ogres

Ogres are large, humanoid monsters that appear in European folklore and in contemporary fantasy. They are typically depicted as brutish and violent, with great strength and a fearsome appetite, often consuming humans. In many tales they dwell in remote places such as forests, caves, or swamps and are usually solitary rather than part of organized communities. Descriptions vary: some ogres are portrayed as mindless brutes, while others are cunning adversaries capable of trickery. In folklore they are commonly associated with predation and danger to children, serving as warning figures in cautionary stories.

The term ogre derives from the French ogre and entered English in the early modern period; the exact linguistic lineage is debated, with related forms found in Italian and Spanish. In traditional European literature, the ogre appears in medieval and early modern fairy tales as an antagonist who must be outwitted or defeated by the protagonist. The figure has been adapted and reinterpreted across cultures and genres, ranging from simple villains to more nuanced, morally complex characters in some retellings.

In modern fantasy, ogres are often reimagined beyond their original folklore. Popular depictions may emphasize different origins, temperaments, or abilities, and some works treat ogres as a species with diverse cultures or magical traits rather than a single archetype. One well-known contemporary example is the ogre character in Shrek, which presents a more sympathetic and multi-dimensional portrayal, contributing to a broader spectrum of portrayals in literature, film, and games.