Shade

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The Term Shade in Literature:

The term in classical mythology translates Greek in reference to the notion of spirits in the Greek underworld. In Greek literature and poetry, a shade is understood to mean the spirit or ghost of a dead person.

Shades appear in Homer’s the Odyssey, when Odysseus experiences a vision of Hades, and in the Aeneid, when Aeneas travels to the underworld. In the Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri, many of the dead are similarly referred to as shades (Italian ombra), including Dante’s guide, Virgil.

The phrase ‘peace to the/thy/her gentle shade’ (and endless rest) is sometimes seen in epitaphs, and was used by Alexander Pope.

In Christopher Nolan’s Inception, the main character is haunted by his deceased wife in his dreams and in the marketing materials, she was referred to as “The Shade.”

In Clifford Simak’s novel “Cemetery World”, the fifth column of dispossessed souls, as represented by Ramsay O’Gillicuddy, declined the appellation of “ghosts”, preferring “shade.”

Greek skotos (From comparison one can see the lack of demonic or spirit reference in the above I-E Table .)

1. shadow, reflection, image.

2. shade of one dead, phantom, of one worn to a shadow.

3. evil spirit, Hippiatr.130, PMasp.188.5 (vi A.D.).

4. shade of trees, etc., as a protection from heat, the shade of a rock.

5. silhouette, profile.