Supernatural Myths Explained

𝗕𝗲𝗹𝗱𝗮𝗺

The Beldam

Also called the Beldaire, the Beldam is the notorious "Other Mother" first seen by myself in the 2009 stop-film Coraline. I thought it was about time I made a chapter about this monster...

--Appearance--

The appearance of the Beldam changes throughout. Her modus operandi (mode of operating) is to disguise herself as a child's mother to lure them into her world--In Coraline's case, she disguised herself as Mel Jones. In all of her appearances, she has shiny black buttons sewn into her head where her eyes would be (except in the climax of the film where Coalines' cat companion rips them from her head).

In her first appearance, she looked identical to Mel Jones, but with a better hairstyle, red lipstick, and no bags under her button eyes. When she had a heated conversation with Coraline, and after she reveals her true colors to Coraline, she transformed into a longer and scarier version of herself, having an overall skeletal appearance. Her lipstick is then black instead of red.

After Coraline grabbed all of the three eyes of the Ghost Children, the Beldam is shown in her true form - a cross between a skeleton and an arachnid. Her face is cracked and her hands are made of sewing needles. She stays in this form for the remainder of the movie. She was also in this form at the beginning of the movie when redoing the doll, though only her hands were seen.

--Faerie/Fairy Folklore--

The Beldam also shares similarities that of faeries, specifically one that is able to make glamour spells (spells that can enchant one thing to appear as something entirely different). In this case, she would have been using glamour spells to make the other world as well as herself and her creations more appealing for Coraline and previous victims.

It is emphasized in the original book that eating the food the other mother serves is highly dangerous, and eating it makes Coraline's head feel fuzzy and made her less able to see through The Beldam's illusions. However, there is no reference to this in the movie; but it is worth noting that Coraline stresses how the food seems 'better' in the other world. This correlates to faerie folklore; as it is believed that eating food from the faerie world is terribly dangerous, and consequences range from being trapped in the faerie realm forever, turning into some sort of animal, or never being satisfied with the food of the human realm ever again. The fact that the first thing the other mother did upon Coraline's arrival was to serve her a meal only proves this point further, as the food may give the other mother certain power over Coraline.

The adder stone that Miss Spink made for Coraline also comes into play. Such stones with holes in them are also known as hag stones, witch stones, and faerie stones. These stones are believed to ward off evil and, in the book, reference is made to this when Coraline clutches the stone into her hand to protect herself. Looking through the hole of an adder stone also is believed to grant the user the ability to see through false illusions and find real things, something Coraline did to search for each of the lost children's souls.

--Powers, Abilities, Knowledge--

Shape-Shifting

The beldam's appearance wasn't specific until the comic and the movie. In the book, it is written that she appeared like Coraline's mother but taller and thinner with the notorious button eyes, the comic reflected on the book's description.

First Form

This form resembles, except with a better hairstyle and a tidier look.

Second Form

After Coraline refused the Other Mother's love and nurturing, she transformed into a longer and scarier version of herself; seemingly the combination of her actual appearance and her appearance as Coraline's real mother. Her rib cage showed and she had an overall more skeletal appearance. Her hair had also become quite unnerving, and the back had turned pointed. Additionally, her fingers became much longer and her nails had become more pointed, her mole increased in size and moved to the edge of her face.