In the Grimms' Fairy Tales there's a story about two twin brothers. One becomes a king and marries a princess, but later disappears during a hunt. His brother then appears and is mistaken for the missing monarch. He puts up the act, trying to learn what happened to his brother. But when night falls and he comes to bed with his brother's wife, he puts a double-edged sword between them, so neither of them is able to make a move.
This symbolism even goes to further itself in more modern times. Since the sword is seen as a heroic weapon, often times the protagonists in movies, books and video games carries a sword, which then embeds the symbolism even further into our minds.
Ultramasterjedi This symbolism originated during the ages of literature when knighthood was most heavily romanticized, that is to say, the fifteen to sixteen hundreds. The idea is much older than people imagine.
On that note, crossbows in video games are viewed as an evil weapon used only by the inept and dishonorable. The cliche has a historical basis because the church banned the use of crossbows for being too evil. I'm obviously not an expert but yeah, something like that.
Chris Wedemann The use of crossbows against other Christians was banned by the pope. Muslims one could shoot without limitations. ^Please don't take that out of context... :D
@InSanic yeah realized that myself just now... i partly retranslated it from german where it's "Eine elegante Waffe aus zivilisierteren Tagen" which would retranslate to "An elegant weapon from more civilized days" @Magik Mann yes... fairly cilized for war... but still not really cilized... btw am i the only one who friggin hates the new YT notifications design?
I always though the sword is the weapon of the nobility and the wealthy (in both west and the east), but the weapon that actually was most successful in history and the one that actually most vital for the armies was the spear.
_quickly_ - not _rightly._ skallagrim used a wrong translation of the word _'reschlich'_ (connected to the english word 'rush') and confused it with _rechtlich._
I've heared that being used as a sarcastic quote in a movie or video game once ... I guess it would kinda fit to a Monty Python movie, but I'm not certain.
A Rifle or a Missile is a powerful weapon, but it kills acyclically. You see? It sends out harm and it takes nothing back. The blast passes away into nothing. A sword, though, a sword is like a bridge, a crossing-point. The sword binds wielder to victim. It binds life to death. And when the binding is done-the sword remembers. When the Missile's fire has burnt away into smoke and ashen scatter, the sword goes on, hungrier and sharper.
Your video brings together all of your points together so well. I just love how well spoken you are ignoring the many cuts in the video. I hope we can see some bloopers sometime soon.
Don Diego de la Vega: Do you know how to use that thing? Alejandro Murrieta: Yes. The pointy end goes into the other man. Don Diego de la Vega: [sighs] This is going to take a lot of work.
"The sword is seen as a manly weapon, because it is phallic in shape." Yep, whenever I see a sword I think to myself "Gee, that looks like a penis!" Loved the video.
Selena Gamya The idea of the sword and/or spear being a phallic symbol dates all the way to Ancient Egypt, when soldiers were male. On the other hand, they had an idea of the internal functions of the womb, and so the female symbol is a "cup, chalice, or bowl". Of course, the western symbology accepted the Shield and Spear as the figure of manhood, and The Mirror of Venus as the symbol of femininity.
Selena Gamya Ah. I realized it was a joke. But it could also have been ironic in the sense that you might know this thing is also that, but not why. Forgive my mistake.
I wouldn't think it represents manhood because it's phallic in shape (which I don't really think it is). I would say it's more that a sword could be given to a boy when he becomes a man, able to go out on his own, so he'd be able to defend himself, or perhaps that he's now old enough to fight for his country.
ShowALK32 The idea that a sword is a phallic symbol goes all the way back to the Pagans of three to four thousand years ago, when swords were of bronze, and featured a much more curved form. It also has something to do with the idea that men are aggressive, and go to war. That idea has carried over to the modern standards of warfare, which we all know well. At least, for the most part.
Maybe it wasn't originally the intent to be phallic in shape, but the comparison has been made for millenia. I mean, the english word "vagina" comes from latin literally meaning "sheath" or "scabbard"
linksfood This, in fact, is the most likely case. We see it time and again, symbols come first, and then the symbol comes to mean something. Tell me, do you know why "Friday the Thirteenth" is so feared?
ShowALK32 One correction: Medieval people had no nationality, they thought of themselves as members of their village/small community, and Christians, ie they wouldn't fight for their country.
I agree with you. It doesn't represent manhood because of any vaguely phallic shape, it's because of what it could mean for a boy to receive a sword -- now old enough to go out by himself, so he'd have something to defend himself with, or is now old enough to fight for his country.
Exactly. Lipstick, the epitome of femininity is fallic as well. The practicality of an object comes first. The culture and individual imagination work with whatever that object means to people and builds upon it. And the individual imagination often displays a strong tendency to stray sometimes in very weird directions ;)
I'd rather put my bet on spear for the fallic shape rather than sword, it's even more Freudian that way, as the spears were used by men in primitivistic cultures.
Awesome videos! I've discovered you recently thank to Knightsquire, and your videos are very good! (Please, Forgive my english) I don't know if it's related, I'm a passionate, not an expert, but the sword was used for a while even when the firearms came (for many reasons), and if you compare a sword to a gun it may actually seems a much more "merciful" weapon. Guns just kills, they don't have other porpouse they're not defensive weapons, it's really difficult to defeat somone without killing him with a gun that dosn't leave you any chance to fight for your life or protect yourself. Instead with a sword, you can try to cut or harm people without killing them in many ways, and at that time, other weapons were mostly gone because firearms had made armors "less essential". Early, in middle age, this conception of mercy, might been derived by the fact that in many battlefields knight (often associated to the sword like you said) were used to capture enemies instead of just kill them so they could ask for an ranson (knight cames often from noble families), and you can't capture someone who' head has been reduced in pieces by your warhammer.
