Kraken

The kraken (/ˈkrɑːkən/, from Norwegian: kraken, "the crookie") is a legendary sea monster of enormous size, described as resembling a cephalopod, said to inhabit the waters between Norway and Iceland. Modern scholars believe the kraken legend likely originated from sightings of giant squid, which can reach lengths of 12–15 meters (40–50 feet).

As a subject of sailors' superstitions and mythos, the kraken was first described in the modern era by Francesco Negri in his 1700 travelogue. This was followed in 1734 by Dano-Norwegian missionary and explorer Hans Egede, who provided a detailed account and connected the creature to the medieval hafgufa. However, Danish bishop Pontoppidan's 1753 description is generally considered the definitive early account. Pontoppidan was the first to characterize the kraken as an enormous octopus (polypus) and documented its reputation for dragging ships beneath the waves. In the 19th century, French malacologist Denys-Montfort became known for his pioneering investigations into the possible existence of gigantic octopuses (Octupi).

The fearsome man-killing octopus entered French literature when Victor Hugo introduced the pieuvre (octopus) from Guernsey folklore in his 1866 work, identifying it with the legendary kraken. This inspired Jules Verne's subsequent depictions, though Verne did not distinguish between squid and octopus.

Linnaeus may have indirectly referenced the kraken in his writings about the Microcosmus genus (describing an animal that hosts various other organisms as a colony). Later authors have connected Linnaeus's work, Bartholin's description of the hafgufa, and Paullini's monstrum marinum to the kraken. However, claims that Linnaeus wrote the word "kraken" in the margin of a later edition of Systema Naturae remain unverified.