Kate Fraser 1
What do dragons symbolize in different cultures and why is the dragon symbol important to the world as a whole?
Kirby- Hirst M.
“DRAGONOLO
GY: THE IDEA
OF THE
DRAGON
AMONG THE
GREEKS AND
THE
ZULU.” Akroterio
n 55 (2010): n.
pag. Akroterion.
Web. 9 Feb. 2014.
Christian
Symbolism
In the western
world the dragon
most often occurs
as the perfect
expression of
malefic and
destructive
capacity — the
dragon of St.
John’s vision or
the feared
Leviathan of
Hebrew myth —
while in the east
dragons can be
representative of
good fortune. (75)
Wilson, Keith J.
“Powerful Form
and Potent
Symbol: The
Dragon in
Asia.” JSTOR
Arts and Sciences
5 77.10 (1990):
286-323. Print.
Morabito,
Pasquale. “Saint
George and the
Dragon: Cult,
Culture, and
Foundation of the
City.” Contagion:
Journal of
Violence, Mimesis,
and Culture 18.1
(2011): 13553. EBSCO
Humanities
International
Complete. Web. 9
Feb. 2014.
Oberhelman,
David D. “Good
Dragons Are
Rare: An Inquiry
into Literary
Dragons East and
West.” Mythlore 3
0.3-4 (2012):
153. EBSCOhost
Humanities
International
Complete. Web. 9
Feb. 2014.
Chen, Fanfan.
“From the Western
Poeticisation of
Falkor and
Temeraire to the
Imaginary of
Chinese
Dragons.” Good
Dragons Are Rare
An Inquiry into
Literary Dragons
East and West.
Wissenschaften:
Peter Lang, 2009.
359-82.Ebrary.
Web. 28 Feb. 2014.
Vinycomb,
John. Fictitious &
Symbolic Creatures
in Art with Special
Reference to Their
Use in British
Heraldry. Detroit:
Gale Research,
1969. Google
Ebooks. Google.
Web. 16 Mar. 2014.
Spirited Away.
By Hayao
Miyazaki. Perf.
Daveigh Chase,
Suzanne
Pleshette, Miyu
Irino. Studio
Ghibli, 2001.
DV
The epic of the
Holy Martyr on
horseback in the
act of defeating the
dragon and saving
the maiden, with
the fortified town
standing in the
background, has
been a recurring
iconographic theme
since ancient times.
(138)
Within a Christian
framework, the
dragon has
become the
symbol of the
demonic forces, if
not Satan himself.
He is ubiquitous
in Christian
iconography and a
favourite
opponent to all
aspirants of
sainthood.(31)
The rationale for
renouncing the
‘dragon’ as the
Chinese symbol lies
in its derogatory
connotations
correlative to evil
and the devil in the
West. (359)
“The ‘place of
dragons’ is
associated with ‘the
shadow of death’
(Ps. Xliv. 19).
Dragons are also
associated with the
waters of the deep
(Ps. Lxxiv. 13) and
are called upon to
praise Jehovah; and
Isaiah, describing in
vivid and
picturesque
language the
description and utter
desolation which
shall come on
Tolkien, as a
devout
Catholic, was
well aware of
the symbol of
the dragon as
the ultimate
form of evil.
Smaug serves
as a nod to the
Christian
framework of
the dragon. He
is sly and
cunning, much
lie Satan in the
bible. This is
perhaps because
Tolkien wanted
[dragons] remain
either allegorical
Tolkien, J. R. R.
The Hobbit, Or,
There and Back
Again. Boston:
Houghton Mifflin,
1966. Print.
Kate Fraser 2
What do dragons symbolize in different cultures and why is the dragon symbol important to the world as a whole?
figures of evil,
devices for testing
the hero's
qualities, steeds,
or disney-pets. It
is only such
dragons as Smaug
in the Hobbit or
Chrysophylax in
Farmer Giles of
Ham who live up
to Tolkien’s idea
of what a 'good
dragon' should be:
a dangerous
protagonist in its
own right
partaking in the
rich symbolism of
traditions without
being reduced to
these symbolic
functions only.
(27)
Zion’s enemies”
(70).
“The word is used
by ecclesiastics of
the Middle Ages as
a symbol of sin in
general and
paganism in
particular, though
ofttimes heresy is
denoted” (70).
