The Dragon in the West: From Ancient Myth to Modern Legend

by Daniel Ogden

0 ratings • 0 reviews • 0 shelved
Book cover for The Dragon in the West

Bookhype may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure.

An exploration of how the image and idea of the dragon has evolved through history

How did the dragon get its wings? Everyone in the modern West has a clear idea of what a dragon looks like and of the sorts of stories it inhabits, not least devotees of the fantasies of J. R. R. Tolkien, J. K. Rowling, and George R. R. Martin. A cross between a snake and some fearsome mammal, often sporting colossal wings, they live in caves, lie on treasure, maraud, and breathe fire. They are extraordinarily powerful, but even so, ultimately defeated in their battles with humans. What is the
origin of this creature?

The Dragon in the West is the first serious and substantial account in any language of the evolution of the modern dragon from its ancient forebears. Daniel Ogden's detailed exploration begins with the drakon of Greek myth and the draco of the dragon-loving Romans, and a look at the ancient world's female dragons. It brings the story forwards though Christian writings, medieval illustrated manuscripts, and the lives of dragon-duelling saints, before concluding with a study of
dragons found in the medieval Germanic world, including those of the Anglo-Saxon Beowulf and the Norse sagas.
  • ISBN10 0198830181
  • ISBN13 9780198830184
  • Publish Date 9 September 2021
  • Publish Status Active
  • Publish Country GB
  • Imprint Oxford University Press
  • Format Hardcover
  • Pages 480
  • Language English