Below, we see two small, perspiring children hiding behind an ominous black bush as Marmaduke slavers above them, his focus apparently on the doughnuts they hold. Many would claim that Marmaduke is actually aiming to consume their tender young flesh; I, however, believe that he really is yearning after those doughnuts, which clearly represent the souls of the boys clutching them. The golden-haired youngster, generally portrayed as one of Antichrist's disciples, seems to be coming slowly to the realisation that the Beast does not mean him well; he demonstrates his new wisdom by coming out with a cliche that would be annoying if it were not, in this context, so very, very true. Cower, tiny mortals, for the End of Days is at hand, and the Great Big Dog will--after a few amusing adventures resulting from his size--bring down everlasting night. Doom. Doom. Doom.**
*Or, you know, wracked with eternal torment in the fiery bowels of Hell. The Terminator really has nothing on the Antichrist.
**In other news, it was a beautiful day today. How are you?
3 comments:
Souls are doughnuts? Fantastic. Can mine be a cinnamon twist?
Oh yes, food as a metaphor for spirituality and religion is an extensive subject in medieval history - not least with the origins of the Holy Mass as a communal meal, or various interpretations of the "feeding of the multitudes", just to name a couple of examples.
Donuts are actually a great image for the souls of these poor condemned mortals, what with it having a great hole in the middle. If only they were to fill that hole with the saving divine grace, instead of futilely trying to run from their dooms!
Souls were also frequently portrayed as food in the Middle Ages; just consider the concept of the Hellmouth. Here's a page that collects some pretty Hellmouthy pictures:
http://monsterbrains.blogspot.com/2008_01_13_archive.html
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