History Main / DeathAndTheMaiden

* The frequently-anthologized Joyce Carol Oates story "[[https://www.ndsu.edu/pubweb/~cinichol/CreativeWriting/323/WhereAreYouGoing.htm Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?]]" was originally titled "Death and the Maiden." In the story, a fifteen-year-old girl named Connie is visited by a smooth-talking, vaguely sinister stranger named Arnold Friend who offers her a ride in his car. Initially attracted to him, she slowly begins to realize that he is much older than he pretends to be.
* ''Literature/KeturahAndLordDeath'' is a novel about a maiden who slowly realizes her feelings for Death.
* In ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'', the maiden is Ysabell, Death's adopted daughter, and later her own daughter Susan. There's obviously no romantic subtext, but both are very fond of him and Susan sometimes [[DeathTakesAHoliday takes over his job for a while]].

[[folder:VideoGames]]

* In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXII'', the [[SummonMagic Esper]] Zalera the Death Seraph is depicted as a horned [[OurLichesAreDifferent Lich]]-like monster carrying a semi-naked woman in his right arm. According to the lore surrounding him, he was tasked with judging the souls of the damned but rebelled against the gods, and the woman is a shamaness who he abducted in a bid to increase his powers.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/TheGrimAdventuresOfBillyAndMandy'' episode "Grim In Love", Grim falls in love with a Goth woman named Malaria. She shares his sadistic sense of humor and they both enjoy their company. By the end, he reveals to her that he is the real Grim Reaper and that all of his friends are actual monsters, leading her [[spoiler:to run away in sheer terror]].

* The frequently-anthologized Joyce Carol Oates story "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" was originally titled "Death and the Maiden." In the story, a fifteen-year-old girl named Connie is visited by a smooth-talking, vaguely sinister stranger named Arnold Friend who offers her a ride in his car. Initially attracted to him, she slowly begins to realize that he is much older than he pretends to be.

A rather infamous artistic motif that has lasted since the [[UsefulNotes/TheRenaissance Renaissance]] and maybe before that, ''Death and the Maiden'' has been popular in mediums ranging from visual art to plays, music, and even film.

A rather infamous artistic motif that has lasted since the [[UsefulNotes/TheRenaissance Renaissance]] and maybe before that, ''Death and the Maiden'' has been popular in mediums ranging from visual art to plays, music and even film.

The details are simple: feature the personification of [[DeathTropes Death]] with a beautiful, nubile human woman. Easy peasy. How this formula differs depends on the medium. Death is often presented as a [[DemBones skeleton]] with wings or [[TheGrimReaper a cloak and scythe]] or maybe just a [[OurZombiesAreDifferent wilting corpse]]. The woman is often [[OurNudityIsDifferent nude]] or at least [[ModestyBedsheet partially so]]. Their interactions vary as well, the maiden reacting with fear or arousal at Death's touch, while Death caresses, kills and/or whatever else the woman in question. It is ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin.

This motif is commonly seen as an erotic one, two lovers making a connection in a way that even the viewer can only have limited comprehension of. Others can see it as a [[RuleOfSymbolism symbolic]] one, Death representing mortality and... well... you know, while the woman represents life and how the two [[TheDeadCanDance dance]] [[BalanceOfPower in a delicate balance]], being equal and opposite to one another. It is generally used in one of two ways. Either this represents the threat of and grief surrounding childhood illness: the maiden TooGoodForThisSinfulEarth taken before she can produce children. The other possibility, is as an image of feminist resistance: the woman who commits suicide rather than enter an ArrangedMarriage.

* ''Film/CrimsonPeak'' features Edith, who has a light, colorful motif of butterflies, in love with Thomas Sharpe the bluebeard who is complicit in serial murders, and has a dark motif of moths (who eat butterflies).

* In the cover of Dark Road of the ''Literature/VampireHunterD'' novels, and other official Yoshitaka Amano's art for the franchise.

* In ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'', the maiden is Ysabell, Death's adopted daughter, and later her own daughter Susan. There's obviously no romantic subtext, but both are very fond of him, and Susan sometimes [[DeathTakesAHoliday takes over his job for a while]].

* The poet of Ynglingatal invoked this when he uses having sex with the godess Hel as a metaphor for death.

* ''Webcomic/DeathAndTheMaiden'': The Girl had a NearDeathExperience and is thus aware of how Death works (he needs to be called by a name). So when she picks him up accidentally as [[ItMakesSenseInContext he hitchhikes across the country]], she decides to run, causing him to be alarmed and dedicated to reap what he couldn't in the past. What sounds terrifying is actually a hilarious comedy, not only because Death tries to cheat wherever he can and regularily runs amok, the girl is also a brilliant DeadpanSnarker. BelligerentSexualTension ensues. [[spoiler: They actually begin to falling in love towards the end, [[NoKillLikeOverkill causing Death to commit a mass murder]] [[BreakHisHeartToSaveHim to drive her away]]]].