“Satan is termed the
Great Dragon; in
Psalm xci. 13, it is
said ‘the saints shall
trample the dragon
under their feet.’”
(70).
“As a Christian
emblem the dragon
may be taken to
symbolize the
supreme spirit of
evil, a veritable
devil whom it was
the special mission
of militant saints to
slay, as it had been
the glory of the
to move beyond
simple symbols
of greed and
bestiality in his
dragon.
In the movie
form of the
book, Smaug
serves as no
more than a
servant of the
ultimate evil,
rather than
being a
standalone
allegory for it.
This, in the
context of
Christian
symbols, can be
viewed as a
movement from
Smaug being
Satan himself,
to being a rather
large demon.
Kate Fraser 3
What do dragons symbolize in different cultures and why is the dragon symbol important to the world as a whole?
heroes of the pagan
mythology to
conquer” (71).
“the dragon in
Christian Art is
often variously
represented,
sometimes a serpent,
at other times as a
dragon or a wyvern,
or again in the
symbolic figure
partly human” (72).
Eastern
Symbolism
The dragon came
to represent
[spring] as well as
it's nurturing rains
and lengthening,
warming days. it
also became
associated with
the sun which
brings dawn to the
dragon's quadrant.
These
relationships
invested it with
new power, such
as the ability to
rise like the sun
and fly, and to
While Chinese
academia consider
to ‘de-dragonise
china’ on account of
the dragon’s evil
image in the West,
Western writers are
enchanted and
inspired by this
imaginary creature
and make it their
fictional character ,
even hero. (359)
“Among the
Chinese the dragon
is the representation
of sovereignty, and
otherwise displayed
as the national
ensign” (66).
Dr. S. Wells.
Williams; ‘the lung
in the sky, the li in
the sea, and the kiau
in marshes. The first
is the only authentic
Haku from
Spirited Away is
at times a boy of
16, and at times a
gargantuan
Chinese dragon.
He serves as a
symbol of nature
and freedom. His
“true name” a
theme the film
places stress
upon, is the
Kohaku river. His
Kate Fraser 4
What do dragons symbolize in different cultures and why is the dragon symbol important to the world as a whole?
ensure good
harvests. (286)
• In the end, the
invisible dragon
of nature is,
ironically, the
most real and
tangible of all.
After its deep
winter slumber
this creature
awakens in spring
and rises to the
sky to provide the
earth with new
life. In this
context, the
dragon is a
pulsating force,
the worlds
activating
agent.(308)
The dragon came
to represent
[spring] as well as
it's nurturing rains
and lengthening,
warming days. it
also became
associated with
the sun which
brings dawn to the
dragon's quadrant.
These
relationships
invested it with
new power, such
as the ability to
…the dragon is in
reality only a
symbol for Chinese
emperors, which is
not entitled to
represent the entire
Chinese people
(359).
species according to
the Chinese.’ “ (66).
Amongst the most
terrible dragons is
Typhon, the
impersonation of all
the terrors of nature.
Son of Tartarus,
father of the harpies
and of the winds, he
lives in the African
deserts; from thence
fled in fear, to
escape his terrible
breath, all the gods
and goddesses…’
(64).
“the Christian myth
of St George and the
Dragon is but a
variation of
Bellerophon and the
Chimera, in which
the last has given
place to the dragon
and the pagan hero
to St. George” (65).
river was drained
and paved over to
make an
apartment
complex. Haku is
quite literally the
guardian spirit of
the river. Without
it, he is lost.
Haku is also a
symbol for
freedom. Trapped
by the evil witch,
he is to be
enslaved for the
rest of time. This
is in direct
conflict with his
ability to fly.
Flying, in
essences, is a very
basic symbol of
freedom.
Kate Fraser 5
What do dragons symbolize in different cultures and why is the dragon symbol important to the world as a whole?
The
Dragon as
a masculine
symbol
Evolution/
transfer
between
cultures
rise like the sun
and fly, and to
ensure good
harvests. (286)
The rising dragon,
for instance,
represented
vigorous
masculinity and
promotion in
office.(286)
Inspired by beings
in nature, this
dragon can be
compared
mythical beasts
created elsewhere
that draw frombut at the same
time confoundthe real world. It
seems likely that
this idea, alien to
the ancient
Chinese culture,
was introduced to
china from the
west- in reference
to a Han dynasty
earthenware jar
that features a
dragon with the "
In terms of
sheer power and
size, Samug can
be seen as a
masculine and
bestial symbol.
dragons are
"terrifying
creatures that
seem to be able to
comprise human
malice and
bestiality together
(this essay and by
extension
Tolkien) (28)
The legend of St.
