Dragons have long taken part in many cultures all over the world, spanning from the Celtic people in Ireland to ancient Japanese and Chinese beliefs. Their roles in history have affected wars, traditions, and many of our modern folklore and fairytales. These beliefs and ideas have long been subtly woven into our culture here in North America; and even though we no longer train warriors to fight and slay dragons, or listen for birds to point out weak spots in dragons armor, we are still surrounded by their tales, from flags to videogames, they are sleeping in the caves of our minds.
A strong theory about how the idea of dragons was fabricated involves ancient discovery of dinosaur bones, or large mammal bones. Dragons were known all over the world, before communication between continents existed, so that leads some people to believe that dragons were not “made” or “discovered” in one area and then spread to the rest of the world, but were known uniquely by individual cultures . Dinosaur remains are present on every continent, making this a likely explanation of the creation of dragons, when a little imagination is added. These creatures were changeable, making them an
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explanation for many unexplainable occasions. Take for example, the Kraken; a sea dragon who is known for devouring whole ships, was a story composed of missing ships and massive disfigured whale carcusses, used to explain the disappearance of ships. The earliest recordings of dragons are around 2000 B.C. The tablet epic of Gilgamesh of Mesopotamia slaying the dragon Humbaba, guardian of the cedar forest. The earliest discovery of dragon lore in China is a picture of a dragon drawn of clam shells in the tomb of Xishuipo Yangshao. Dragons have different roles in different cultures. In Japan, a common belief is that people, (especially leaders) are descendants of dragons with wisdom and intelligence. Asian dragons are seen as a symbol of dignity, wisdom, fortune, and good luck; therefore they are a good omen in China and other Asian countries. Carvings of dragons are all over walls, gongs, instruments, thrones, swords, and other objects throughout history to warn and protect the people from danger. For millennia, the Chinese have used ground up dragon bones as medicine. Although no living dragons exist today, the dragon is not only remembered in China, but widely celebrated with the New Year to bring luck. Asian dragons are among the most commonly known cultural representation. The European dragon is another common style, known vastly throughout the world, travelling with European settlers. Dinosaur bones are again the most likely root of their cultural existence, but the people feared these giant creatures and saw them as evil monsters; hence the tales of brave dragon slayers. For example, Beowulf of Scandinavia who slays the dragon wreaking havoc on his kingdom. Tales like these have influenced men to be brave and heroic, giving Europe the expectation of strong men rescuing people. This set the standard of Europe's need to be the hero. In South America, the Aztec and Toltec peoples had a dragon god named Quetzalcoatl, the feathered serpent who could change to human form to help guide the people. The North American native tribe Illini knew the dragon Piasa, who discovered a liking for human flesh after devouring the carcusses leftover from a war. The Illini had to slay piasa to prevent it from eating the rest of the tribe. These dragons were mostly forgotten as Europeans settled and took over. Between Europe and America, there is the Atlantic Ocean, dominated by the sea dragon, the Kraken. This mighty beast was said haunt the ocean and consume sailing ships, and has given sailors reason to fear the sea, and consider themselves brave for venturing over it. Australian dragons are quite different and apart from the rest, much like Australia itself. These dragon forms are not only unique in form, but also in meaning and value as well. These many kinds of dragons were seen more as a personification of natural forces with the image of a great beast. The Rainbow Serpent appeared as a colourful viper-like beast, and hoarded water during slumber. On the other hand there is the Bunyip; the Australian dragon creature of the water, who is a mischief maker. These opposing dragons could’ve represented or ruled floods and drought. They are not very popular compared to the epicness of European and Asian dragons, but serve as a unique piece in dragon history and variation. The least known dragon culture is the African dragon tales. These ancient creatures were much like the well known Asian dragon. They were peaceful and lived in harmony with humans, and had a give/take relationship with people. Dragons mostly lived in mountains, like in other cultures, but would give aid to nearby villages in exchange for an elephant to eat. These dragons were described as serpents with legs and ate mostly elephants, but hated wasting food so would eat other carcusses if present. Definitely humble creatures, the African dragons are rather unknown in modern dragon culture. Most modernly known dragons come from Europe or Asia, limiting the widespread variety of creations.
