A Boogie Man is a monstrous creature present in many cultures whose primary purpose is to scare children, often at the behest of their parents, into proper behavior. The image of the Boogie Man is present in many cultures, and for this reason, tracing definitive origins of such creatures is difficult. The appearance of the creature varies drastically with every telling. In some instances, it is believed that the Boogie Man is indeed the devil himself. Other times, they are represented as creatures who deliver souls to hell.
The Boogie Man is known by various names and varied spellings, including bogeyman, boogeyman, and bogiem, and tales vary greatly by region. The creature may have originated in Scotland as early as the eighteenth century from Boggarts, small mischievous spirits believed to live in cupboards and underneath beds. Also in Scotland, in particular the Orkney and Shetland Islands, the Booman is a creature that appears in lonely places, specifically targeting people traveling alone at night. In general, the Booman would frighten travelers, not kill them. In the mainland areas of Britain, a very similar creature has been referred to as Boogerman or Booger man. Like the Booman, it too lurks in isolated places, scaring travelers, but causing no real physical harm. Bogeymen prefer dark places such as cellars, attics, and closets. In modern variations they particularly like hiding underneath beds and staircases.
One consistent element present in modern Boogie Man tales is the fact that the creature is often used by parents to frighten their children. In this regard, modern Boogie Man tales have largely mirrored those of Nursery Bogies. In such tales, parents use the threat of these creatures to influence the behavior of their children. For instance, parents may tell their children that if they misbehave, the bogeyman will get them. In other cases, the Boogie Man tale may be employed in an attempt to change specific troublesome behaviors, such as failing to get along with siblings. When the creature is introduced in such a fashion, it typically resides inside the closet or hides under the bed.
The Boogie Man is nearly impossible to see clearly, and therefore no standard description of the creature exists. Allegedly, the only way to see a Boogie Man is to look through either a knothole or a keyhole in a wooden door. If one is lucky, the Boogie Man’s eyes may be seen briefly before he moves away. Descriptions tend to be quite vague and vary greatly depending upon one’s culture. In some instances, they are clearly gendered, but may appear faceless. Though boogeymen are typically male, they can be of either gender, or even androgynous. They may not appear in humanoid form at all, but may arise as dust, mist, or fog-like entities. They may even manifest as an embodiment of a child’s worst fears, which naturally could vary greatly.
Villains in modern horror films are largely adaptations of Boogie Man tales. In particular, Jason Voorhees from the Friday the 13th series, at least in the earlier film entries, almost exclusively targets adolescents engaged in risky behavior, such as premarital sex, underage drinking, and illegal drug use. Michael Myers from the Halloween series is specifically referred to as the Boogie Man in the first film and wears a featureless white mask. Freddy Krueger haunts the dreams of teenagers in The Nightmare on Elm Street films.
Although the Boogie Man manifests itself in different forms, some elements are routinely present. The Boogie Man mostly targets children when the tales are placed indoors. Often, the tales are used to get children to behave. Outdoors, the targets tend to be lonely travelers on deserted roads. Boogie Men appear exclusively at night, and generally are not clearly viewed. The Boogie Man is a manifestation of a given child’s fear and terror; therefore, no consistent image has emerged. They often attach themselves to one particular family, and while their actions may occasionally be simply mischievous, they are often evil.
Daniel Patrick Compora
See also Scary Stories; Slasher under the Car; Supernaturalism in Legends and Folklore
Further Reading
Bane, Theresa. 2013. Encyclopedia of Fairies in World Folklore and Mythology. Jefferson, NC: McFarland.
Page, Michael, and Robert Ingpen. 1987. Encyclopedia of Things That Never Were. New York: Viking.
Rose, Carol. 2000. Giants, Monsters, and Dragons: An Encyclopedia of Folklore, Legend, and Myth. New York: Norton.