Monsters of Horror 11: The Kraken
Have you ever wondered what lurks in the deep waters of the North Atlantic Ocean? According to Norse mythology, there is a monstrous creature that dwells in the dark abyss, waiting for the right moment to emerge and devour its prey. This creature is known as the kraken, and it has been feared by sailors for centuries.
The kraken is a legendary sea monster of enormous size, etymologically akin to a squid or octopus. It is believed that the legend of the kraken may have originated from sightings of giant squids, which may grow to 12–15 m (40–50 feet) in length. The kraken has been described as having a round, flat body and numerous arms or tentacles, some of which can reach more than a mile long and have eyes the size of dinner plates.
The first written account of the kraken dates back to 1700, when Francesco Negri, an Italian traveller, mentioned it in his travelogue. He wrote that the kraken was “a fish or an animal that is so large that it can be mistaken for an island”. Later, in 1734, Hans Egede, a Dano-Norwegian missionary and explorer, gave a more detailed description of the kraken, and equated it with the hafgufa, a sea monster from medieval lore. He wrote that the kraken was “a very large and frightful sea monster, which raises itself so high out of the water that its head reaches above the masts of the largest ships”.
The most famous description of the kraken, however, comes from Erik Pontoppidan, a Norwegian bishop and naturalist, who published his Natural History of Norway in 1752. He wrote that the kraken was “the largest and most surprising of all the animal creation”, and that it had a reputation for pulling down ships. He also claimed that the kraken was an octopus (polypus) of tremendous size, and that it could create huge whirlpools by expelling water through its siphons.
The legend of the kraken has inspired many writers and artists over the years. One of the most famous poems about the kraken is “The Kraken” by Alfred, Lord Tennyson, published in 1871. In this poem, Tennyson depicts the kraken as an ancient and mysterious creature that sleeps in the abysmal sea, until the end of times when it will rise and die on the surface. Another famous depiction of the kraken is in Jules Verne’s novel Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (1870), where Captain Nemo and his crew encounter a giant squid that attacks their submarine.
The kraken is still a popular subject of fiction and fantasy today. It has appeared in many movies, video games, books, and comics, often as a fearsome antagonist or a formidable ally. The kraken is also a symbol of Seattle’s professional hockey team, which was named after the legendary sea monster and the giant Pacific octopus found living in the waters of Puget Sound.
The kraken is one of the most fascinating creatures of Norse mythology, a legendary sea monster that has captivated the imagination of many generations.
Whether it is based on a real animal or not, the kraken remains a powerful and mysterious icon of the deep sea.
© Colin Lawson Books