A myth reflects attitude of people to reality. At the time when they were created myths served for explaining the objects and events, which had no rational explanations. Myths reflect outlook of the people who have created them. Through comparing different myths of different cultures we can compare different outlooks and ontological systems of these cultures. The image of dragon appears in the myths of a lot of cultures. Dragons appear in the myths of many countries. Anthropologist and writer David Jones call dragon a universal image. (Jones, 96) What is notable, the image of dragon differs significantly in different cultures.
Western and Eastern perception of this mythological creature has significant difference and this difference can illustrate the difference in two mythological systems. Eastern Dragons – Helpers and Protectors In China and other countries of East Asia dragon is a mythological create, which is depicted like a snake with many claws. Dragon is a very popular symbol in Oriental art and culture. For many centuries in China it has symbolized strong power. In addition, Oriental dragon is a symbol of yang, or masculine features. Many oriental myths depict dragon as the master of the rain.
Rain provides good harvest that is why dragon is associated with wealth and wellness. In China dragon is a symbol of emperor’s family and people use the term “descendant of the dragon” to speak about somebody’s origin. During the period of Quin Dynasty the dragon was used as a symbol of the emperor and was depicted on the flag. What is interesting, Chinese authorities had to avoid the use of this symbol because of the meaning it had for Western people. For Western people dragon symbolizes aggression and anger and Chinese government had to take into account the difference in meaning.
The meaning of dragon as a mighty and kind creature, which symbolizes state power and noble position, is still present in Oriental countries. Any kind of disrespect to this mythological creature can be regarded as a damage to national identity. For example, Nike’s advertisement, where basketball player killed a dragon was prohibited in China because of disrespect to dragon. In Asian proverbs and idioms dragon is always used in positive meaning. For example, there is a wish for a person to be like a dragon. In this proverb people talk about powerfulness of the dragon.
In the East dragons are never thought to be the source of evil. They are depicted as powerful and fantastic creatures, which never hurt people without considerable reasons. In China dragon has strong association with water and weather. People there used to believe that dragons ruled the bodies of water. They made seas, rivers and waterfalls move. “There are four major Dragon Kings, representing each of the four seas: the East Sea, the South Sea , the West Sea, and the North Sea . ”(Suckling, 79) People worshiped these water dragons, especially during the period of droughts.
In Vietnam dragon is one of the most important sacred symbols. According the Vietnamese myth about the creation of the world all people are descendants of the dragon Lac Long Quan and a fairy Au Co. According to the legend their 100th son founded the first Vietnamese dynasty. That is why dragon in Vietnam is a symbol of power and good luck. For long time people even worshiped to this mythological character. Western Dragons – Worthy Rivals of Men In Western folklore the image of dragon is different from one of the Eastern folklore. The word dragon derives from Latin word ‘drakon’.
In Western methodology dragon is a descendant of warm or serpent. In some countries, such as Finland, for example, the term “dragon” contains allusion to the place where it lives. Dragon is often called a rock snake or a worm, which lives under ground. So, mythological meaning of Western dragon derives from the ancient cult of snakes. In this tradition the dragon is depicted as huge creatures, which breathe with fire. All its body is covered with scale and there are horns on his head. It usually has wings and legs. Eastern dragons usually have no wings and their depictions are not so aggressive as ones in Western mythology are.
Asian dragons bring rain and that is why they usually live in the bodies of water, such as lakes, rivers, seas and oceans. In Asian mythology dragon is usually strong but kind creature in contrast to Western dragons, which usually brought grief and destruction to the lands where they appeared. In many Western religions dragons are depicted as the carriers of evil. The image of the dragon adopted in Western culture derives from the Bible serpent, a snake, which seduced Adam and Eve and became the reason of their exile from the Garden of Eden (Lionarons, 113).
According to this interpretation it was Devil, who took the form of the snake and tempted Adam and Eve. This snake is sometime associated with dragon in Medieval Biblical interpretations. In Western traditions dragons are cunning and clever creatures, which often possess magic abilities. In different legends dragons protect treasures. In Western tradition the dragon is often a pancultural image of danger (Jones, 111). In legends about Fafnir and Beowulf dragons guard treasure. The treasure turns to be cursed and brings only evil to people, who find it.
There are a lot of Western legends, where heroes have to fight with dragons in order to protect people or save somebody’s life. In the legend called “Saint George and the Dragon” St. George is described like brave knight who kills dragon and save princess (Lionarons, 145). There are western legends, which depict dragons as human-like creatures, who possess wit and wisdom and help people but such cases are rare. In the most of the myths dragons confront men and people have to fight them. Moreover, in the Book of Revelation Satan is described as a dragon-like creature.
He is depicted as a great dragon breathing red flames and seven heads. Symbolic Meaning of Dragons in Different Cultural Contexts In Western culture Dragons often symbolize anger and envy. Sometimes they were the symbols of betrayal and treachery. Only in Western tradition dragons have several heads and these heads are the symbols of independence, strength and revelation. Beating the dragon is very difficult that is why it always means that hero has reached certain degree of courage and wisdom. Campbell also states that in some cultures dragons represent the union of heaven and earth.
