Unraveling the Role of a Serpent

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"The serpent [is the] subtlest beast of all the field” -John Milton
Serpent- Old French from Latin serpent- “creeping”, from the verb serpere. (Oxford) From across the globe, there have been different civilizations, cultures, religions, for as long as humanity has existed. Many religions share common beliefs, such as deities, animals, or a superior being of creation, but each culture is unique. One animal that is common in most religions and mythologies is, the serpent. Serpents have existed in many religions for thousands of years. Serpents in religion play a dual role, representing both evil and good, but in most religions they play a mainly evil role. Throughout time there have been characteristics tied to serpents such as, evil, the devil, rebirth, fertility, divination, death, poison, and danger. Throughout cultures and religions, passed on through oral and written works, the serpent has played the role of the villain and has become the one of the main symbols for evil.
Throughout many religions, the snake is the villain, or the creator’s greatest nemesis. Always rivaling each other, these forces never stop to take a break. They fight constantly, and according to these religions, if one lost, the world would be different than it is today. Examples like these come in all different shapes and size through many different belief systems: Apep or Apophis, the god of chaos in Egyptian mythology; Jörmungandr the Midgard serpent in Norse mythology; The Serpent King in Adam and Eve, and the Serpent in Pagan mythology; are all great examples of serpents across different cultures and belief systems.
In Egyptian mythology, Apep, the god of chaos, is an enormous serpent. Apep is Ra’s greatest enemy. It was believed that Apep would li...

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"Gods of ancient Egypt: Apep (Apophis)." Gods of ancient Egypt: Apep (Apophis). N.p., n.d. Web. 22 May 2014. < http://www.ancientegyptonline.co.uk/apep.html>.
Suckling, Nigel. "The Midgard Serpent." The Midgard Serpent. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 May 2014. .
"The Size and Distribution of the World's Christian Population." Pew Research Centers Religion Public Life Project RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 May 2014.
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Thorncraft, Sylvan. "Serpent Wisdom." Serpent Wisdom. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 May 2014.
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