The Many Faces of Drákon: A Multiperspectival Interpretation of Dragon Motifs (66208)

Session Information: International Humanities
Session Chair: Aleksander Sedzielarz

Saturday, January 7, 2023 (15:25)
Session: Session 5
Room: 318A
Presentation Type:Oral Presentation

All presentation times are UTC-10 (Pacific/Honolulu)

Dragon narratives occur in numerous cultures throughout the world, sharing many similar motifs. Why should diverse cultures have such common themes? And how did stories of dragons first arise? Though several theories have been proposed, there is as yet no consensus about the origin of these ideas. In this presentation I offer a threefold perspective on the interpretation of dragons. I argue that dragon motifs are overdetermined, having arisen and been maintained through multiple causes that can be classified into three broad categories: the cultural, the naturalistic, and the psychological. The cultural facets of dragon myths, such as the Indo-European Chaoskampf motif, have been widely discussed—they are important determinants of the maintenance and evolution of dragon stories. But for deeper explanations and an answer to the question of origins one must look further. Naturalistic and psychological accounts provide this deeper layer of interpretation. I argue that the most plausible theory of the origin of dragons is Blust’s rainbow-serpent theory, a naturalistic explanation, as this theory accounts for numerous universal or near-universal features of dragons. But alongside this we must also consider psychological determinants, for which the Freudian perspective is particularly enlightening. I provide evidence of Oedipal themes underpinning many common dragon motifs, suggesting that dragons are infantile representations of parental figures. Additionally, I argue that dragons also represent the unconscious parts of the mind. The connecting element—bringing together chaos monsters, rainbow-serpents, parents, and the unconscious—is the primitive phantasm of the (often chaotic, though sometimes protective) Other.

Authors:
Michael Michael, Yonsei University, South Korea


About the Presenter(s)
Professor Michael Michael is a University Professor/Principal Lecturer at Yonsei University in South Korea

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Posted by Clive Staples Lewis

Last updated: 2023-02-23 23:45:00