Not very likely. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the point of giving up your sword to your enemy is to convince him that you're no longer a threat, right? In that case, the sword would be a symbol of power and strength that you're losing.
in understand it that way by giving up your sword you are at the mercy ot those who defeated you wether they use your own to finish the job or theirs doesnt really matter than but your point seems also valid
the sword is also the first weapon, an axe, a knife a hammer and the spear were develop with other function in mind, meanwhile the sword only purpose is to kill humans
And as Man grew more complex, one's combat prowess became became more balanced with skill and bodily strength. The sword became the ultimate symbol of a career of killing other humans.
Nicholas McGuire I would disagree with that. Mongols hated killing up close. They preferred to kill from a distance and the bow was the main weapon. As for the batu people they treated the aseggi with the same devotion. Maori of new Zealand treated greenstone mere with the same reverence even though it was not a primary weapon. In Greece the shield held the same esteem. More so than any other weapon
Swords have a variety of meanings in Tarot as one of the suits of the minor arcana. Some of them center around aspects of the intellect, while others relate to decisiveness and conflict.
I know the symbol rages strong with the modern military in the US. My grandfather was a Colonel in the Army and he had an awesome sword always hanging and would never let me play with it. It was an Army Trade Spartan Mark (West Germany) Officer's sword, and I only first got to play with it a few months ago! RIP Grandpa, thanks for your service, you should have let me play with this as a kid! The wondrous sound of it come out of the scabbard! It was dull, so it was just a cool trinket to commemorate a certain service or base. You already covered that but I thought I'd add it. The US Marines always use sword imagery to show bad-assery and honor, I think of anyone they are viewed the most noble as well.
I think it would be interesting to see the sword as it is viewed through other cultures, particularly that of Japan. From what I understand the Japanese have a different way of viewing the samurai than we view knights. Also because Japan has had severe arms control since the rise of Toyotomi Hideyoshi the self-defense element of swords comes out of play.
also virue (it was placed between a man and woman when they had to sleep in one bed, but were not married) and fertility (because of the symbolism for manhood and being a symbol for divine power). In paintings of royalty it is often held at an upright position to symbolise how the king made sure the lands were fertile and produced lots of crobs. This is because of the divine power associated with the king.
I think one of the views of the nobility of the sword came from an attitude that you had to face the opponent on somewhat level playing field and therefore risk yourself in the fight. It is somewhat similar to the attitude that most Europeans, notably with the exception of Britons, appear to have had against ranged weapons, especially crossbows,. That ranged weapons were for cowards and a dishonourable way to win, although winning was ultimately more important. With the advancement of firearms the general view is that victory tends to go to more aggressive parties who shoots first and with higher volume (I know it's more complicated than that, but that is the general public's attitude). Outside of scenarios where one's life depends on efficient hunting, the firearm is generally and modernly seen as a very dishonourable weapon and a scourge. (Please note that I am a firearm's enthusiast too, so don't bite my head off. This is the generalised cumulative public feedback of the last century.) Therefore the most prominent of the medieval melee weapons, the sword, takes on numerous meanings of a time when you had to exert effort and put yourself at somewhat equal risk to kill someone, with some holdover from the view of being sniped by a crossbow was patently unfair.
a down facing sword often symbolizes loyalty, obedience to law and order and other such things and an upwards facing sword can symbolize war, standing up to a tyrant, or simply standing up for what one thinks is right
I would add that the sword also symbolizes balance and versatility, because it can be used effectively for both offense and defense with no particular tilt one way or the other (for most swords that I can think of, anyway), but they can also be combined with many other different weapons/armour, come in so many different shapes and sizes, and are featured in so many different styles of fighting. And even if your sword is not your primary weapon, you still have it in case you need it - pointing again to the versatility of it. The double-edged sword in particular symbolizes balance, I think, partly because of its inherent symmetry and partly due to the way you use it.
The sword is a symbol of commandment, whence its presence among the ceremonial emblems (or "accessories") of monarchs, particularly at coronations. In France, members of the Academy and officers and officer cadets in most armies around the world are armed (in the chivalric sense as well as the literal one) with a sword that symbolises their rank and their duties. In the Sikh religion, there are three swords in the symbol of Sikhism itself. Two sabres represent respectively the temporal and spiritual authority of the Gurus, while the sword in the centre represents the duty to defend the helpless, the underprivileged, the abandoned or the poor.
Shad, would you be willing to take a look at the design of some of the architecture in Bloodborne, in particular Cainhurst castle? I just think the game's locations are really beautiful and i'd like to hear your thoughts on them.
Particularly awesome symbolism in (a) fantasy - possibly adapted from reality / idk - in A Song of Ice and Fire (GRRM: "Game of Thrones"): The sword on one's knees as you acknowledge visitors to your halls / domain explicitly denies that one is greeting them as guest: "Just in case they jump us, we're ready to mix." It also means you're not exactly going to get out of your seat as a sign of respect for them, either.
Has Shad done any videos on halberds? I'm curious about its capabilities. He seems to mention them a lot in combat against knights, and it's also one of my favorite melee weapons.
1:02 Aaaam, what about blunt weapons? Maces, bats, bludgeons, stuff like that. They are top heavy for sure, but they don't have sharp bits so you won't cut yourself with it, and you can attach it to your belt so you can pull it off like a sword. I think it's as much convinient as a sword.
I hear that a sword is symbolic of the soul of its weilder. (In Japan) It would be neat to see a video about how the symbolism of the sword developed independently in a different culture.
I would advise against a buckler on a battlefield. Everyone I've met whose done re-enacting loathes how ineffective they are in group fighting. One on one, they're alright. Little light for my preference, but they're alright. But in a group fight you want a shield large enough to protect your side and allow you to temporarily ignore the specifics of how you use it.
