Dragon Archetype
The Dragon The dragon is one of the most fierce, aggressive creatures in mythology, literature and pop culture. There are many mythological stories and literature centered around dragons, such as King Arthur and many myths from many different cultures such as the Chinese, the Babylonians, and the Indians. They are also seen in many ancient cultures such as the Greeks , when Hercules had to slay a dragon, and the Chinese, when the sight of dragons would represent a change in season. Also, you can see them in modern day culture in movies, on t-shirts, and as tattoos. The dragon is seen every day, but what does it represent and what does it aim to teach us? In mythology, literature, and pop culture, the dragon represents ultimate power and aggressive opposition. The dragon can teach one to find one’s true self and to find the courage to overcome any obstacle in the way. The idea of dragons has been around since the beginning of time. Almost every ancient culture had mythological stories about dragons. Some of the many ancient cultures with dragons include the Greeks, the ancient Chinese, and even Babylonian culture use the dragon archetype. In Greek mythology, the heroic Hercules had to fight a dragon on his epic quest to prove himself to the king. “ The Indian relationship to animals is in contrast to our relationship Harris 2 to animals, where we see animals as a lower form of life. We are taught, in the Bible, that we are the masters. For hunting people, the animal is superior” (Campbell 176). Also, the ancient Chinese would use dragons in their mythological stories to symbolize the changing of seasons. “In Chinese mythology, the Azure dragon would symbolize spring and bring thunderstorms. The Azure dragon also represented the end of hibernation” (Sokolove 3). In Babylonian mythology, they are
Cited: Campbell, Joseph and Bill Moyers. The Power of Myth. Ed Betty Sue Flowers. Doubleday, NY, 1988. Print Kilo, John M. “The Modern-Day Dragon.” 7/12/91 web http://meadhall.homestead.com/Dragon.html Sokolove, Yusif G. “Dragons” August 4, 2008. web http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragons