Remember You Are One: The Prevalence of Doppelgängers in Horror
From twins to clones to alter egos, the idea of facing ourselves has haunted humanity for centuries. This uncanny concept has roots in folklore, mythology, and classic literature, where doppelgängers symbolize much more than a mere lookalike.
The myth of spirit doubles has presented itself in folklore and religious traditions across many diverse cultures: In ancient Egypt, the ka was a spirit double identical to one's body. In Muslim traditions, the qarin is a spirit double tied to an individual. The Norse spoke of the vardøger, a mischievous trickster mimicking one’s behavior. Similarly, the Irish fetch appears as an apparition of a living person. The first recorded use of the German doppelgänger is in Jean Paul’s 1796 novel “Siebenkäs.” A doppelgänger, when literally translated from the original German usage, means “double-walker”, referring to a double of a living person. While their names and nuances differ, these myths share the common, unsettling idea of encountering oneself and are interpreted as a bad omen, a motif that has been translated from folklore myth to modern media. The doppelgänger has proven to withstand the test of time as a versatile tool for exploring identity and inner conflicts, and this archetype continues to captivate us in modern storytelling today. Here are some examples (spoilers ahead!):
Us (2019) - Jordan Peele
Written and directed by Jordan Peele, “Us” follows Adelaide Wilson as she returns to her childhood home with her family. During their visit, a group of masked strangers approaches their house. When their masks are removed, the attackers are revealed to be clones of the family members themselves. It is then further revealed that Adelaide and her tethered self had switched places as children.
“Us” uses doppelgängers as a device to explore identity and the human tendency to define ourselves in contrast to others. Following Peele’s highly appreciated fusion of horror and social commentary, the director uses the “tethered” to comment on America’s misplaced fear of outsiders and represent the oppressed class, forced to live in shadows beneath their above-ground counterparts. This dynamic comments on systemic inequality and the current socioeconomic polarization in the U.S. As Adelaide’s true identity is revealed, the twist complicates our understanding of who deserves empathy, forcing the audience to question the labels of good and evil in a divided society. The real Adelaide, now the villain, reveals that privilege can blur the lines of morality. In “Us,” doppelgängers force viewers to question not only identity but also societal structures that create ‘otherness.’
The Substance (2024) - Caorlie Fargeat
Carolie Fargeat’s “The Substance” was all the craze this past fall. The film follows Elisabeth Sparkle as she is faced with the harsh reality of Hollywood: women over 50 years old have one foot in the grave. Elisabeth copes with this devastating truth by taking a mysterious drug that promises to create a younger, ‘better’ version of herself. However, as her younger doppelgänger overstays her welcome, she suffers the consequences and begins to age rapidly.
“The Substance” critiques Hollywood’s unhealthy obsession with female youth and beauty. By externalizing Elisabeth’s struggle through her doppelgänger, Fargeat highlights how these societal pressures often become self-inflicted insecurities. It’s an important plot point of the film that both versions of Elisabeth are still one person, highlighting doppelgängers as a meaningful tool to address internal conflicts.
Black Swan (2007) - Darren Aronofsky
Similarly, “Black Swan” follows Nina, a ballerina battling to prove herself versatile enough for the lead role in a production of “Swan Lake.” In her obsessive pursuit of perfection, Nina experiences a breakdown where she imagines herself battling her understudy turned doppelgänger. In the film’s climax, Nina stabs her perceived double, only to realize she has actually actually stabbed herself with a broken mirror – a symbolic weapon that is hard to ignore. She finishes the performance flawlessly and as she bleeds out, her search for perfection ultimately destroys her.
By revealing that the doppelgänger was a projection of Nina’s inner turmoil and insecurities, “Black Swan” showcases how doppelgängers can perform as a manifestation of internal battles and unresolved traumas. Nina’s double symbolizes her fractured psyche and the dangers of perfectionism along with the pressure and loss of identity when performing for others. Like “The Substance,” “Black Swan” uses the doppelgänger to explore the fragmentation of identity, especially as a female figure under the scrutiny of fame and public perception. Both films examine the sacrifices made in the search for success, and the psychological – sometimes physical – toll of living a dual life.
The doppelgänger archetype has survived nearly unchanged since its inception because as a motif, it is ideal for exploring human identity. By mirroring a protagonist, the doppelgänger allows for an intimate examination of internal struggles, repressed desires, and fears. The familiarity of the double destabilizes an audience’s sense of reality and creates a feeling of unease. By blending the familiar and the alien, the doppelgänger reminds its audience that our greatest enemy often lies within.
Sources:
https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/history-doppelgänger
Cover Photo: Courtesy of Universal Pictures