Wouldn't a longsword be an ineffective battlefield weapon? Hear me out. The longsword was popular in the 12-14 centuries, by which time knights wore full mail armor. A longsword won't be cutting through the mail, and many longswords weren't pointed enough to thrust through mail either. Given that, the longsword doesn't seem like a great pick in battle, when you expect to fight enemies in armor. Sure, it's a backup weapon, but at that point its no longer primarily for battle since its now a backup- you could equivalently use it for normal self defense. Also, there are way to many treatises on longsword, much of which deal with unarmored combat, for longswords to be a bad pick for personal defense. On symbolism- Death by sword was a quick and merciful death, hence the mercy bit. Do consider you could be flayed, burnt at the stake, broken on the wheel, hung, drawn, and quartered, etc. The sword is quick and relatively painless by comparison (for all you Anglophiles, Henry VIII had Anne Boleyn decapitated by a swordsman precisely because it was better than the alternatives). Also, swordsmen are relatively skilled warriors. Using any weapon requires a degree of skill, but swords require more skill than most. Does anyone dispute that swords require more skill than polearms, maces, and axes(for the most part. I recognize using an axe isn't easy, but the techniques are much simpler)?
shad you mentioned the flail. was the flail achualy used on the battlefield? it seems like a plausible dueling weapon but they seem too slow and unwieldy for a battlefield.
What purpose does the little "Ring" in the middle of a sword handle normally found to seperate the two hands on a longsword, serve on a single handed sword?
The sword takes on so many meanings because it is the purest symbol of personal power I can think of. Unlike any other weapon, it's form doesn't really dictate its use. It is appropriate for the battlefield as much as the streets. It can be used offensively as well as it can be used defensively. It isn't specialized against armor, but can still be very effective at it. It can even be used non-lethally (especially against someone in armor, where you can use it as a lever to get them on their back and force a surrender). Bow, spear, shield, mace, dagger, etc No other weapon has this kind of flexibility of use (or diversity of techniques) and when you look at when a sword often gets drawn (unexpected violence in civilian situations and broken weapons/formations in non-civilian) it lends itself to the kinds of deeds stories are made from. To top it off, that flexibility of use often leads to a bit of personality coming through in fighting style that doesn't often with other weapons.
I wonder if there's a similar cultural/religious parallel to this analysis with the shamshir or khilij crescent blade and Islamic crescent symbolism. Thoughts?
I just realized that the knights held the sword upwards to fight showing a turned down cross. Does that mean that fightet for satan and just prayed to god? xD
the reason why bible says specifically doubleedged swords is simple, only the rich could afford them. it was a symbol of nobles. regular soldiers used predominantly sabre/long knive like weapons, or blunt weapons as their sidearms.
i thought the pope decreed that sword guards had to straighten up to make the cruciform shape for or maybe just to promote the crusades of the late 11th century. anyone else hear/read that?
could a sword of made of adamantium cut thought other swords like if a materail from space was made into a sword could it cut thought armor and other wapones like lightsabors
basically the stronger the material, the thinner and sharper you can make the sword so the better it can cut. In theory, with an infinitely strong material you could make a 1-atom-thick sword that would cut through pretty much anything since all the force would focus on a width of 1 atom, meaning near infinite pressure.
i might be wrong about this, but the sword is the only weapon that can be seen as a extension of your body. Train enough until the sword feels like a extension of your body. i remember hearing this somewhere. What do you guys thing?
it's true, but only for some swords. romans, for example used that term, as their sword(gladius)'s centre of mass is very close to the user's hand and kinda feels like an extension of it. I suppose other cultures who used shorter swords might have used the phrase aswell.
it represents this i think because it is one of the oldest weapons it was used by almost every culture it was used through the bronze age. also in the beginning of the medievel times they would use spears not swords
Wout Vermeulen The sword has been used in every culture going back ten thousand years. The earliest "swords" were made of obsidian, bone, and planks of wood. And to devastating effect, I might add.
Wout Vermeulen It depends on the native people we happen to be speaking of. Indigenous Americans didn't have swords in the modern definition, so that is a mistake on my part.
This whole video, I'm thinking that, for the same or comparable reasons, mace or pepper spray is a symbol of self-defense and feminism. Discuss? (Preferably without a flame war?)
I think the sword has a modern symbolism too that I've noticed when talking about swords with people. The sword represents an ideal that killing people should be difficult. That things were better when you couldn't just shoot somebody on a whim. You had to physically overpower them. The fact that killing someone was more difficult inherently gave the defender an opportunity to defend himself, and thus the world was more just. I don't agree with it. People used swords in dirty ways too. And swords certainly made killing easier than it had ever been before, allowing the physically weak to survive when they otherwise would have died out. Am I to believe medieval peoples looked back nostalgically on the days when sticks and clubs made the world more fair? It was a world where might makes right. These days, our brains play a bigger role in our survival than our physical prowess does but I don't think that makes us a weak people. We are stronger in a different way.
Have u ever heard of the game Mount and blade: warband? or the sequel M&B: Bannerlord that for me will be the ultimate medieval game? Also great content, u are very knowledge and you express very well!!
good sir I am new here .The word of god : . in revalation jesus speaks with a 2 edged sword toungue , word ?= sword , 2 edged cleaves both ways , at others and at the speaker... please repost
The fact that the sword looks like a cross is quite irrelevant. First, the only time it looks like a christian cross in hand is when you're about to make a murder stroke, otherwise it's a reversed cross (that's usually a satanic symbol). Then, pagans and muslims also used straight blades with crossguards, meaning it probably didn't have a religious meaning (vikings didn't use raven-shaped swords for example; while curved sabres that may look like a moon crescent were also used by tengri nomads and christians).
Duke of Lorraine The reversed cross would be a rather holy symbol back then. The Cross of St. Peter came to be when Saint Peter asked to be crucified upside down because he felt that he was not worthy enough to die in the same matter of Jesus Christ. It was viewed as a symbol of humility. I agree with your points about sword usage in other cultures.
