Doppelganger

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What Is That ?

In fiction, doppelgangers are describe as  physically or behaviorally resembles to each other. Some says they are the harbingers of evil and considered as evil twin. It is generally a look- alike or double of a living person at the same time. Sometimes it can be three too. Some says it is a paranormal phenomenon. Some consider it bad luck. It is consider as a parallel universe in existence.

Derivation ?

The word is derived from German, Doppelgänger meaning two substantives or double – goer. In German language, plural and singular are same but in English, we use as doppelgangers only. Also Germany writes it in a capitalized first word and English write un-capitalized form.
What Mythology Says ?

• Doppelganger also known as spirit doubles. The mythology traced them thousand years back holding a prominent position in stories, ancient legends and books by various authors.

• There are many types of doppelgangers based upon their activities. Some are ghostly  double who perform their preceding living person’s actions in advance. Some are those doubles having the same feelings and memories as the person living. 

• The concept linked to the paranormal phenomenon is very recent. They are generally considered as omens of death and bad luck. They become the shadow and try to advice which is misleading to impending death.

• One of the most famous depictions comes from 1851 by Dante Gabriel Rossetti, “How They Met Themselves” in which the two medieval lovers were walking through the woods at twilight and encounter their alter-egos who glow supernaturally. The man draws his sword in astonishment while his lover collapsed in a horrible swoon.

• A best-selling book, “The Night-Side of Nature” written by Catherine Crowe helped make the word well known. However, the concept itself as double spirits, counterparts, alter-egos, has appeared in the myths, folklore, traditions, religious concepts and many cultures throughout the human history.
However, the mythology of doppelgangers have far more ancient origins.


• If you are a great fan of Hollywood stories then you must have seen “The Vampire Diaries”, if not then it’s never too late to watch. The series explicitly shows the reason, the cause, the advantages, the consequences and features of doppelgangers. They have shown the protagonist, Elena Gilbert portraying three doppelgangers and the male lead, Stefan Salvatore showing the same. 

• Some more examples of the concept being widely used in Hollywood TV series: “The Flash”, “Fringe”, “Grimm” in one episode “Fight club”. Some movies are: “Doppelganger”, “Blue velvet”, “Strangers on  train”, “The Abandoned”.

• The concept has not only flourished in the genre of Gothic and science fiction but Comedy too. Hollywood comprises of a very famous series, “How I Met Your Mother” in which all the main leads found their alter-egos that is doppelgangers. A comedy show famous as “Saturday Night Live” casted same actor in two roles as his doppelgangers.

• If you enjoy Bollywood only, you must have come across to our not so hit 2014, Indian romantic comedian movie, “Humshakals”. The movie was about three heroes depicting three look-alikes. 

• Literature freaks must have come across certain poets and authors talking about the same. Like, Percy Bysshe Shelley wrote “Prometheus Unbound”, “William Wilson” by Edgar Allan Poe. The concept has become an attractive key to the genre of Gothic fiction.

• Some more examples : Fyodor Dostoyevsky wrote a novel, “The Double” represents a doppelganger who wanted to exploit the life of his opposite personality, Charles Williams “Descent Into Hell”, Clive Barker’s “Human Remains”.

Comment if you have witnessed anyone of the above ! Do share and follow.

Thank you
Regards
Supriya

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