A goblin is an evil or mischievous creature, often depicted in a grotesque manner.
They are attributed with various (sometimes conflicting) abilities, temperaments and appearances, depending on the story and country of origin. In some cases, goblins have been portrayed as constantly annoying little creatures somewhat similar to the brownie and gnome. They are usually depicted as small, sometimes only a few inches tall, and appear in European folklore.
Popular Culture
Comics
Marvel Comics universe is filled with several characters, mostly villains, donning both names and appearances resembling goblins, included but not limited to the Green Goblin, the Hobgoblin, Menace, the Goblin King and the Goblin Knight. Some of these characters have also been mutated to the point of looking like human-sized goblins, with pointy ears, large noses and scaly-green skin.
Literature
- Goblins appear in the novel Goblin Secrets.
- Goblins own and operate the only bank in the Wizarding world in the Harry Potter books. The bank, "Gringotts", is named after Gringott the goblin. It is one of the safest places in wizarding Britain, having had only one successful break-in.
Films
- Harry Potter films portray goblins as bankers, as in the books.