The upside down cross is the cross of Saint Peter. Only Hollywood thinks an upside down cross is Satanic. Well, Hollywood and dumb people. Yes, quite right, the sword doesn’t always resemble a cross, but the classic cross shaped sword is literally referred to as a Cruciform sword. Any more nonsense?
well, obviously the bible is talking about the katana, the sharpest and overall most powerull weapon in the world. this becomes very clear when you realize that the original katana was not forged by man but is in fact a clipped off piece of gods toenail which fell down from the heavenly rest room.
If a sword is phallic in shape, everything that has a side that is longer then the others is phallic in shape. I don't understand why men see penises everywhere they look^^°
While... not incorrect for the most part (ignoring the penis shape thing for now), this IS kind of a gross oversimplification. Some of the more important additions: The history of swords starts well before the middle ages and goes well beyond it. The way swords were regarded went all the way back to the very first swords, where they were carried by tribal leaders and their retainers. Tribal warfare at the time was fought mostly in short bouts and raids and had an almost ritualistic character. Men coming of age were required to fight and gained more prestigious roles as they showed skill and bravery. All the way at the top of the pack were the lord's retainers, a tiny group of men who had armour, beautiful clothing and... swords! Swords were a status item. A badge of office showing you were of noble blood and/or had shown bravery. These were the men expected to defend their tribe and their lord and many good stories, poems and songs (think Beowulf) were about them. The noble and martial classes were highly dominant in old Germanic culture, to the extend that some of the bible had to be rewritten to appeal to the Saxons and Frisians: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heliand . Swords were central to many heroic stories and many warriors took to giving them matching names, the Vikings being the most known for it. Some swords were handed down to generations, looted from kings or even spawned their own mythos like Excalabur, or far before that Quern-Biter! Supposedly, the latter could cut a quern in half. Must have been a pretty sharp sword! Much, much later on, about 14th century onwards, swords became pretty commonplace and no longer exclusive to the elite. At this time, there were places where carrying a sword was even an obligation by law and men were often given one at their coming of age (the age of 14-ish at the time). It represented mostly their responsibility to defend themselves, their honour, their family and their liege or city. This is probably another way they came to be seen as a symbol of manhood, at least likelier than being very vaguely dong-shaped. Not even very dong shaped really, unless you have a freaky, pointy dong with a crossguard.... Anyhow enough of that. What I'm trying to say is that the cultural significant runs a lot further back and a lot deeper than just the last bit of the middle ages with its knights, and much deeper still than this hogwash I just wrote that maybe one person actually read. If you have, cool! I hope it was at least somewhat interesting.
the double edge also symbolizes that one should be aware of any consiquences from their actions, for there is always one edge aimed at the weilder
I like that interpretation. It ties in with the whole judgement day and afterlife thing.
In the Grimms' Fairy Tales there's a story about two twin brothers. One becomes a king and marries a princess, but later disappears during a hunt. His brother then appears and is mistaken for the missing monarch. He puts up the act, trying to learn what happened to his brother. But when night falls and he comes to bed with his brother's wife, he puts a double-edged sword between them, so neither of them is able to make a move.
"The Sword of Destiny has two edges. You are one of them."
Yup. Sapkowski got that one in his books
"The most important challenge of the sword...is not when to take a life, but to spare one." -Gandalf to Bilbo
This symbolism even goes to further itself in more modern times. Since the sword is seen as a heroic weapon, often times the protagonists in movies, books and video games carries a sword, which then embeds the symbolism even further into our minds.
Ultramasterjedi This symbolism originated during the ages of literature when knighthood was most heavily romanticized, that is to say, the fifteen to sixteen hundreds. The idea is much older than people imagine.
On that note, crossbows in video games are viewed as an evil weapon used only by the inept and dishonorable. The cliche has a historical basis because the church banned the use of crossbows for being too evil. I'm obviously not an expert but yeah, something like that.
***** But at the same time, the crossbow was one of the most heavily featured of the siege weapons during he crusades. Why is that?
Chris Wedemann The use of crossbows against other Christians was banned by the pope. Muslims one could shoot without limitations.
^Please don't take that out of context... :D
***** Ah. Yeah, that makes more sense. "Us verses them".
an elegant weapon for a more civilized age
Not so, Battles of the medieval period where brutal and uncivilized
it was a simple A new Hope reference
btw name me a period where battles weren't brutal and atleast to a certain degree uncivilized
*age, not days
Ok,
I think that modern battles between modern nations are fairly civilized considering its war
@InSanic
yeah realized that myself just now... i partly retranslated it from german where it's "Eine elegante Waffe aus zivilisierteren Tagen" which would retranslate to "An elegant weapon from more civilized days"
@Magik Mann
yes... fairly cilized for war... but still not really cilized...
btw am i the only one who friggin hates the new YT notifications design?
I always though the sword is the weapon of the nobility and the wealthy (in both west and the east), but the weapon that actually was most successful in history and the one that actually most vital for the armies was the spear.
That pomel is perfect for finishing people off rightly. The shape and the apparent mass is perfect.
let's be honest, it's the only right way to end a given opponent.
Ferret Prince indeed!
lolsquad such truth.
_quickly_ - not _rightly._ skallagrim used a wrong translation of the word _'reschlich'_ (connected to the english word 'rush') and confused it with _rechtlich._
montanus777 *shutup*
"I see yours is as big as mine!!"
I've heared that being used as a sarcastic quote in a movie or video game once ... I guess it would kinda fit to a Monty Python movie, but I'm not certain.
I think it's from the movie "Spaceballs."
A Rifle or a Missile is a powerful weapon, but it kills acyclically. You see? It sends out harm and it takes nothing back. The blast passes away into nothing. A sword, though, a sword is like a bridge, a crossing-point. The sword binds wielder to victim. It binds life to death. And when the binding is done-the sword remembers. When the Missile's fire has burnt away into smoke and ashen scatter, the sword goes on, hungrier and sharper.
