In Cinderella, a young woman who had managed to capture the prince’s heart must leave the ball on the stroke of midnight before the enchantment that made her beautiful wears off. Stephenie Meyer’s draft, Midnight Sun, tells the story of Twilight from Edward’s point of view, though the title can also be used to symbolize the transition from Edward’s isolation to love. In Edgar Allen Poe’s The Masque of the Red Death, death comes in the form of tuberculosis at Prince Prospero’s party at midnight. Even Shrek parodied the midnight deadline a couple of times, especially in Shrek 2. 

When a bell chimes midnight, there’s something enchanting about it, so much so that many authors and artists have parodied this in popular fairytales, stories, and movies. Sometimes, it’s used to mark the end of the day, while other times, it’s used to denote more morbid concepts, such as Death. However, there’s also a rather magical feel about it, one that many writers tend to exploit, especially within the realms of fantasy. As such, below are a few specific instances when midnight is used.

The End of a Day 

For me, whenever I hear that chime, I can’t help but feel a bit sad, simply because I’ll never see that day again. So, to justify myself, I’d stay up for as long as I could, and then call it a night when I finally pass out. In fairytales, it’s a deadline that can’t be compromised, however much we try to stop it. Though we sometimes take this for granted, especially in the realms of the normal, there are other times we’ve noticed this more often; for instance, during Christmas and New Year’s Eve. Sometimes, we long for a specific day to come, while other times, we wish the future never would. But in the end, midnight heeds its own accord, and no creature, living or dead, can change that. 

The Witching Hour  

Midnight has also been associated with the supernatural. Time and time again it’s been called “The Witching Hour”, when ghosts and other magical creatures enter the world of the living. The reason for this is because during this time, the veil that separates the living and the dead becomes weaker, and many of these creatures come to be a part of the world they once knew. The Celtic holiday, Samhain, is a day devoted to the harvest, as well as the acknowledgement that the dead may be able to cross over.

A Secret Time

Midnight has also been used for secret meetings, whether they be romantic, political, or even simple friendliness. It’s a time when people come to be with each other, despite the fact that some may find this rather odd, that nothing criminal should be hidden. Still, there are times when they do have to do this, when people gather under the cover of midnight to partake in activities that polite society might not otherwise accept. 

Midnight is a beautiful time that symbolizes many different things. Whether that be the end of the day, or perhaps the magic associated with that time period, midnight has served as a kind of treasure to authors. It helps us romanticize about the day, as well as help us when this proves to be more than fruitful.