The aesthetic representation of demons in Hazbin Hotel

a study of religious and literary references

Abstract

Demons have always fascinated humanity, simultaneously evoking fear and attraction. In contemporary times, this ambivalence finds significant expression in the series Hazbin Hotel (2024), which draws upon religious and literary references to construct a narrative with a singular aesthetic. Accordingly, the aim of this study is to analyze the aesthetic representation of demons in the aforementioned production, examining their symbolic construction, historical and philosophical roots, as well as the role of certain paradigmatic characters. For the development of this research, relevant works on the subject were consulted, including Umberto Eco’s History of Ugliness, Fortea’s Svmma Dæmoniaca, Augustine’s City of God, and Hegel’s Lectures on the Philosophy of Religion, in addition to other authors who have engaged with the question. The analysis demonstrates that the series does not merely reproduce the Christian demonic imaginary but reinterprets it in dialogue with multiple cultural and literary traditions, thereby producing its own narrative universe. In this context, the series portrays human conflicts personified by demons, whose representation and meaning assume varied forms, acquiring relevance within the fields of religious studies, aesthetics, and contemporary cultural analysis.