Well actually. The sword would be blunter
Ok but so it would be any other melee wearpon
Your video brings together all of your points together so well. I just love how well spoken you are ignoring the many cuts in the video. I hope we can see some bloopers sometime soon.
Don Diego de la Vega: Do you know how to use that thing?
Alejandro Murrieta: Yes. The pointy end goes into the other man.
Don Diego de la Vega: [sighs] This is going to take a lot of work.
Too few have read the work this stems from. Zorro is a stabby batman with a fancy hat
"The sword is seen as a manly weapon, because it is phallic in shape."
Yep, whenever I see a sword I think to myself "Gee, that looks like a penis!"
Loved the video.
Selena Gamya The idea of the sword and/or spear being a phallic symbol dates all the way to Ancient Egypt, when soldiers were male. On the other hand, they had an idea of the internal functions of the womb, and so the female symbol is a "cup, chalice, or bowl". Of course, the western symbology accepted the Shield and Spear as the figure of manhood, and The Mirror of Venus as the symbol of femininity.
Chris Wedemann I know that, I was making a joke
Selena Gamya Ah. I realized it was a joke. But it could also have been ironic in the sense that you might know this thing is also that, but not why. Forgive my mistake.
the nerdiest way ive heard someone say a sword looks like a dick
Trace Swann Who, me?
I wouldn't think it represents manhood because it's phallic in shape (which I don't really think it is). I would say it's more that a sword could be given to a boy when he becomes a man, able to go out on his own, so he'd be able to defend himself, or perhaps that he's now old enough to fight for his country.
ShowALK32 The idea that a sword is a phallic symbol goes all the way back to the Pagans of three to four thousand years ago, when swords were of bronze, and featured a much more curved form. It also has something to do with the idea that men are aggressive, and go to war. That idea has carried over to the modern standards of warfare, which we all know well. At least, for the most part.
Maybe it wasn't originally the intent to be phallic in shape, but the comparison has been made for millenia. I mean, the english word "vagina" comes from latin literally meaning "sheath" or "scabbard"
linksfood This, in fact, is the most likely case. We see it time and again, symbols come first, and then the symbol comes to mean something. Tell me, do you know why "Friday the Thirteenth" is so feared?
ShowALK32 One correction: Medieval people had no nationality, they thought of themselves as members of their village/small community, and Christians, ie they wouldn't fight for their country.
11:30 "sword represents maliness and manhood in gerneral, because it's fallic in shape" FREUDIAN NONSENSE.
I agree with you. It doesn't represent manhood because of any vaguely phallic shape, it's because of what it could mean for a boy to receive a sword -- now old enough to go out by himself, so he'd have something to defend himself with, or is now old enough to fight for his country.
Exactly. Lipstick, the epitome of femininity is fallic as well. The practicality of an object comes first. The culture and individual imagination work with whatever that object means to people and builds upon it. And the individual imagination often displays a strong tendency to stray sometimes in very weird directions ;)
I'd rather put my bet on spear for the fallic shape rather than sword, it's even more Freudian that way, as the spears were used by men in primitivistic cultures.
Misiulo The idea that the sword is a phallic symbol outdated Freud by three thousand years.
+Chris Wedemann The word "penis" in Latin means "tail". Would you say tails are phallic symbols or tails are symbols of manhood?
I think what you're saying is really profound though spoken in simple language, which is an advantage. Thank you!
Awesome videos! I've discovered you recently thank to Knightsquire, and your videos are very good! (Please, Forgive my english) I don't know if it's related, I'm a passionate, not an expert, but the sword was used for a while even when the firearms came (for many reasons), and if you compare a sword to a gun it may actually seems a much more "merciful" weapon. Guns just kills, they don't have other porpouse they're not defensive weapons, it's really difficult to defeat somone without killing him with a gun that dosn't leave you any chance to fight for your life or protect yourself. Instead with a sword, you can try to cut or harm people without killing them in many ways, and at that time, other weapons were mostly gone because firearms had made armors "less essential". Early, in middle age, this conception of mercy, might been derived by the fact that in many battlefields knight (often associated to the sword like you said) were used to capture enemies instead of just kill them so they could ask for an ranson (knight cames often from noble families), and you can't capture someone who' head has been reduced in pieces by your warhammer.
Of course the sword is phallic shaped, it's good at penetrating.
The act of giving up your sword the the enemy when you surrender could associate the sword with mercy.
Not very likely. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the point of giving up your sword to your enemy is to convince him that you're no longer a threat, right? In that case, the sword would be a symbol of power and strength that you're losing.
in understand it that way by giving up your sword you are at the mercy ot those who defeated you wether they use your own to finish the job or theirs doesnt really matter than but your point seems also valid
We need Shad to do a Q&A where he basically just tells us about himself. We want to know more about you, mate!
Amazing video Shad, thank you!
the sword is also the first weapon, an axe, a knife a hammer and the spear were develop with other function in mind, meanwhile the sword only purpose is to kill humans
ecthelion alfa no the club was the first weapon.
And as Man grew more complex, one's combat prowess became became more balanced with skill and bodily strength. The sword became the ultimate symbol of a career of killing other humans.
Tane Gurnick oki forgot about that
Nicholas McGuire I would disagree with that. Mongols hated killing up close. They preferred to kill from a distance and the bow was the main weapon. As for the batu people they treated the aseggi with the same devotion. Maori of new Zealand treated greenstone mere with the same reverence even though it was not a primary weapon. In Greece the shield held the same esteem. More so than any other weapon
technically the first weapon was the knife, although made from stone is still recognisable to what we know a knife looks like
Swords have a variety of meanings in Tarot as one of the suits of the minor arcana. Some of them center around aspects of the intellect, while others relate to decisiveness and conflict.