The fairytales we know of dragons today are mostly adapted versions of old ones. Such as Bard, slayer of Smaug in Tolkien’s, “The Hobbit”, and Beowulf, slayer of the evil Scandinavian dragon. Both dragons were angered when a cup was stolen from its hoard of treasure, but “The Hobbit” was written nearly one thousand years later. The flag of Wales is a red dragon, a symbol of the story of King Arthur, and the lake under the land where King Vortigern attempted to build a tower but kept failing due to disruption from a red dragon and a white dragon fighting in the lake. The red dragon represented the Welsh and the white dragon represented the Saxons. The red dragon wins, showing the power of
Wales. Dragons have created many well known traditions today. The most common tradition involving a dragon is the Chinese New Year celebration, where dancers dress as dragons and dance for luck, and life sized dragon puppet dances are performed to scare away evil spirits. In France, every year on the last Sunday of June, the people of Tarascon celebrate the dragon Tarasque, who was tamed by St. Martha and killed by the townspeople. Tarasque is said to be the offspring of Leviathan, a biblical dragon-like creature. Today our view of dragons comes a lot from pop culture and fictional stories created to entertain children. There are dragon-type Pokemon, dragons in Yu-gi-oh, Legend of Zelda, Harry Potter, Pirates of the Caribbean, many children's T.V. including as Dragon Tales, and too many books to list, such as The Hobbit, and Lord of the Rings. All of the dragons in these stories are European, even though some mentioned stories are created in Japan. A person’s understanding of a dragon also depends on their culture and whereabouts on the planet. An Asian person would see a dragon as a good, wise creature while a European or American person might see a dragon as a destructive beast. Today, although many people see dragons as a child’s imaginary creature, throughout history dragons have been entwined with our individual cultures in many different ways, changing how countries have acted and how leaders have ruled. Dragons are no less real than the dinosaur bones they come from, because they are the same; an element of our roots on this planet. References @JosephStromberg, Follow. "Where Did Dragons Come From?". Smithsonian. N.p., 2012. Web. 25 Apr. 2016. "Australian Dragon". Pictures.linkmesh.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 18 Apr. 2016. "Dragon Mythology". Jafiradragon.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 18 Apr. 2016. "Dragons In History | Genesis Park". Genesispark.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 18 Apr. 2016. Kapur, Shekhar. Dragons. Markham: Tangerine Press, 2009. Print. McCormick, Kylie. "Rainbow Serpent | Dragon History | The Circle Of The Dragon". Blackdrago.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 18 Apr. 2016. "Natural History Of Dragons". AMNH. N.p., 2016. Web. 18 Apr. 2016. Owens, Kevin. "The History Of Dragons - Draconika". Draconika.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 18 Apr. 2016. "Serpents Reveal Links Between Myths In Australia, China". Redicecreations.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 18 Apr. 2016. Smith, Sean, Sean Smith, and View profile. "Mythical Creatures: African Dragon". Creaturesofmyth.blogspot.ca. N.p., 2013. Web. 18 Apr. 2016. "Tarasque | The Folklore Society". Folklore-society.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 18 Apr. 2016. "The Horrible Histories Of Wales 450AD Deadly Dragons Welsh History". Visitwales.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 18 Apr. 2016. North Colchester High School Dragons History And Role In Cultures Emily Frith Global History 12 Ms. Lynds April 26
(blackdrago.com) “Dragon images have been found on the Ishtar Gate of Babylon, on scrolls from China, in Egyptian hieroglyphs and Ethiopian sketches, on the prows of Viking ships, in bas relief on Aztec temples, on cliffs above the Mississippi River and even on bones carved by Inuits in climates where no reptile could live.” (McNeil) Stories of dragons can be found all through history. Over five thousand years ago, ancient Sumerian cultures had dragon legends in their religions. Modernly, few still believe dragons exist, they can still be found in our movies, books and video
These detailed descriptions of a simple tattoo create a vivid image of seemingly mythical proportion. The words “neat lines” and “blue swirls” suggests that the setting of the scene is supernaturally created, as lightning strikes are seldom “neat” nor are ocean waves “blue” in reality. Yet, this supernatural setting provides a fitting backdrop, for the violence and struggle in the foreground. Serpents and dragons are certainly supernatural beings: both are associated with great power, violence and destruction. The word “twist” may describe the natural movement of the body of the serpent, but can also suggest that its body is twisted out of shape from great exertion or from sustained injuries.
The dragon is portrayed as the undefeatable evil. He is nearly invincible, breathes fire, and manages to fatally wound the ultimate hero of the poem. This makes him the ultimate evil Although Beowulf does defeat the dragon, the battle ends in a tie, since both sides perish, which shows the never ending balance between the two extremes: good and evil. The theme of loyalty is also explored here. When the battle between Beowulf and the dragon first begins, “[his] hand-picked troop/ broke ranks and ran for their lives” (1129). This is a common archetype that allows the hero to face the antagonist alone, all while having assistance during the journey leading up to the final battle. The author used this to emphasize the Anglo-Saxon belief of fate. Beowulf was supposed to face the dragon alone, thus his comrades had to disappear. The two ways to do this would have been to have Beowulf go alone, which would conflict with the belief of Warrior Culture, or portray his allies as cowards which would also help reinforce the Anglo Saxon values regarding courage. Thus by adding in the archetype of the cowardly allies, the author creates an emphasis on the important parts of Anglo-Saxon culture without relying on
Grendel and Saint George's dragon, then to the mermaids, trolls, and one-eyed giants of our fairy and
Dragons lie in the realm of fantasy; legendary creatures who are deeply rooted in magic and have captivated audiences for centuries. The depiction
After fighting and winning many battles, Beowulf's life enters a new stage when he finally becomes king of his homeland, Geatland. Even in his old age, his code of honor still obligates him to fight against an evil, fiery dragon. For fifty years he has governed his kingdom well. While Beowulf is governing, the dragon "...kept watch over a hoard, a steep stone-barrow" (Norton 55). Under it lays a path concealed from the sight of men. Over centuries no one had disturbed the dragon’s kingdom until one day when a thief broke into the treasure, laid hand on a cup fretted with gold, which infuriated the dragon. "The fiery dragon had destroyed the people's stronghold, the land along the sea, the heart of the country" (Norton 57).
