I have chosen Option #2, the selection of a monster for critical thought and analysis, for my project. The monster that I will focus on is the dragon, that classical reptile that has appeared throughout history. The dragon to me has undergone a change in recent literature, a change that has met with no small amount of criticism. The change is that we no longer see dragons as “evil” or as cunningly mischievous as they have been portrayed in the past. This may be due to the fact that we no longer classify things as either inherently evil or good. With the rise of relativism, society has begun to no longer labels actions as right or wrong. Rather, we emphasize the circumstances which may lead a person to choose one action from another. My purpose in this project is to show how this mentality has changed the way we see and portray dragons in literature. For this project I will be using much classical literature such as Beowulf, Le Morte d’ Arthur, the Bible, and classical Greek and Roman myths. I will be contrasting these with newer titles, such as the Voyage of the Dawn Treader, The Children of Hurin, The Goblet of Fire, and the Inheritance Cycle. I will also be using some secondary sources on the analysis of dragons from titles like Fabulous Creatures, Mythical Monsters and Animal Power Symbols by Eason and A Landscape with Dragons by Michael O’Brien. Some outside statistics on the rise of relativism will no doubt also be included. The dragon is as majestic as it is dangerous. I am in the beginning processes of writing a fantasy novel myself at the present, in which dragons are included in their classical appearance. I look forward to doing this research and am enthusiastic about the results.
Here is the link to Animal Planets own site about dragons:
I love dragons! Another good book you might want to consider is Eyes of the Dragon by Stephen King. It is my favorite book by him because it is a fantasy novel. I like that you are going to compare older works to more recent ones.
ReplyDeleteJennifer Walker
Hi Joseph,
ReplyDeleteFrom what you have said in your post, I feel that you have a very strong attachment to this subject and it will be seen very clearly in your paper. It is true that dragons aren't what they used to be but this could also mean that dragons in general have evolved into something else for the people of today where people a couple centuries back would see them differently. You bring up Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire as well as the Eragon series but remember that in Harry Potter, the dragons are still very fierce creatures whereas in Eragon, the dragons are more of allies but are still in a form quite fierce. Just shown differently. I can't wait to read your paper.
Hi Joseph,
ReplyDeletevery interesting topic to discuss especially in this light. I had never thought about a correlation between dragons and the decline in morals. What do you think about dragons in today's society? Do you think that they are considered as fierce as they used to be? Can't wait to read your paper when it's all done. Good luck and don't work so hard, if you keep reading this much you'll forget how to live:)
Hello,
ReplyDeleteI sense so much intense passion in your post! How awesome that you are able to utilize your extreme knowledge of dragons to write a paper for this class! I never realized the change in perception over the years...interesting how things work. I think you will be very successful in writing your paper. I envy your passion, enjoy your research!
Good Luck~
Carissa
I like where you're going with your topic. I feel that this "neither inherently good or evil" thing is a very post-modernistic aspect of literature, where we also have the "antihero". Iconic figures, like dragons, are always undergoing some change and I like that you are going to compare the differences between the classic dragon and the one that now resides in modern society. Good luck on everything.
ReplyDelete