I know the symbol rages strong with the modern military in the US. My grandfather was a Colonel in the Army and he had an awesome sword always hanging and would never let me play with it. It was an Army Trade Spartan Mark (West Germany) Officer's sword, and I only first got to play with it a few months ago!
RIP Grandpa, thanks for your service, you should have let me play with this as a kid! The wondrous sound of it come out of the scabbard! It was dull, so it was just a cool trinket to commemorate a certain service or base. You already covered that but I thought I'd add it. The US Marines always use sword imagery to show bad-assery and honor, I think of anyone they are viewed the most noble as well.
I really enjoy the romanticised idea of Knights as a Holy warrior of God, but I think the swords main symbol is Nobility.
I think it would be interesting to see the sword as it is viewed through other cultures, particularly that of Japan. From what I understand the Japanese have a different way of viewing the samurai than we view knights. Also because Japan has had severe arms control since the rise of Toyotomi Hideyoshi the self-defense element of swords comes out of play.
also virue (it was placed between a man and woman when they had to sleep in one bed, but were not married) and fertility (because of the symbolism for manhood and being a symbol for divine power). In paintings of royalty it is often held at an upright position to symbolise how the king made sure the lands were fertile and produced lots of crobs. This is because of the divine power associated with the king.
I think one of the views of the nobility of the sword came from an attitude that you had to face the opponent on somewhat level playing field and therefore risk yourself in the fight. It is somewhat similar to the attitude that most Europeans, notably with the exception of Britons, appear to have had against ranged weapons, especially crossbows,. That ranged weapons were for cowards and a dishonourable way to win, although winning was ultimately more important.
With the advancement of firearms the general view is that victory tends to go to more aggressive parties who shoots first and with higher volume (I know it's more complicated than that, but that is the general public's attitude). Outside of scenarios where one's life depends on efficient hunting, the firearm is generally and modernly seen as a very dishonourable weapon and a scourge. (Please note that I am a firearm's enthusiast too, so don't bite my head off. This is the generalised cumulative public feedback of the last century.) Therefore the most prominent of the medieval melee weapons, the sword, takes on numerous meanings of a time when you had to exert effort and put yourself at somewhat equal risk to kill someone, with some holdover from the view of being sniped by a crossbow was patently unfair.
I didn't know Samurai and knights were so damn similar.
A two-edged sword can also stand in for dualism, and in the case of Damocles it stands for a constant threat.
Obviously a double edged sword is twice as sharp as a one edged sword, duh.
This is my sword.
There are many like it, but this one is mine.
a down facing sword often symbolizes loyalty, obedience to law and order and other such things and an upwards facing sword can symbolize war, standing up to a tyrant, or simply standing up for what one thinks is right
Here is the usual like, comment, and full view for CZcams engagement.
I would add that the sword also symbolizes balance and versatility, because it can be used effectively for both offense and defense with no particular tilt one way or the other (for most swords that I can think of, anyway), but they can also be combined with many other different weapons/armour, come in so many different shapes and sizes, and are featured in so many different styles of fighting. And even if your sword is not your primary weapon, you still have it in case you need it - pointing again to the versatility of it.
The double-edged sword in particular symbolizes balance, I think, partly because of its inherent symmetry and partly due to the way you use it.
Ma6be the fact that you can keep the sword more easly than other melee weapons main represent you not always need to fight, but to be prepared
8:43- 9:03 and, you could add, that it represents struggle. Not giving in
The sword is a symbol of commandment, whence its presence among the ceremonial emblems (or "accessories") of monarchs, particularly at coronations. In France, members of the Academy and officers and officer cadets in most armies around the world are armed (in the chivalric sense as well as the literal one) with a sword that symbolises their rank and their duties. In the Sikh religion, there are three swords in the symbol of Sikhism itself. Two sabres represent respectively the temporal and spiritual authority of the Gurus, while the sword in the centre represents the duty to defend the helpless, the underprivileged, the abandoned or the poor.
Can you do video on medieval ranged weapons pls
Shad, would you be willing to take a look at the design of some of the architecture in Bloodborne, in particular Cainhurst castle? I just think the game's locations are really beautiful and i'd like to hear your thoughts on them.
Screw symbolism. Swords are simply awesome. 'Nuff said.
Can you do a video on the changing shape of the shield thought out history and different cultures
You're not a Yank. It's spelt "honour".
Hell yeah.
Hooray for unnecessary vowels!
I think hes Australian
ShowALK32 It's necessary to spell it correctly. And if anything is superfluous in that word, it's the silent _h_!
Correctrix "corectly".. well its incorrect in other dialects.
Particularly awesome symbolism in (a) fantasy - possibly adapted from reality / idk - in A Song of Ice and Fire (GRRM: "Game of Thrones"): The sword on one's knees as you acknowledge visitors to your halls / domain explicitly denies that one is greeting them as guest: "Just in case they jump us, we're ready to mix." It also means you're not exactly going to get out of your seat as a sign of respect for them, either.
Has Shad done any videos on halberds? I'm curious about its capabilities. He seems to mention them a lot in combat against knights, and it's also one of my favorite melee weapons.
1:02 Aaaam, what about blunt weapons? Maces, bats, bludgeons, stuff like that. They are top heavy for sure, but they don't have sharp bits so you won't cut yourself with it, and you can attach it to your belt so you can pull it off like a sword.
I think it's as much convinient as a sword.
I hear that a sword is symbolic of the soul of its weilder. (In Japan) It would be neat to see a video about how the symbolism of the sword developed independently in a different culture.