When the dragon awakes after three hundred years of sleep, he discovers that his cup has been stolen. The dragon, also known as the worm, fills with anger and rage. Even though he is so angry, he does like the idea of battle: “Yet he took joy in the thought of war, in the work of fighting” (Donaldson 40). The dragon cannot wait to ravage the land of the people where one man has stolen from him: “The hoard-guard waited restless until evening came; then the barrow-keeper was in rage: he would requite that precious drinking cup with vengeful fire” (Donaldson 40). The dragon destroys the land and kills everyone around. The dragon even destroys Beowulf’s home.
In contrast, Beowulf is seen as a hero, even when exemplifying the violent and dangerous qualities the dragon is feared for. Anglo-Saxon society prized loyalty, personal valor, and fame. In order to be a hero, one must recognize the need to act, and not shy away from it. The dragon, based on that definition, embodies the Anglo-Saxon idea of a hero: it is loyal to its cause, it is a good warrior, and it recognizes the need to act. It even has a sense of justice and a sense of wrong, shown by the way it reacted to the theft of the chalice. The dragon becomes vengeful and defensive, using cruelty as a means to correct the wrong. Described as “the guardian of the mound” (2302), the dragon’s intent is identical to Beowulf’s. Beowulf is seen as a hero not only because of his actions, but because he is human. The only thing that makes the dragon different is its inhuman qualities, and therefore it is a monster, a “ground-burner” (2713). Heroism in Anglo-Saxon society is a concept embodied by warriors and guardians, who would vie to be the most well-known. Heroism, to the Anglo-Saxons, is an excuse to use cruelty as a way to further one’s fame. It is a social crutch of sorts, leaned on for the vain chance to be immortal. When Beowulf agrees to fight the dragon, it is to have a heroic death, so he may be remembered. In the battle, just as with Grendel and Grendel’s mother,
Beowulf’s life was truly epic struggle. The monsters he battled made it so. Grendel and the dragon, capable of crushing men physically, stood for evils that could just as easily crush men in spirit. These two beasts represented society’s greatest fears, as well as detriments, and Beowulf fearlessly took them on. Grendel taught the hero a valuable lesson about maintaining one’s humanity in a world dominated by the dogs of war. The dragon, showed Beowulf’s mortality, his imperfection, but the hero eradicates it nonetheless, saving his people from not only physical threat, but sin. Bringing in such spiritual and moral dimensions, these two beasts certainly give the story of Beowulf depth.
Dragons represent human greed but amplify this sin tenfold as this is a monstrous creature whose only interest is in gathering gold and hoarding it. Before Christianity rebranded dragons simply as a manifestation of Satan, they were the ultimate embodiment of power, ferocity, and mystery.
In many European traditions, dragons are viewed as villains because they represent the antithesis of a good king. Good kings share their wealth; dragons hoard it. However the dragon’s actions against society in Beowulf can be justified. After Beowulf becomes the ruler of Geatland and all seems well and peaceful, the dragon enters the story. His appearance is provoked: one day while the dragon quietly guards his ancient hoard, an unnamed Danish slave manages to enter the hidden lair and awaken the dragon’s dormant rage.
world we live in. Mythical creatures are created by people’s imaginations, hopes, fears, and most
The digression begins as a story of a legendary king named Sigemund who is very similar to Beowulf. Sigemund and Beowulf have the same characteristics that earn them glory and fame; both of the men are admirable warriors known for bravery, high moral values and leadership qualities. The digression also is foreshadowing Beowulf’s destiny to become king of his people and his future battle with a dragon; the details of Sigemund’s fight with the dragon and Beowulf’s match up almost perfectly. The dragons are massive beings that guard an enormous hoard of treasures and valuable metals; the Kings feel fight honorably to protect the people and defeat the beast. Sigemund enters the dragon’s lair by himself in hopes of killing the dragon and winning the hoard for his people. Similarly, Beowulf will go into the dragon’s den by himself because his warriors are cowardly and hide behind a rock.
This serves as proof of the reality of dragons through geography and language. All countries had dragons in their mythology. Countries in Asia and countries in Europe that had no way to communicate or share ideas at the time dragons became prevalent in their mythology had
They can be worshipped, feared, abhorred, respected. Their chief adjectives may divaricate from place to place, but it can be agreed that all of the dragon portrayals evoke one word that can be linked to them: power. They are supreme beings that cannot be messed with or the consequences must be come up against. The sole essence of these enormous, snake-like beasts where enough to use them as an indicator of power and strength. Their portraits come into sight on the pages of the ancient medieval lexicons, on the Viking vessels, or even on the flags of the Chinese Qing