Traditionally European or Western dragons are evil, firing breathing creatures who hoard riches and capture fair maidens. They, of course, must be killed. J. R .R. Tolkien’s Smaug is a quintessential example. There are always exceptions to the evil rule: Welsh red dragon, representing the Welsh people and foretelling the coming of King Arthur, and many modern dragons don’t fit neatly into the evil stereotype.
Early and Modern Dragons
In many European legends, dragons are serpentine monsters. If you’re interested in etymology (the origin of words) or even if you aren’t, you can always learn sometimes new. Draco, a Latin word meaning dragon, comes from the constellation Draco, which happens to look like a huge dragon in the sky. Remember our old friend, Draco Malfoy? J. K. Rowling’s was warning her readers. When you see the Old English word wrym, the Old German word wurm, or the modern worm, they all refer to a snake or serpent. Remember the serpent in the Garden of Eden? Some myths say the serpent had legs and walked upright, but God cursed him to slide on his belly because he tempted Adam and Eve. More evil.
Earlier dragons were depicted as snake-like, while more modern dragons look more like flying dinosaurs, sometimes scaly and sometimes with feathers; however, I’m not a fan of feathered dragons. How could they breathe fire without hurting themselves? Modern European dragons also have powerful tails and walk on four legs.
My first memories of dragon stories are of King Arthur and his gallant knights slaying dragons and saving helpless young maidens. I liked the knights’ nobility, but the weak maidens rankled my female sensibilities. I sometimes felt sorry for the dragons. So, I find more contemporary dragons are more interesting. Some are good, some are evil, and some are a mixed bag–like people.
Ursula Le Guin Demonstrates the Transition
Le Guin’s books show the progression of dragons moving from fire-breathing, greedy hoarders to exceptional, wise creatures.
In The Wizard of Earthsea, her dragons are modeled after traditional European dragons, but as the books progress, the dragons change, becoming more noble and human-like. Reading through her books and short stories, we discover that dragons are related to people, and there are girls and women who can change into dragons. Now, how could that not be interesting? We’ve gone from fair maidens shaking in their slippers to maidens who are dragons.
For me, the movie How to Train Your Dragon highlights this shift. The “old folks” see dragons as evil, needing to be killed, while it’s the younger generation, sees differently. They look closer and discovers that dragons have a point of view and their actions, like humans, stem from their history and understanding of reality. When the two realities collide, there is change.
Andy Fairhurst Artist
Do you like the dragon picture at the top of the post? It’s Smaug the Magnificent painted by Andy Fairhurst at DeviantArt.com. His work also portrays dragons in multifaceted ways. In addition to scary Smaug, there are dragons playing with children and even a napping dragon. Check out his artwork; he has some excellent dragons and much more.
Who is your favorite dragon? Do you like them evil and/or good?
You might also enjoy:
Dragons: I Wished They Were Real
Warning: Dragons are Everywhere (Part I of the Dragon Series)
Where Do Dragons Come From? (Part II of the Dragon Series)
Eastern Dragons: Auspicious, Wise, and Powerful (Part IV of the Dragon Series)
The Usual Reminders
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