Can you do a video on Sparta?I feel like you'd be the best at making one :)
I would advise against a buckler on a battlefield. Everyone I've met whose done re-enacting loathes how ineffective they are in group fighting. One on one, they're alright. Little light for my preference, but they're alright. But in a group fight you want a shield large enough to protect your side and allow you to temporarily ignore the specifics of how you use it.
quality video as always
Wouldn't a longsword be an ineffective battlefield weapon? Hear me out. The longsword was popular in the 12-14 centuries, by which time knights wore full mail armor. A longsword won't be cutting through the mail, and many longswords weren't pointed enough to thrust through mail either. Given that, the longsword doesn't seem like a great pick in battle, when you expect to fight enemies in armor. Sure, it's a backup weapon, but at that point its no longer primarily for battle since its now a backup- you could equivalently use it for normal self defense. Also, there are way to many treatises on longsword, much of which deal with unarmored combat, for longswords to be a bad pick for personal defense.
On symbolism-
Death by sword was a quick and merciful death, hence the mercy bit. Do consider you could be flayed, burnt at the stake, broken on the wheel, hung, drawn, and quartered, etc. The sword is quick and relatively painless by comparison (for all you Anglophiles, Henry VIII had Anne Boleyn decapitated by a swordsman precisely because it was better than the alternatives).
Also, swordsmen are relatively skilled warriors. Using any weapon requires a degree of skill, but swords require more skill than most. Does anyone dispute that swords require more skill than polearms, maces, and axes(for the most part. I recognize using an axe isn't easy, but the techniques are much simpler)?
Unrelated really to the video. But have you checked out Mount and Blade? It would be interesting to hear your thoughts on it
shad you mentioned the flail. was the flail achualy used on the battlefield? it seems like a plausible dueling weapon but they seem too slow and unwieldy for a battlefield.
good video
6:33 Teutonic knight.
What purpose does the little "Ring" in the middle of a sword handle normally found to seperate the two hands on a longsword, serve on a single handed sword?
I think it's to give you better grip. You hold a finger on each side of it so the handle wont slip in your hand.
Truth, due to metallurgy and purity of the blade
(Playing a pokemon red style medieval game)
Your sword just leveled up!
The sword takes on so many meanings because it is the purest symbol of personal power I can think of.
Unlike any other weapon, it's form doesn't really dictate its use.
It is appropriate for the battlefield as much as the streets.
It can be used offensively as well as it can be used defensively.
It isn't specialized against armor, but can still be very effective at it.
It can even be used non-lethally (especially against someone in armor, where you can use it as a lever to get them on their back and force a surrender).
Bow, spear, shield, mace, dagger, etc
No other weapon has this kind of flexibility of use (or diversity of techniques) and when you look at when a sword often gets drawn (unexpected violence in civilian situations and broken weapons/formations in non-civilian) it lends itself to the kinds of deeds stories are made from.
To top it off, that flexibility of use often leads to a bit of personality coming through in fighting style that doesn't often with other weapons.
I wonder if there's a similar cultural/religious parallel to this analysis with the shamshir or khilij crescent blade and Islamic crescent symbolism. Thoughts?
Can you please make a video about arnis :)
I just realized that the knights held the sword upwards to fight showing a turned down cross. Does that mean that fightet for satan and just prayed to god? xD
A spear isn't inconvenient, you can use it as a walking stick, like Odin does. In fact I would say it's more convenient.
John Hansen I believe what he means is that you can't just stow a spear in the same way you can a sword.
Ah, I might have misunderstood, that is true.
the reason why bible says specifically doubleedged swords is simple, only the rich could afford them. it was a symbol of nobles. regular soldiers used predominantly sabre/long knive like weapons, or blunt weapons as their sidearms.
i thought the pope decreed that sword guards had to straighten up to make the cruciform shape for or maybe just to promote the crusades of the late 11th century. anyone else hear/read that?
I think it's just because they are bad ass...but that logic so are spears and bows.
Next up: Symbolism of Maces (Instantly point to Sauron, Morgoth, Molag Bal etc.)
Soldin PG SKYRIM!!!!
could a sword of made of adamantium cut thought other swords like if a materail from space was made into a sword could it cut thought armor and other wapones like lightsabors
Uhhhh..............
Are you legaly old enough to go on youtube?
Because you have to be 13.
The Aussie Boy only a 13 year old would ask this question
basically the stronger the material, the thinner and sharper you can make the sword so the better it can cut. In theory, with an infinitely strong material you could make a 1-atom-thick sword that would cut through pretty much anything since all the force would focus on a width of 1 atom, meaning near infinite pressure.
***** too bad we dont have any comic book supermetal lying around
Onnaa! (I always thought it was honor though :P)
i might be wrong about this, but the sword is the only weapon that can be seen as a extension of your body.
Train enough until the sword feels like a extension of your body. i remember hearing this somewhere.
What do you guys thing?
that's not a thing
as someone who does HEMA fencing (sabre, longsword, yada-yada)
that's not a thing. you heard that in Avatar; the last airbender.
Yeah, that's just a load of romanticized movie bullshit
alucard ex All weapons are an extension of the body, you kill people, not the weapon.
it's true, but only for some swords. romans, for example used that term, as their sword(gladius)'s centre of mass is very close to the user's hand and kinda feels like an extension of it. I suppose other cultures who used shorter swords might have used the phrase aswell.
Other weapons, which are tip heavy, don't really feel like an extension at all.
it represents this i think because it is one of the oldest weapons it was used by almost every culture it was used through the bronze age. also in the beginning of the medievel times they would use spears not swords
Wout Vermeulen The sword has been used in every culture going back ten thousand years. The earliest "swords" were made of obsidian, bone, and planks of wood. And to devastating effect, I might add.
Chris Wedemann i wasnt certain because i thought it wasnt used by native amerikans but im sorry if i was wrong
Wout Vermeulen It depends on the native people we happen to be speaking of. Indigenous Americans didn't have swords in the modern definition, so that is a mistake on my part.
Chris Wedemann so were both right and wrong in a way
Both sentences are correct, but only in the context that the statements are used.