* Deconstructed in ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}'': Lord English, the monsterous skeletal being who is known as the apocalypse-bringer and lord of the angels of death, always has a woman as his [[TheDragon dragon]]. It's made clear however, that both of the ones we see loath him and what he uses them for, and it's implied that the reason he chooses women to serve him in destroying reality is because a complex stemming from his hatred of his [[HeManWomanHater "weak"]] sister whom he murdered to gain control of [[TwoBeingsOneBody their shared body]].

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* The English-language UrExample may be ''Theatre/RomeoAndJuliet'' when the titular Juliet begs the priest for a poison so that if she cannot marry Romeo, she can marry Death: i.e. commit suicide.

* ''LightNovel/TheIrregularAtMagicHighSchool'' combines this trope with ApocalypseMaiden. Tatsuya, a grim-faced soldier with apocalyptic power, always follows [[WorldsMostBeautifulWoman Miyuki]]. Both of them prefer it that way- in part because it's Miyuki's duty to subdue Tatsuya if he becomes too much of a threat to the world.

* ''Art/TheRapeOfProserpinaBernini'': The {{sculpture|s}} depicts one of the oldest (known) stories that embody the trope, being the Roman God of the Underworld kidnapping the nubile and desirable Proserpina.

[[folder:Films -- Aniamtion]]

[[folder:Anime/Manga]]

* An extremely [=NSFW=] example can be found [[https://www.u-buy.com.tw/en/product/2FSQ1ORY-tvoip-creative-resin-skull-ghost-amp-beauty-sexy-statue-craft-figurines-2-posture-for-home-bar-party here]]. Apparently it's intended as a joke gift.

[[folder:FanWorks]]

[[folder:Films - Live Action]]

[[folder:Mythology and Religion]]

* ''Webcomic/DeathAndTheMaiden'': The Girl had a NearDeathExperience and is thus aware of how Death works (he needs to be called by a name). So when she picks him accidentally up as [[ItMakesSenseInContext he hitchhikes across the country]], she decides to run, causing him to be alarmed and dedicated to reap what he couldn't in the past. What sounds terrifying is actually a hilarious comedy, not only because Death tries to cheat wherever he can and regularily runs amok, the girl is also a brilliant DeadpanSnarker. BelligerentSexualTension ensues. [[spoiler: They actually begin to falling in love towards the end, [[NoKillLikeOverkill causing Death to commit a mass murder]] [[BreakHisHeartToSaveHim to drive her away]]]].

* ''WebVideo/PushingUpRoses'' tries to woo Death in ''VideoGame/TheSims'' but it's not possible to get him to sleep with you without cheating

A common variant of the BeastAndBeauty trope.

* The English-language UrExample may be ''Literature/RomeoAndJuliet'' when the titular Juliet begs the priest for a poison so that if she cannot marry Romeo, she can marry Death: i.e. commit suicide.

This motif is commonly seen as an erotic one, two lovers making a connection in a way that even the viewer can only have limited comprehension of. Others can see it as a [[RuleOfSymbolism symbolic]] one, Death representing mortality and... well... you know, while the woman represents life and how the two [[TheDeadCanDance dance]] [[BalanceOfPower in a delicate balance]], being equal and opposite to one another.

* ''LightNovel/TheIrregularAtMagicHighSchool'' combines this trope with ApocalypseMaiden. Tatsuya, a grim-faced soldier with apocalyptic power, always follows [[WorldsMostBeautifulWoman Miyuki]]. Both of them prefer it that way- in part because it's Miyuki's duty to subdue Tatsuya if he becomes too much of a threat to the world.

* ''Film/CrimsonPeak'' Features Edith, who has a light, colorful motif of butterflies, in love with Thomas Sharpe the bluebeard who is complicit in serial murders, and has a dark motif of moths (who eat butterflies I'm afraid)

* Hades and Persephone from [[Myth/ClassicalMythology Greco-Roman Mythology]] have shades of this, Hades being the God of the Underworld and the Lord of the Dead, Persephone being the daughter of the Goddess of the Harvest and the bringer of spring. One of Persephone's common epitaphs, Kore, even means Maiden.

* Hades and Persephone from [[Myth/ClassicalMythology Greco-Roman Mythology]] have shades of this, Hades being the God of the Underworld and the Lord of the Dead, Persephone being the daughter of the Goddess of the Harvest and the bringer of spring.