In Western myth the dragon is depicted as a creature with the snake body and wings. Snake body is a symbol of earth and wings remain of birds, which can fly, and thus symbolize heavenly component. (Campbell, 150) Western mythology depicts dragon as the creature, which prevents people from reaching their goals. Very often the hero has to kill dragon in order to get to his final goal. This meaning can be understood metaphorically. Joseph Campbell in his The Power of Myth speaks about the metaphorical meaning of dragons in Western mythology: ”Psychologically, the dragon is one s own binding of oneself to one’s ego.
We are captured in our own dragon cage. The problem of the psychiatrist is to disintegrate that dragon, break him up, so that you may expand to a larger field of relationships. The ultimate dragon is within you, it is your ego clamping you down” (Campbell, 150) In his perception dragon reflects not only external restrictions but also inner ones. He tells about the western perception of dragon as of something, which do not let people reach their goals. Something Campbell describes this like ego and this ego doesn’t let people follow one and ultimate goal of their lives. Follow your bliss, comes up in a discussion about doing battle with dragons, as in the dragon battles of the medieval knights. ” (Campbell, 149) Campbell tells the legend about King Arthur and his knights as an example of Western individualism in the search for meaning. The famous legend tells a story about the quest for Holy Grail. Holy Grail is just a symbol of wholeness and transcendental truth. In this legend the Knights of the Round Table see Holy Grail once before it disappears. Fascinated by the Grail, they start their journey. Here Campbell stresses on the fact, that all knights went different paths (Campbell, 120) .
They did not want to bother each other in their quest. According to Campbell this story perfectly reflects Western individualism and desire for personal experience. This individualism is reflected in all Western myths and legends (Campbell, 121). In contrast to medieval knights, who went to their campaigns to kill their dragons, Campbell asks people to look for these dragons inside of them. These dragons can look like fear, anger, despair and lack of self-esteem. It can be just anything, which creates inner restrictions. Campbell stresses on the soul and spirit, like the main essences, which cause all misfortunes in human lives. The world without spirit is a wasteland. People have the notion of saving the world by shifting things around, changing the rules, and who s on top, and so forth. No, no! Any world is a valid world if it s alive. The thing to do is to bring life to it, and the only way to do that is to find in your case where the life is and become alive yourself” (Campbell, 120) All his reflections about dragons reflect Western perception of this mythical creatures. Dragons there represent evil, which should be overcome. People are confronted to this evil and only chosen daredevils find enough courage to meet the challenge and try to fight a dragon.
Both, real and imaginary dragons are depicted in Western tradition as a source of problems for people. Dragons in Western tradition are cunning, strong and powerful and they are usually opposed to people. Images of Dragons as a Reflection of Basic Western and Eastern Beliefs The role of dragon in Oriental methodology is different. On the East dragons represent the forces of nature and appear as the part of the Universe. Dragons are honored as wise and clever creatures. So, in Western mythology dragons are mostly depicted as evil creatures who are dangerous for people.
In Oriental tradition dragon is a benevolent creature, which represents the forces of nature and often helps people. “Oriental dragons are considered basically good and representative of government, but the great majority (although not all) European dragons are absolutely evil and often represent chaos. ” (Jones, 69) Campbell explains such different attitudes to these mythical creatures by the difference of perception of the role of individual. Oriental religion and philosophy regards man as a part of the Universe and emphasizes on the necessity of the harmonious coexistence with all powers of nature.
On the East man is not opposed to nature. People are the part of the Universe and try to live in harmony with other creatures. All Western culture is based on the concept of an individual, who confronts the powers of nature and other human beings. The search for the bliss or some ultimate goal is central for both mythologies but East and West use different approaches on their way for the main goal. In the West the search for truth and wisdom is always individual and each person has to make his own way. In this case the person is opposed to the rest of the world and natural forces are often regarded as hostile.
Western characters fight with dragons inside and outside themselves. Oriental people try to come in terms with dragons as they represent the part of the Universe and everything exists for some purpose. The image of dragons in Eastern and Western myths gives us an idea about differences in the way of thinking of the representatives of these two cultures. Eastern people do not count on the individuality and try to find the way of harmonious coexistence with the natural powers and divine forces. Oriental image of dragon represents such an attitude.
For Eastern people dragon is a benevolence creature, which represents forces of nature and higher power. People and dragons peacefully coexist and benefit from each other. Dragon as a symbol of power is respected in honored in Asian countries. The situation is different in Western culture. Individualism and materialism make the characters of the myths confront the natural powers and overcome obstacles. This explains hostile image of the dragon created in the most of Western myths.
Sources
Campbell, Joseph. The Power of Myth. New York: Doubleday, 1988. Campbell, Joseph, Pathways to Bliss: Mythology and Personal Transformation New World Library (November 9, 2004 Jones E. David , An Instinct for Dragons, Routledge, 2002 Lionarons T. Joyce, The Medieval Dragon. Hisarlik Press, 2004 Giants, Monsters, and Dragons : An Encyclopedia of Folklore, Legend, and Myth, ed. Rose, C. , New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2001 Suckling, Nigel. Year of the Dragon: Legends & Lore. Sterling Pub Co Inc, 2003 World Dragon Methodology, retrieved 12. 15. 2005 from http://www. polenth. com/myth/favmyth. htmlhttp://www. polenth. com/myth/favmyth. html