Never thought of a sword as "phallic"...
nobles aren't very noble, now are are they?
The spirts falchion
Yes but the sword was many for the most noble man or handed down thru generations
This whole video, I'm thinking that, for the same or comparable reasons, mace or pepper spray is a symbol of self-defense and feminism. Discuss? (Preferably without a flame war?)
I wonder what guns will represent in 700 years?
Penises. That's for sure.
Shad i think you're wrong about vikings don't use chivalry they do have drawings on stone of viking riding horses
It means "kill your enemy" thats it!
I always assumed it's seen as a weapon of justice, because you use it to stab people who've wronged you. Or just people you don't like.
Heh, I appear to be early. Maybe Shad will respond?
I guess I am supposed to make a joke or something.
In all seriousness though, great video!
I think the sword has a modern symbolism too that I've noticed when talking about swords with people. The sword represents an ideal that killing people should be difficult. That things were better when you couldn't just shoot somebody on a whim. You had to physically overpower them. The fact that killing someone was more difficult inherently gave the defender an opportunity to defend himself, and thus the world was more just.
I don't agree with it. People used swords in dirty ways too. And swords certainly made killing easier than it had ever been before, allowing the physically weak to survive when they otherwise would have died out. Am I to believe medieval peoples looked back nostalgically on the days when sticks and clubs made the world more fair?
It was a world where might makes right. These days, our brains play a bigger role in our survival than our physical prowess does but I don't think that makes us a weak people. We are stronger in a different way.
Piffle real men use a Rotary Lawnmower. To the Victa goes the spoils!
Have u ever heard of the game Mount and blade: warband? or the sequel M&B: Bannerlord that for me will be the ultimate medieval game?
Also great content, u are very knowledge and you express very well!!
But can the Word of God cut better than a katana?
heh
in german the word for scabbard and for vagina is the same: Scheide. i don't think, that is just a coincidence.
good sir I am new here .The word of god : . in revalation jesus speaks with a 2 edged sword toungue , word ?= sword , 2 edged cleaves both ways , at others and at the speaker... please repost
Money
The Bible IS the Sword of the Spirit referenced in that passage.
That's right, but he's a Mormon, so don't expect too much from his eisegesis.
Cross is phallic too. That might explain woman position in many religious.
The fact that the sword looks like a cross is quite irrelevant. First, the only time it looks like a christian cross in hand is when you're about to make a murder stroke, otherwise it's a reversed cross (that's usually a satanic symbol). Then, pagans and muslims also used straight blades with crossguards, meaning it probably didn't have a religious meaning (vikings didn't use raven-shaped swords for example; while curved sabres that may look like a moon crescent were also used by tengri nomads and christians).
Duke of Lorraine The reversed cross would be a rather holy symbol back then. The Cross of St. Peter came to be when Saint Peter asked to be crucified upside down because he felt that he was not worthy enough to die in the same matter of Jesus Christ. It was viewed as a symbol of humility. I agree with your points about sword usage in other cultures.
The upside down cross is the cross of Saint Peter. Only Hollywood thinks an upside down cross is Satanic. Well, Hollywood and dumb people.
Yes, quite right, the sword doesn’t always resemble a cross, but the classic cross shaped sword is literally referred to as a Cruciform sword.
Any more nonsense?
Whats the symbology here?
... sssssymbolism.
Boondock saints
Benis!
well, obviously the bible is talking about the katana, the sharpest and overall most powerull weapon in the world. this becomes very clear when you realize that the original katana was not forged by man but is in fact a clipped off piece of gods toenail which fell down from the heavenly rest room.
youtubeuser As if.... not funny
Hello first
Sounds like you study the Bible... preach!
Yo fix your audio.
If a sword is phallic in shape, everything that has a side that is longer then the others is phallic in shape. I don't understand why men see penises everywhere they look^^°
Oppression
The sword became a tool to wield great evil by the religious zealots.
the symbolism of the sword is first and foremost "penis", let's be honest here
While... not incorrect for the most part (ignoring the penis shape thing for now), this IS kind of a gross oversimplification.
Some of the more important additions: The history of swords starts well before the middle ages and goes well beyond it. The way swords were regarded went all the way back to the very first swords, where they were carried by tribal leaders and their retainers. Tribal warfare at the time was fought mostly in short bouts and raids and had an almost ritualistic character. Men coming of age were required to fight and gained more prestigious roles as they showed skill and bravery. All the way at the top of the pack were the lord's retainers, a tiny group of men who had armour, beautiful clothing and... swords!
Swords were a status item. A badge of office showing you were of noble blood and/or had shown bravery. These were the men expected to defend their tribe and their lord and many good stories, poems and songs (think Beowulf) were about them. The noble and martial classes were highly dominant in old Germanic culture, to the extend that some of the bible had to be rewritten to appeal to the Saxons and Frisians: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heliand . Swords were central to many heroic stories and many warriors took to giving them matching names, the Vikings being the most known for it. Some swords were handed down to generations, looted from kings or even spawned their own mythos like Excalabur, or far before that Quern-Biter! Supposedly, the latter could cut a quern in half. Must have been a pretty sharp sword!
Much, much later on, about 14th century onwards, swords became pretty commonplace and no longer exclusive to the elite. At this time, there were places where carrying a sword was even an obligation by law and men were often given one at their coming of age (the age of 14-ish at the time). It represented mostly their responsibility to defend themselves, their honour, their family and their liege or city. This is probably another way they came to be seen as a symbol of manhood, at least likelier than being very vaguely dong-shaped. Not even very dong shaped really, unless you have a freaky, pointy dong with a crossguard.... Anyhow enough of that.
What I'm trying to say is that the cultural significant runs a lot further back and a lot deeper than just the last bit of the middle ages with its knights, and much deeper still than this hogwash I just wrote that maybe one person actually read. If you have, cool! I hope it was at least somewhat interesting.