Dragons don’t only represent the darkness in man. Eastern dragons are a prime example of the things man sees as good. The first good thing of mankind that dragons represent is compassion. Eastern dragons are frequently represented as being caring and compassionate. In the story of Tchang’s pearl, a dragon that had transformed into a serpent gave it’s magical pearl to Tchang in gratitude for running an errand for him (Niles 73). Other legends tell of dragons that angered the gods in order to help man, gave man the gift of knowledge, and also dragons who gave man the written word (Mooney 40-1). The compassion of Eastern dragons is their most prominent trait. While Western dragons have no recorded deeds of compassion, they do help in representing …show more content…
This is an aspect that both the Eastern and Western dragons represent. In the East, dragons are the symbol of royalty. The Imperial Dragon is the symbol of the Chinese Emperor, who is also known as the True Dragon. The Chinese dragon can be seen all around the royal palace, and even in the coat of arms (Mooney 43). The Japanese dragon is used in the exact same way as the Chinese dragon. They represent the emperor, the army, and anything to do with the gods (45). Western dragons are commonly seen on royal coats of arms, usually supporting the shield. A well known example of a dragon representing royalty can be seen in the legends of King Arthur. King Arthur’s coat of arms bears the symbol of a dragon, and his soldiers armor traditionally has a dragon emblazoned on it (Warren). The idea of ruling over others is an idea that intrigues most men, so representing that superior position with a superior being is a no brainer. Dragons represent power and superiority, so it’s no surprise that we use them to represent royalty and …show more content…
In Chinese lore, the dragon was one of the only creatures able to reach Buddha when he called all the creatures of the world to him (Niles 63). Similarly, in Japan dragons are closely associated with Buddha. In Japanese lore, dragons traditionally reside in bodies of water near temples (Mooney 45). Our desire and fascination with heaven is shown in the close relationship that dragons have with the gods. The great, powerful, and benevolent dragons having the capability of reaching heaven makes heaven and the afterlife seem that much more magical a thought to us. The idea of associating dragons with both sides of the afterlife makes them seem more powerful and untouchable by human
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
Dragons lie in the realm of fantasy; legendary creatures who are deeply rooted in magic and have captivated audiences for centuries. The depiction
This final battle proves to be the most difficult for Beowulf; he is pushed to the brink, but, “inspired again by the thought of glory”, he musters just enough strength to strike down the dragon (Heaney 19). This language proposes that Beowulf’s chief motive for fighting the dragon is “the thought of glory”. Additionally, this depicts Beowulf as selfish, as he seemingly neglects his people. Niles opposes this viewpoint, stating that “nothing suggests that the king enters [the fight] as a way of winning personal glory”(Niles 94). Rather than for solely personal gain, Niles correctly asserts that Beowulf is focused on saving his people, as that is his first duty as an Anglo Saxon king. However, Beowulf accomplishes this very goal by carrying out his desire to uphold his heroic image. It was Beowulf’s own “thought of glory” that spurred his rally to kill off the dragon; in effect, Beowulf’s desire to preserve his image saved his people. Even though the narrator uses the story of the dragon to emphasize Beowulf’s greediness and lust for glory, it is the outcome of the fight reveals the true reason for Beowulf’s bravery. By striving to retain his honorous reputation, Beowulf simultaneously protects his people, effectively fulfilling his role as king as both a servant and an esteemed
The dragon goes on a rampage, trying to find the goblet. When the dragon threatens Beowulf’s kingdom, Beowulf prepares for a battle. As Beowulf prepares, he puts on a mail-shirt and helmet before setting off. Once Beowulf arrives at the dragon’s lair, he shouts a challenge to it and awaits the battle. The dragon’s scales protect the dragon from the attacks from Beowulf’s sword. Beowulf strikes the dragon on the head with his sword and the sword breaks. Meanwhile the dragon bites Beowulf on the neck. In turn, Beowulf stabs the dragon with a dagger, and the dragon dies. Beowulf wins the battle but pays the ultimate price for his heroic deeds, he dies from the poisonous bite of the
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,
Throughout several myths, monsters are described as many diverse creatures. At first glance, they all seem very distinctive. However, each monster is like a combination of several qualities and characteristics that are matched in different ways to form the monsters that appear in myths such as Hercules, Bellerophon, and Perseus. All monsters have very distinct looks that make them inferior to humans. Generally, they are a mixture of two or more different animals such as snakes, lions, or humans and they may have multiple heads. For example, Cerberus was a horrific three-headed dog that had the tail of a dragon and his back was covered with snakes. Several monsters have some part of them from a snake. Snakes symbolize an evil quality and that is why many monsters are forms of them. Cerberus had his whole back covered in snakes and a dragon tail. Both of these are snake-like parts that contribute to Cerberus looking terrifying. His tail is from a dragon which is very similar to a snake and his back is filled with snakes like fur. The Hydra of Lerna is also an im...
