The jack-o’-lantern has become synonymous with the Halloween holiday, at the end of October every year around the globe. In modern times, the jack-o’-lantern consists of a hollow pumpkin with a face - often demonic - carved into the surface, illuminated by the insertion of a light or candle. This has not always been the case, however.
The Story of the Jack-O’-Lantern
"Jack-o'-lantern" originates in Irish folklore, in a story about a man named “Stingy Jack.” According to the tale, Stingy Jack invited the devil to have a drink with him, convincing him to turn into a coin in exchange for his soul. Jack decided instead to keep him in his pocket next to a silver cross, thus preventing the devil from changing back into his original form.
Jack eventually agreed to release the devil, on the condition that he would not have any contact with him for a year. When the devil returned after a year for Jack’s soul, Jack tricked him into climbing a tree, and then carved a cross into the bark of the trunk, thus imprisoning the devil for another 10 years.
Jack dies, and is not allowed into heaven due to his sinful life. The devil, upset by Jack’s trickery, forbids him from entering hell, instead sending him off into the night with just a glowing ember to light his path. Jack put the coal into a carved-out turnip and has been doomed to roam the earth ever since. He was then referred to as "Jack of the Lantern" which, over time, has been shortened to "Jack O’-Lantern."
The Jack-O’-Lantern as a Phenomenon
Throughout time, many people have noticed a strange light flickering over peat bogs and other fields of decomposing vegetation. This is known in Gaelic as "ignis fatuus", otherwise known as will-o'-the-wisp or jack-o’-lantern, with reference to the flickering coal held by ‘Stingy Jack’. Throughout the world, tradition and folklore has defined this phenomenon as being different things.
In Britain, this light was believed to be "fairy fire," brandished by a small goblin-like creature who would scurry away when approached. Tradition for the rest of Europe holds the light to be mischievous spirits of the dead, and in Asia, superstition states that this phenomenon represents the ghosts of dead fishermen.
Science, however, has identified this phenomenon as simply the result of the oxidation of phosphine and methane, which is produced by the decay of plants and vegetation. These gases combust upon contact with the oxygen content of air, thus producing an eerie glow.
The Jack-O’-Lantern and Halloween
The carving of vegetables has been a longstanding tradition in the British Isles, but it wasn't until 1837 that the term "jack-o’-lantern" arose in print as a specific name for these lanterns, in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Great Carbuncle.”
Interestingly, the linking of the jack-o’-lantern with the Halloween holiday originates in North America and Canada, not Great Britain as is commonly thought. Almost three decades later came the first recording of a jack-o’-lantern as being associated with the Halloween holiday, being mentioned in the "Daily News" of Kingston, Ontario, on November 1, 1866.
In Ireland and Scotland, jack-o’-lanterns were carved out of turnips or potatoes; in England, large beets were often used. During the 1800s, there was a mass immigration from Ireland to America, where the Irish discovered that pumpkins - a fruit native to America - were bigger and easier to carve.
The Purpose of a Jack-O’-Lantern
The primary purpose of a jack-o’-lantern in tradition was that to be placed in the window of a home or on the doorstep to ward off evil spirits, and sometimes even Stingy Jack himself. These lanterns are often accompanied by treats, in order to prevent the spirits from playing a trick on the occupants.
Today, the carving of a jack-o’-lantern is an activity enjoyed by young and old alike. While the majority of faces remain as representations of demons, by the end of the 20th century it was becoming increasingly popular to carve the faces of popular figures or celebrities into pumpkins, as well as using stencils to form more intricate designs. It is also common for young children – for whom handling sharp objects may pose a safety risk – to paint a face on the side of the pumpkin.
Sources Used
History.com, “History of the Jack O’Lantern”, accessed 6 April 2010
Pumpkin Nook, “History of the Jack O’Lantern”, accessed 6 April 2010
Ben Wakeling - Lives in England with his wife and two children. Loves writing, photography, and slouching. Ben is currently posting extracts on a blog ...
