Deals with the Devil in popular culture

Christoph Haizmann’s 1677-78 votive painting (triptych). Left: Satan appears as a fine burgher, and Haizmann signs a pact with ink. Right: The devil reappears a year later and forces Haizmann to sign another pact with his own blood. Middle: The Virgin Mary makes the devil to return the second pact during an exorcism.

The idea of making a deal with the devil has appeared many times in works of popular culture. These pacts with the Devil can be found in many genres, including: books, music, comics, theater, movies, TV shows and games. When it comes to making a contract with the Devil, they all share the same prevailing desire, a mortal wants some worldly good for their own selfish gain, but in exchange, they must give up their soul for eternity.

Generally when Satan is depicted in these works, he is represented as a red-skinned man with horns or pointed ears on his head, hooves or bird-legs, a forked tail or one with a stinger, and a pitchfork. When trying to blend in or deceive somebody, often he is represented as a plain human being, and, in some instances, only his voice is heard.

The theme enjoyed a large run of popularity in the 20th century. At one point Anthony Boucher, editor of The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, "reported that fully 50 percent of his unsolicited submissions consisted of deal-with-the-devil stories or 'formalities of the hereafter', which as often as not involved the Devil".[1]

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