Western dragons are the storybook monsters that most Americans recognize. The most common variety have four legs, two bat-like wings, a long tail, and a lot of teeth. They breathe fire, are covered in scales, hoard treasure, and have dangerous claws. They vary in color, and can be any shade of the rainbow, white, black, or any of various metallic shades. They are usually fierce, and feast on young virgins or sheep sacrificed by nearby villagers in an attempt to pacify the beast (Blumberg 6-7, Lurie n.p, Walker, Tempest).
Villains in classical epics often serve the purpose to enhance the hero’s reputation and add to their grandeur. In Beowulf, Beowulf faces two villains as a young warrior: Grendel and his mother, who are both descendants of cain and outcasts of God. Fifty years later, as a king he goes on to face his final villain, the dragon. In a fairly matched battle, Beowulf manages to slay the dragon but also gets killed in the process. The dragon is characterized as greedy, impulsive and wrathful. He enhances the novel by developing themes of mortality, pride, and loyalty.
(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
is a human attribute that will apply to any time period anywhere. In the incident with Unferth, for example: "angry that anyone in Denmark or anywhere on earth had ever acquired glory and fame greater than his own"(236-238) tries to belittle Beowulf’s claims to bravery, and, by doing so, adds realistic qualities to his character. Belief Divine or supernatural notions are also tendencies of human nature. The poem reflects this ageless concern through references to "that Shepherd of Evil" (432) and "[sacrifices] to the old stone gods" (90). These are both conflicting allusions to the two prominent religions of the time. One pertains to Christian ideology; i.e. "The Almighty God" (493), and "the Almighty making the earth" (8), and the other relates to Anglo Saxon religious beliefs; i.e., "the omens were good" (118) and "fate will unwind as it must," (189). The poem alludes to Christianity, a monotheistic religion that rejects ideas of fate.
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.
Picture a world shrouded in darkness and despair, where war is inevitable and its inhabitants live with a relentless sense of fear. Medieval Europe was not a peaceful or secure place, but rather a world filled with turmoil, suffering, and unrest. Commoners living in medieval Europe never strayed far from the security of their homes because evil and suffering lurked within every facet of society. The story of Beowulf recounts the life of an idealized warrior, whose desire for honor instills deep convictions of justified violence. In many ways, Beowulf’s attitude parallels the warrior instinct exhibited by the crusaders as they attempted to recapture the Holy Land. Hence, the world of medieval Europe painted suffering for a just cause as an honorable
During the Middle Ages, both “Beowulf” and “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” were epic stories that were chanted aloud to the public. Each story told about epic heroes who went on a long journey to face or conqueror someone or something. “Beowulf” is a poem about a young man, Beowulf, who slays a monster and his mother with his bare hands to protect the people he loves. As the years go by Beowulf becomes king and a dragon begins to stir. In response to this, Beowulf fights the dragon with a sword and one loyal companion. Beowulf’s life comes to end, but so does the dragons. From this epic poem you can see that good does triumph over evil, but sometimes it comes at a cost. Along with “Beowulf”, “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” was another popular poem. This poem was about a squire, Sir Gawain, who chooses to take on a game proposed by the Green Knight instead of his uncle, King Arthur. He took on the game because he believed King Arthur’s life was more valuable than his own and that King Arthur should not risk his own life. As a result, Sir Gawain became a knight because of his loyalty and bravery. Both Sir Gawain and the Green Knight’s and Beowulf’s characters share the same quality of courage, the desire to protect people and the involvement of supernatural beings.
The last battle in Beowulf was against the fierce dragon that could also be saw as the power of Satan. During this battle Beowulf chooses to use a weapon because of the dragon’s deadly venom, it would only be fair. It was a hard fight but Beowulf wasn’t capable of defeating the dragon. This battle could be compared to the will of Christ, in which Christ gave his life for the people, while Beowulf did the same. The dragon now represents the evil a man must fight in order to preserve the good in life. Although Beowulf was defeated, it was not shamelessly, just like Christ he saved the people. Beowulf had a good heart but was sometimes overturned by the bad influences in life. He represents the fact that everyone makes mistakes, you can’t be perfect all the time, everyone’s bound to lose.
Just so you know that we all come to and end in death none of us is spared. So in the Heorot Hall the kings praise their noble knights by awarding them gold treasures, and big feasts of beer and lots of food. In the poem, that it was a transcending time because it was the introduction of Christianity. Paganism was a worship of different Gods and lineage, chivalry, and reputation was extremely important. It showed the ranks of families based on a heroic deed. Here was a deity that entered in their belief system. He was portrayed heroic warrior, in which was stronger than any other paganistic God. Beowulf couldn’t understand having an eternal life with peace. He wanted to keep on getting the gold treasure, the women, the fighting of demons or monsters that no on else can kill. In the end, when Beowulf was older in the poem he knew Hrothgar was right, and Beowulf knew his time was going to end when the dragon came and attacked. He surrrenderred himself where death was next and he no longer can protect his people. In the next section it shows how “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” was also conflicted between being godly or being