Custom research paper on Beowulf and the dragon

Saying about the symbol of a dragon in the poem Beowulf it is necessary to mention that Dragon – is universal and very difficult character. A dragon, or “winged serpent”, unites in itself a snake and bird, spirit and matter. In the beginning its symbolism was wholly favorable and meant waters, bearing life, and breathing of life (bird). It was identified with celestial gods and their earthly representatives – by emperors and kings. Afterwards its symbolism became ambivalent, designating beneficial rains, followings after thunderstorms, and, at the same time, destructive forces of lightning and flood.
Playing role of monsters, dragons are indigenous “rulers of the earth”, with which it is necessary to fight to heroes, conquerors and creators, to take or master the earth. They are the keepers of treasures and access to secret knowledge. A battle with a dragon symbolizes those difficulties which must be overcome, to capture treasures of internal knowledge. Victory over a dragon personifies permission of conflict between light and darkness, destruction or destructive forces of evil, or victory over own dark nature of man and achievement of self-possession. To rescue an innocent maiden from the paws of dragon, means to free good forces, smashing wicked.
In modern world religions evil, as well as good, arrives at the perfection. Thus self personification of evil is Devil – also frequently provided with many external signs of Serpent-dragon. It should be noted that in the described transformation of role of Serpent-dragon interesting conformity to law is revealed in mythology: what less than age of myth, the more so the bad are become by Snakes-dragons and the worse their relationships become both with people and with anthropoid gods.custom research paper
The earliest myths, get-away roots in grey old times, do not divide bad and good, good and evil in the usual our understanding. Gods in these myths possess all qualities simultaneously: it can be both kind and wicked, to change a mood, the attitude toward people etc. There is Serpent-dragon in the same myths – foremost character of wisdom and knowledge, bearing obviously positive tint. In more late myths gods are divided on bad and good, good moved away from an evil. There already Serpent-dragon acquires negative qualities, personifies evil, and good anthropoid gods and positive heroes battle against it.
In more late myths about creation of the world dragons in most cases appear cruel primordial creatures which have to be overcame gods. Later the role of winners of dragons was undertaken by heroes and founders of nobiliary births (victory of standing at high spiritual level man over the unbridled world of nature). An inflicting such monster defeat is in fairy-tales and legends often by the trial test of hero which as a result labors for riches (obtains treasure) or frees the captivated tsar’s daughter. In this sense a dragon is a symbol of wild energy inherent to the animal, which has to be, overcame long-cultivated force.
Thus, taking into account all above stated we should conclude that the symbol of dragon has different interpretations in different ancient times and cultures. In the poem Beowulf it was described as a monster, but in other readings we found that it is not only bad creature, but also good creature with peaceful nature and its descriptions proves such position. During discussing of the dragon’s symbolism we also analyzed the poem Beowulf and it helps us to define dragon’s character with more details in our paper. In my opinion the symbol of a dragon has dual character and maybe by the author another sense was given to it, but in our times we can understand it in the way which we consider the right and nobody can say that it is wrong position.

Works cited:
Biggs, Frederick. The Naming of Beowulf and Ecgtheow’s Feud. Philological Quarterly, Vol. 80, 2001.
Irving, Edward. Rereading Beowulf. University of Pennsylvania Press, 1992.
Kennedy, Charles. Beowulf: The Oldest English Epic. Oxford University Press, 1978.
North, Richard. The Origins of Beowulf: From Vergil to Wiglaf. Oxford University Press, 2006.
Osborn, Marijane. “The Wealth They Left Us”: Two Women Author Themselves through Others’ Lives in Beowulf. Philological Quarterly, 1999.
Puhvel, Martin & Laurier, Wilfrid. Beowulf and Celtic Tradition. University Press, 1979.