Hellhounds and the Hound of Heaven: Meaning and Symbolism

Elvis famously sang, “You ain’t nothing but a hound dog,” as if that was an insignificant thing. It’s not insignificant if you’re tracking something—or being tracked—though. The magnificently sensitive nose of a hound can detect scents imperceptible to human beings. The way a hound can lead its owners directly to their prey can seem nearly miraculous. These abilities have made the humble hound into a potent metaphorical symbol of the afterlife—both positively and negatively. In this article, we’ll delve into two of those opposing hound dog symbols: “hellhounds” and “the hound of heaven.” At the end, we’ll consider their relevance both to religious and non-religious people.

Helpful Hounds

The Hound Group of the American Kennel Club includes about 30 breeds, but there are many more not yet recognized. Historically, people bred hounds with specialized characteristics for different kinds of hunting. Sighthounds are fast dogs that can keep their prey in sight. Scenthounds are breeds with an excellent sense of smell to track game. Hounds are also well-known for the deep, booming sound they make called “baying.” It is distinct from barking (which they also do), and it communicates that they are tracking something.

For hundreds of years, hunters have used hounds to track down game, large and small, from foxes, raccoons, and rabbits to wild boar, elk, and even wolves. Today, hounds are vitally important to public safety. They are used to sniff out explosives, drugs, and other contraband and to find lost people or escaped criminals.

What Are Hellhounds?

In the mythology of several world cultures, a hellhound was a servant of the underworld. One of the most famous examples of this belief is found in ancient Greek mythology. Cerberus was a three-headed dog with a dragon’s tail stationed at the entrance to the underworld. Similarly, in Scandinavian myths, Garmr was a bloody canine guarding Hel’s gate. These myths persisted in the folktales of Christian Europe. Many European cultures imagined the devil might manifest as a hellish dog or that demonic dogs would rampage on a wild hunt at night.

Hellhounds in Popular Culture

If anything, this image of an evil dog has become more popular over time. Demonic hellhounds have figured in movies and t.v. programs such as The Omen, Ghostbusters, Supernatural, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and The X-Files. They have also made an appearance in video and board games like Call of Duty, Pokemon, Final Fantasy, and Dungeons and Dragons.

The Hound of Heaven

“The Hound of Heaven” is a much more recent metaphor with a narrower cultural impact. It’s the title of a poem by English poet Francis Thompson that was published in a periodical called Merry England and since republished in other books. As the copyright has now expired, the poem is now in the public domain and can be accessed at the Library of Congress web site, among other places.

In this ode, Thompson depicts a desperate human fleeing from God but being relentlessly pursued by the deity as a hound would untiringly pursue its prey. The first lines are the most well-known: “I fled Him down the nights and down the days; I fled Him down the labyrinthine ways / of my own mind; and in the mist of tears I hid from Him . . . ” God inevitably catches the protagonist in the end, who discovers that this is actually what he had wanted all along.

The Hound of Heaven in Popular Culture

The poem has been popular among Christians and had an influence on J.R.R. Tolkien, the author of The Hobbit, and Lord of the Rings. The contemporary Christian musician Michael Card recorded a song called “Hound of Heaven” for his first album. British Anglican theologian John Stott borrowed the title for the first chapter of his book Why I am a Christian.

Hound Symbolism With or Without Religion

If you consider yourself a religious person, then the metaphor of a Hellhound or the Hound of Heaven might resonate with you. Thinking of the Hellhound can be a reminder of the need to flee from things your tradition teaches are evil or negative. Conversely, the Hound of Heaven imagery can comfort you at times when you might feel lonely, directionless, or spiritually lost. Think of this great Hound, symbolizing your higher power, relentlessly tracking you, finding you, and protecting you from danger.

For a non-religious person, these metaphors can help you think more generally about how animals can inspire human beings to become better versions of themselves. You might want to think about how you are playing the role of “guardian” or “pursuer” in your own life. Who or what are you guarding, and who or what are you pursuing? Are these roles working for you and others? How do you want to continue doing them, and how do you want to do them differently? Maybe all of us can think of being “nothing but a hound dog” not so much as an insult but an inspiration.