George recalls
similar images in
the Egyptian
cosmogony, the
solar god Horus
stabbing a
crocodile, a
symbol, like the
dragon devil, of the
destructive
energies of chaos.
(138)
This figure
connected to chaos,
the undifferentiated
sea, appears in
many stories of
origins. The
dragon, the
Although Tolkien’s
literary dragons are
not yet tinged with
oriental benevolent
colours, his
drawings of dragons
reflect some oriental
imagery. (360)
“The word is used
by ecclesiastics of
the Middle Ages as
a symbol of sin in
general and
paganism in
particular, th0ugh
ofttimes heresy is
denoted” (70).
“Fafnir in the
late Norse
versions of the
Sigurd-story is
better; and
Smaug and his
conversation
obviously is in
debt there.”
“As a Christian
emblem the dragon
may be taken to
symbolize the
supreme spirit of
evil, a veritable
devil whom it was
—J.R.R.
Tolkien
(Letter 122)
Smaug is based
off of Fafnir
Haku clearly
blends ideas of
Japanese and
Chinese culture.
The form of
dragon he takes is
one purely
Chinese in its
ancestry, while
the connection to
the “Spirit world”
is from Japan.
Having Haku
exist as such is a
portrayal of the
more modern
Kate Fraser 6
What do dragons symbolize in different cultures and why is the dragon symbol important to the world as a whole?
horns like a dear,
muzzle like a
camel, eyes like a
demon, body like
a snake, a belly
like a crab, scales
like a carp, claws
like a hawk, legs
like a tiger, and
ears like an ox.
(291)
crocodile,
depicting the sea
monster in the
cosmogony of
Phoenician origin,
is the enemy, the
abyss that the deity
repels during
creation. (138)
the special mission
of militant saints to
slay, as it had been
the glory of the
heroes of the pagan
mythology to
conquer” (71).
First in china and
later in Korea and
japan, the dragon
served as a
guardian figure,
one of its earliest
and longest
lasting roles.
(299)
Although it is
more akin to our
modern notion of
the chinese
dragon, the design
was inspired, at
least in part, by
ideas and works
blend of Eastern
cultures.
Tolkien’s ties to
pop culture are
obvious,
however
contrasting the
new movies to
Haku represents
the blending of
Japanese and
traditional
Chinese
symbolism that is
“Western nations,
with their growing
civilisations,
conjured up
monsters of benign
of baneful influence,
or engrafted and
expanded the older
ideas in a manner
suited to their genius
and national
characteristics” (2).
Dragons of
various types,
conveyed with
chinese culture,
influenced the arts
of japan, korea,
and south east
asia. (298)
Dragons in
popular
culture
from the Norse
versions of
Sigurd.
Many of the
dragons in
literature both old
and new are not
so much dragons,
or, to use
Although Tolkien’s
literary dragons are
not yet tinged with
oriental benevolent
colours, his
drawings of dragons
“Dragon’s Head and
Dragon’s Tail- In
astronomy, nodes
are the opposite
points in which the
orbit of a planet, or
Kate Fraser 7
What do dragons symbolize in different cultures and why is the dragon symbol important to the world as a whole?
of art that were
not originally
chinese. (291)
Tolkien’s
terminology, not
really
representatives of
the draco, than
personifications
of avaritia
(greed), a
phenomenon
which Tolkien
called draconitas.
reflect some oriental
imagery. (360)
Along with the
burgeoning of
fantastic creation,
dragons are
becoming popular
characters. While
Chinese people
think of ridding
themselves of
dragons, Western
writers are
enchanted and even
inspired by these
divine creatures to
make them their
fictional characters,
even heroes. (360)
of a moon, crosses
the ecliptic. The
ascending node
marked by the
character [omega],
termed the Dragon’s
Head, is where the
planet or moon
ascends from the
south to the north
side of the ecliptic”
(68).
the book is
important
because it
reveals the
change in the
dragon symbol
over a short
period of time
and reveals that
modern society
has changed its
perspective on
dragons
immensely.
They have gone
from ultimate
symbols of evil
to tools of other
beings.
becoming more
and more
common in
Eastern pop
culture.