Grim Reaper Tattoos – Good, Bad or Neutral?
Some people think that Death is saddened by human suffering and reaps the souls of those dying in order to relieve their pain. In this case, an Angel of Death rather than the diabolical Grim Reaper will be the main character of the tattoo. Anyway, this is not a widespread conception and consequently there are only few tattoo-designs on this theme. In these tattoos the Angel of Death is portrayed with an earnest or saddened facial expression.
Other people think that Death is only a psychopomp. Psychopomps - from the Greek word "psuchopompos", literally meaning the "guide of souls" - are creatures, spirits, angels, or deities in many religions whose responsibility is to escort newly deceased souls to the afterlife. Their role is not to judge the deceased, but simply to provide a safe passage. Because Death has no feelings and simply does his job as he has been eternally damned to do, his face appears expressionless or neutral in tone.
However, the most popular grim reaper tattoos are those of evil nature. These tattoos feature Death taking souls for pleasure as he reveals an evil smile, laughs or gloriously stands over his trophies (human skulls and bones).
Related posts:
Various elements which can occur in a Death tattoo: skulls and skeletons (1)
Skulls and skeletons tattoos (2)
Death tattoo - various elements which can occur in a Death tattoo
Death tattoos: the main depictions of the Grim Reaper
Death Tattoos / Grim Reaper Tattoos: themes and meanings
Death tattoo - various elements which can occur in a Death tattoo - animals
Grim Reaper tattoos - coloured or black and white?
