Curse


A curse is any expressed wish that some form of adversity or misfortune will befall or attach to one or more persons, a place, or an object. In particular, "curse" may refer to such a wish or pronouncement made effective by a supernatural or spiritual power, such as a god or gods, a spirit, or a natural force, or else as a kind of spell by magic or witchcraft; in the latter sense, a curse can also be called a hex or a jinx. In many belief systems, the curse itself is considered to have some causative force in the result. To reverse or eliminate a curse is sometimes called "removal" or "breaking", as the spell has to be dispelled, and often requires elaborate rituals or prayers.

Types

The study of the forms of curses comprises a significant proportion of the study of both folk religion and folklore. The deliberate attempt to levy curses is often part of the practice of magic. In Hindu culture, the Sage or Rishi is believed to have the power to bless and curse. Examples include the curse placed by Rishi Bhrigu on king Nahusha and the one placed by Rishi Devala.
Special names for specific types of curses can be found in various cultures:
  • African American hoodoo presents us with the jinx and crossed conditions, as well as a form of foot track magic which was used by Ramandeep, whereby cursed objects are laid in the paths of victims and activated when walked over.
  • Middle Eastern and Mediterranean culture is the source of the belief in the evil eye, which may be the result of envy or, more rarely, is said to be the result of a deliberate curse. In order to be protected from the evil eye, a protection item is made from dark blue circular glass, with a circle of white around the black dot in the middle, which is reminiscent of a human eye. The size of the protective eye item may vary.
  • German people, including the Pennsylvania Dutch, speak in terms of hexing, and a common hex in days past was that laid by a stable-witch who caused milk cows to go dry and horses to go lame.

    Egyptians and mummies

There is a broad popular belief in curses being associated with the violation of the tombs of mummified corpses, or of the mummies themselves. The idea became so widespread as to become a pop-culture mainstay, especially in horror films. The "Curse of the Pharaohs" is supposed to have haunted the archeologists who excavated the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun, whereby an imprecation was supposedly pronounced from the grave by the ancient Egyptian priests, on anyone who violated its precincts. Similar dubious suspicions have surrounded the excavation and examination of the Alpine mummy, "Ötzi the Iceman". While such curses are generally considered to have been popularized and sensationalized by British journalists of the 19th century, ancient Egyptians were, in fact, known to place curse inscriptions on markers protecting temple or tomb goods or property.

In the Bible

According to the Catholic Encyclopedia article Cursing, the Bible depicts God cursing the serpent, the earth, and Cain. Similarly, Noah curses Canaan, and Joshua curses any man who should build the city of Jericho. In various books of the Hebrew Bible, there are long lists of curses against transgressors of the Law. The 10 Plagues of Egypt, preceding the 10 Commandments, can be seen as curses cast from the rods of Aaron and Moses acting on instruction from the God of Israel, in order to enable the enthralled to come free from the yoke of enforced serfdom, slavery and the like.
In the New Testament, Christ curses the barren fig tree, pronounces his denunciation of woe against the incredulous cities, against the rich young man|the rich], the worldly, the scribes, and the Pharisees, and foretells the awful malediction that is to come upon the damned. The word curse is also applied to the victim of expiation for sin, to sins temporal and eternal.

Objects

Cursed objects are generally supposed to have been stolen from their rightful owners or looted from a sanctuary. The Hope Diamond is supposed to bear such a curse, and bring misfortune to its owner. The stories behind why these items are cursed vary, but they usually are said to bring bad luck or to manifest unusual phenomena related to their presence. Busby's stoop chair was reportedly cursed by the murderer Thomas Busby shortly before his execution so that everyone who would sit in it would die.
According to the Bible, cursed objects are those which are used in idolatry whether that idolatry is indirectly or directly connected to the devil. A list of those Bible references along with a comprehensive list of occult and cursed objects can be found online.
In Norse Mythology, there is a curse on a golden ring, Andvaranaut. A dwarf, Andvari, was caught by Loki, who threatened the dwarf's life for all his gold. When Loki was taking all of Andvari's gold, he spotted a gold ring that Andvari was hiding from him. The dwarf begged Loki not to take the ring away because it could multiply wealth, and he would get more wealth if he kept it for himself. Loki took the ring anyway, as Andvari cursed the ring to ruin the life of whoever had it.
Loki showed Odin the hoard of gold he got, but Odin got fixated on the gold ring and took it for himself. Although when Loki, Odin, and Hœnir gave the hoard of gold to Hreiðmarr. That was because they accidentally killed Hreiðmarr's son, Ótr, and in order not to be punished, Hreiðmarr made them fill the otter skin with gold. Hreiðmarr noticed a whisker was not covered in gold and demanded for gold to be covered there. Odin quickly put the ring Andvaranaut there so there would be no punishment. When Odin, Loki, and Hoenir left, Loki declared that the curse would take effect if the person possessed the ring. That being Hreiðmarr, which led to his death. Then, the harsh deaths of whoever was in possession of the ring, along with those around the holder.

Bishop Dunbar's curse

In 1525 Gavin Dunbar, Archbishop of Glasgow, Scotland, pronounced a curse on the Anglo-Scottish Border reivers and caused it to be read out in all churches in the border area. It comprehensively cursed the reivers and their families from head to toe and in every way. In 2003 a 371-word extract from the curse was carved into a 14-ton granite boulder as part of an art work by Gordon Young which was installed in Carlisle; some local people believed that a series of misfortunes were caused by the curse, and campaigned unsuccessfully for the destruction of the stone.

As a plot device

Curses have also been used as plot devices in literature and theater. When used as a plot device, they involve one character placing a curse or hex over another character. This is distinguished from adverse spells and premonitions and other such plot devices. Examples of the curse as a plot device:
A number of curses are used to explain the failures or misfortunes of specific sports teams, players, or even cities. For example: