Why are dragons so misunderstood? People tend to believe they're evil-why?

Question

UVRay, did you ever stop to think that maybe the dragons you see on tv being so destructive were just a product of Hollywood? I didn't ask if they were pleasant of Godly, try reading the question next time.

Answer 1

I think it comes around to bad publicity. After Christianity tried to wipe out Paganism, they demonized everything dealing with it (and what they didn't demonize, they borrowed). The tried to make all Witches and Pagans into devil worshipers
(Read "Malleus Maleficarum"). Dragons in pagan lore were respected, sometimes beneficial animals. The Christians turned them into evil creatures who ate young maidens....

Answer 2

Well, if they hadn't eaten people, burned down castles, and made off with pretty maidens, they wouldn't have got such a bad reputation!

Seriously, though Dragons as evil in the West goes way back to Mesopotamia to Babylon. Tiamat was the great primordial dragon that Marduk slew and created the earth and heavens from. Dragons were part of her brood and represented the chaotic and destructive side of nature and the cosmos.

Also Dragons symbollically represent human greed - this is why so many dragons like the one in Beowulf hoard gold. Their greed is a useless destructive and futile type because they hoard gold that they will and can never use and kidnap maidens that they can never breed with - and for some reason never eat until a gallant knight shows up to rescue her. Surely soft maiden flesh would be like Filet Mignon compared to the lobster-shelled sirloin steak of a knight? Anyway, I digress. This type of dragon really represents us so they are a reflection of our evil.

Despite all this dragons were used in heraldic devices. I doubt knights would want to use a symbol of pure evil. Dragons had some virtues that knights wanted to emulate such as strength. The Welsh used the Red Dragon on their banner as did the early Celts during the Anglo-Saxon invasions. In fact some of those english dragon-slaying myths may refer to the defeat of those original Celtic inhabitants by the Anglo-Saxon invaders in the 5th and 6th century.

Answer 3

It depends largely on the culture that has portrayed them. In general, I suppose that the (largely) European myths and stories about "evil" dragons have been given the most mileage because of the emphasis that Western culture has gotten over the years. America itself was once a colony of England, and as you may well know from stories and legends the British did not exactly portray the dragon in the best of lights.

For thousands of years, though, the East has seen the dragon in a much better light: a creature of wisdom and learning, one that is to be respected as much as it is feared. There are hardly any Eastern stories of knights going out to slay a dragon that has kidnapped a maiden - the only one that I am aware of is the Japanese story of Susanoo killing Yamato no Orochi (a dragon) to save the maiden Kushinada.

Then again, the East did not have the influence of Christianity to change its perceptions regarding dragons - something that, I suppose, we can be thankful for.

Answer 4

well because dragons are misunderstood. The Chinese embraced them, while England sent knights out to destroy them.

Dragons are reptiles...no matter what mythology or fictional form of dragon you are looking up, they are serpentine. According to the Bible the snake was the respresentation of the biblical corruption of man. hat damned snake ruined the imagie of snakes and reptiles the world over. Even today people insist that snakes and lizards are evil and "of the devil". That's the mass hysteria about it.

In one sense dragons were seen as demons and devils, even THE devil, whereas in other cultures that didn't think reptiles were vile were seen as godlike and helpful, emmicaries of healing and protection. The Native Americans Medicines portray the snake as a healer. The Chinese envisioned the dragon itself as a ferocious fighter or defender....ie a protector. They might have even gone so far as to state the dragon was a tough spirit that defended its ancestors (the people that venerated the dragon) this idea spread in the lands China had dominance over and became an idea of the East.

Personally, I think it has to do with the teeth and the inability of the animals to be tamed.

Answer 5

That come from European folklore and the idea of Dragons randomly killing villagers and farm animals. Most often, the Knights who went after dragons were only trying to make a name for themselves and when they were killed by the creature defending itself, it was villified. LIke all carnivors, Dragons hunted. And like many, they hunt prey that takes as littel effort as possible. That often meant domestic animals. As for hunting people, again usually it was a matter of territory, like any other creature. Similar attitudes are taken towards modern preditory animals (wolves, coyotes, foxes, etc.) And it was the fault of the villagers that these creatures developed a taste for human flesh, by offering up people to spare their animals and crops.

Then there was the fire breathing aspect. The mythology of the time equated anything that could survive fire with Hell, and thus the idea that they were evil. Add to that the contempory depictions of demons having pictorial similarities to dragon faces and head and you have a recipe for misunderstanding and a reason to hunt that which they didn't understand.

Answer 6

The same reason wolves are misunderstood, and hated. Due to legends, fables, etc.
Nothing wrong with dragons, they have a positive aspect as well as a negative one, just like all other creatures.
To me Dragonflies are just miniature dragons of the past.
Dragons, are just like any other animal, how you perceive them in your mind is what matters, NOT what the general moronic public thinks.
If you like dragons and think well of them call on them, will be very surprised of what they can accomplish.

Answer 7

Hmm... I don't know if you are interested in this but the Chinese and the Tibetans believe dragons to be very auspicious and powerful creatures. If you see a dragon you are a blessed person with very good luck.
However dragons have a very bad temper and can be very destructive when offended.

Answer 8

There are two types of dragons . The Eastern ones were their color will tell you if they are good or bad.
The Western Dragons are mostly people friendly unless attacked . they mostly eat wild animals or some live stock if hungry enough.or to old to catch the wild animals any more. It was the Christians that called them children of the devil and hunted them .mostly because they lived in underground caves close to hot springs or magma pools to keep warm in the colder countries.In warmer countries or during the Summer months they moved to mountain caves with ledges facing where they could catch the warmth of the sun.

Answer 9

Thank you lord for someone who understands! We dragons have gotten such a bad rep ever since that whole Dragonslayer phenomenom and all those stories about us eating people...don't people realize that only 32% of the dragon species are even carniverous? I'm not part of that percentage. Its just leafy greens and turnips for me ,but every once and awhile...well nobody doesn't like Sarah Lee.

Answer 10

Well, to start off, its a trademark of cults(no matter how much they deny it) to shun and try to degrade anything that is outside their belief system. Christianity for example, hates snakes(which is assosiated with dragons, naturally) It could also be them denying spiritual entities to make them seem to be in their mythology moreso. But dragons really arent demons in any way. Attacks will come from pride, not malevolence, being a main diff