Character History
Easter rabbit (Easter hare) is a cultural symbol distributed in Western Europe, Canada and the United States. Today is associated with the Christian holiday of the Resurrection of Christ, although the history of this hero goes back to deep antiquity.History of character creation
The origin of the eared wizard belongs to the pre-Christian period. The hare was considered a constant satellite EOST. Not so much information has been preserved about this Anglo-Saxon goddess. It is known that it was associated with fertility and the onset of spring.
Well, the hare was famous for fertility, symbolizing the update of life. In Germany, there was a legend about these characters. The eos is found in the snow dying bird. She was sorry for the animal, and the dignity decided to cure him, turning into a hare. Saved creation in gratitude remained next to the goddess, and the ability to carry eggs did not lose.
With the departure of paganism, the usual rituals began to penetrate into Christianity anyway. In some religious holidays and today, references to the ancient beliefs are traced. Did not exception and Easter.
Features of the day of the spring equinox, associated with honoring the Goddess of the Eostra, penetrated into the context of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Including migrated to the tradition of a holiday and hare, reincarnated in a home rabbit.
The first written sources where the tradition is mentioned that at Easter this animal brings eggs, dated the beginning of the XVII century. In particular, this information is officially documented by Professor Georg Frank Frankienau.
In the US, the custom entrenched at the end of the XVIII century, after immigration to the territory of America Germans. Here, an animated symbol of Easter brought toys with sweets.
Christians have legends associated with the emergence of such a ritual. For example, the eared braver became the Savior of the Archangel Gabriel, when the robbers attacked. And after he promised people on Earth, which differ in hard work, to give painted eggs.
Another legend is associated with the World Floral. When the ark ran into the mountain, a hole was formed in the design. Everyone threatened inevitable death, but the courage to the tail was blocked with a tail.
Interesting fact: In Australia, the situation with rabbits is hazarded due to their excessive numbers. In Christ, the resurrection here is the hero not read, and his functions for herself took the beast Bilby - a sumsage badger.
In Russia, the tradition associated with the image of an Easter animal did not fit. In Orthodoxy and today, painted eggs and cakes remain in the holiday symbols. Although some echoes of Western custom are present. For example, when the child brings cookies, gingerbread, candy or toys, often say: "This is from the bunny."
The image of an easter bunny
With the development of the chocolate industry, the popularity of the cultural symbol has only increased. Children in European countries are looking forward to the arrival of a fabulous character. This hero in many is associated with the good Santa Claus, which commemorates the offensive of the magic.On the eve of Easter transformed cities. Rabbit figures appear in the stores, as well as greeting cards with its image. In families there are their customs. Often parents put on the cost of the eared animal and congratulate the children.
The guys on the eve of the celebration make crafts and postcards with pictures and symbols of the most important Christian holiday. There is a huge number of descriptions of the appearance of the rabbit, so there is no such canon. Moreover, thanks to the penetration of the fairy-tale hero in various fields of art, his appearance did not have once changed.
Permanent attributes of a good wizard - a small basket, top filled with gifts. An interesting tradition is connected with this cute animal. Parents hid at home or in the garden painted eggs. And in the morning children were offered to play the game.
Such a funny time today is another way to celebrate Easter in the warm family circle, as well as the opportunity to give each other joyful emotions.
Easter bunny in culture
The fabulous character took the honorable place in the film industry and animation. Modern authors turn to mythological animal in children's books. Baby in different countries - even in those where the tradition connected with the rabbit did not fit, they know about a good-natured bunny with a basket of fairy tales.
Squeezing to the festive ritual can be traced in the episodes of the cartooner "Winnie Pooh" Walt Disney. Here a teddy bear friend on a holiday paints eggs and invites residents of the forest to join the game.
A curious interpretation received an Easter bunny in the cartoon "Keepers of Dreams" 2012. In this full-length animation picture, in addition to this recognizable hero, Santa Claus, Tooth Fairy, Sandy Man and Ice Jack.
Characters collided with a global problem - the children stopped believing in them. And now there is a terrible villain of Homeshnik in their dreams. Only one child remained in the world, which, despite everything, is in no hurry to part with fairy tale.
Meanwhile, each of the heroes changes: the dental fairy loses the ability to fly, Ice Jack is invisible for the world, Santa Claus becomes weak. Easter rabbit, depicted with a high and strong character who knows martial arts, turns into a small defenseless bunny.
The situation is exacerbated by the fact that due to the inclusions of the villain, painted eggs disappear. Children are looking for hotels and do not find them, once again convincing that legends about the wizard - fiction. At the end of the cartoon good, according to tradition, evil wins, and the guys see the victim of their idols.
The fabulous hero noted in the world of movies. The American comedy "Hank and Mike" tells about two friends who work in the entertainment industry. Once a year, on the eve of the holiday, they put on a hare's costume and try on the role of eared wizards.
As in the case of a dental fairy, the Easter bunny has become a film everman in the horror genre. The painting "Black Holidays" Kevin Smith is a series of short. In one of them, a good-natured character with a basket appears in an unexpected role, demonstrating a completely new history of the monster.
The mythological character is found in films for children - Santa Claus 2, North. It tries to different images - from a friendly merchant to a pedantic intellectual. Nevertheless, remains a favorite symbol of a bright holiday and is of great importance in Western culture.
Interesting Facts
- The attachment of the ordinary to hide eggs, perhaps was Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Researchers argue that the German writer laid them in the garden under the bushes, and his children and guests started searching.
- Historians believe that the roots of the origin of a fabulous character should be sought in ancient Greek mythology. So, the hare was a companion of the goddess Aphrodite.
- In Munich, there is a museum dedicated to this cultural symbol. In 2005, closed, although he noted in the Guinness Book of Records.
- An interesting tradition exists today in the United States: there on the day of the celebration, children ride rapid eggs on the lawn in front of a white house.
Quotes
"Doesn't this clown know how to deliver joy to children?" "I'm a rabbit! Easter bunny! And people believe in me! "" I assume that she first sees such a rabbit - steel nerves, the growth of the meter eighty-three, steel nerves, master Thai-jhi. "Bibliography
- 2013 - "Easter rabbit, or a trip to the center of the Earth"
- Filmography
- 1977 - "Easter bunny goes to us"
- 1993 - "Nightmare Before Christmas"
- 1994 - North
- 1995 - Santa Claus Vacation
- 2000 - "Easter in the country of rabbits"
- 2002 - "Santa Claus 2"
- 2008 - "Hank and Mike"
- 2011 - "Bunny Eared"
- 2012 - "Dream Keepers"
- 2016 - "Black Holidays"