How have dragons evolved in modern literature?
First we will study the classical representation of the fierce treasure- keeping monster in The Hobbit, then we will discuss its evolution as a potential ally or member of the family in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and A Clash of Kings. We will also compare the film and television series adaptations of these works with the novels and evaluate the choices made to represent these dragons on screen.
1. Smaug, the treasure keeper
This 1998 book cover edition of The Hobbit (published in 1937) written by J.R.R. Tolkien for his children. He invented a whole universe and an associated mythology. He is considered the father of Heroic Fantasy. Tolkien also translated Beowulf and it inspired him to create Smaug.
Heroic fantasy is a subgenre of fantasy in which events occur in a world where magic is prevalent and modern technology is non-existent.
Smaug is a dragon and the main antagonist in the novel The Hobbit, his treasure and the mountain he lives in being the goal of the quest. Powerful and fearsome, he invaded the Dwarf kingdom of Erebor 150 years prior to the events described in the novel. A group of thirteen dwarves mounted a quest to take the kingdom back, aided by the wizard Gandalf and the hobbit Bilbo Baggins. In The Hobbit, Thorin describes Smaug as "a most specially greedy, strong and wicked worm".
The text is set just after Bilbo has stolen a cup from Smaug’s lair for his companions. The dragon is furious and he chases them as they escape through a tunnel. In this dialogue, Bilbo uses his magic invisibility ring to discover more about Smaug and its weaknesses.
A. A snake-like dragon is breathing fire while Bilbo is standing in front of him. The scene seems to take place in a castle: swords / daggers / axes surround Bilbo who may be trying to steal something from the dragon. B. a) voleur : thief (l. 1) • ignorant : unlearned (l. 4) • connaissance :lore (l. 4) • phénoménal : tremendous (l. 7) • flatté : flattered (l. 10) • ne pas être à la hauteur (de) : fall short (of) (l. 12) • menteur : liar (l. 14) • chemins : paths (l. 19) • sans être vu : unseen (l. 20) • vainqueur d’anneau : Ringwinner (l. 24) • porteur de chance : Luckwearer (l. 24) • énigme : riddling (riddle) (l. 25) • sage : wise (l. 29) • rendre furieux : infuriate (l. 30) • glousser : chuckle (l. 35) • malfaisant : wicked (l. 36) b) Smaug: tremendous , flattered, infuriate… Bilbo: thief, unlearned, Luckwearer… c) The Chiefest and Greatest of Calamities (l. 13) d) dragon-slayer, treasure-keeper, sword-bearer…
C. Bilbo uses riddles to present himself and remains mysterious about his identity. The dragon calls him “thief” and “liar” but is intrigued at the same time. Bilbo seems to enjoy this game. He is “pleased with his riddling” which is paradoxical because talking with a dragon isn’t an ordinary chat and Bilbo is amused instead of being terrified.
The dragon has a name: “Smaug”. It isn’t an ordinary dragon since he is a talking dragon as well as a dragon who particularly enjoys riddling talk: “that’s better”. He appreciates compliments and feels “flattered” by the exaggerated titles used by Bilbo. The names used by Bilbo might also be considered ironic: “the Chiefest and Greatest of Calamities”, a paradoxical statement.
The narrator also uses irony to comment upon the scene: “this is of course a way to talk to dragons…”, he addresses directly the readers to invite them into the tale and mocks the dragon’s inability to “resist the fascination of riddling talk”.
D. The title may be a reference to the fact that Smaug is on the brink of being stolen and attacked by the dwarves, it means that he may lose both his treasure and his home and therefore feel desolation / sorrow.
E. We could say that Smaug is both a traditional and a modern dragon. It can be considered traditional insofar as it is a typical medieval dragon who represents evil and cruelty, lives in a cave and keeps a treasure. However, he can also be seen as modern since he is a talking dragon and a witty and intelligent creature who seems to have feelings. Critics have identified close parallels with what they presume are sources of Tolkien's inspiration, including the dragon in Beowulf, who is provoked by the stealing of a precious cup, and the speaking dragon Fafnir, who proposes a betrayal.
2. Hagrid’s baby dragon
This still from Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (Chris Columbus, 2001) is taken from the film adaptation of the first volume (published in 1997) of the Harry Potter saga written by J.K. Rowling.
The half-giant Hagrid, gatekeeper of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, is looking tenderly at Norbert, the just-hatched baby dragon he illegally obtained.
The two texts relate the hatching of the dragon egg and the relationship between Hagrid and his dragon one week later. The latter being completely different to the one we have studied in Beowulf and The Hobbit. Hagrid is actually acting as a motherly figure while Norbert behaves as a wild animal.
A. Hagrid looks fascinated by the baby dragon, he is moved and looks at him with tenderness like a father / a mother would do.
B.
- Text 1 : A baby is coming / The birth of the dragon / The egg hatching…
This scene is a description of the dragon’s birth.
- Text 2 : Crazy about the dragon / Naming the dragon…
This part shows how fascinated Hagrid is by the dragon, he is so close to him that he has decided to give him a name.
C. We can’t say that all the characters share the same feelings about the dragon. Indeed we notice that Hagrid considers him as his son: he has a motherly affection for him, contrary to Ron who considers it as a horrible creature. However, as the young dragon grew, it became too violent and dangerous to keep. After Norbert bit Ron Weasley's hand, for which he had to go to the Hospital Wing due to the venom in its fangs, Hagrid had no choice but to release Norbert to Charles Weasley, who worked with dragons in Romania. When Hagrid met Charlie at Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour's wedding, he was informed that the dragon, originally thought to be a male named Norbert, was now called Norberta, as Charlie had discovered that she was in fact a female. He said that he was able to tell by the females being much more violent and ferocious.
4. Daenery’s dragons
The still is from the Television series Game of Thrones where Daenerys declares herself to be a queen, and places her three dragon eggs onto her deceased husband's funeral pyre, beside his body. Once the entire pyre is afire, Daenerys walks into the flames. The next morning, when the flames have gone out and the ground has cooled down, her new khalasar finds her amidst the ashes, naked but unharmed, holding three living newly-hatched dragons. They all kneel and swear their oaths to Daenerys, more loyal to her than they had ever been to Drogo. Daenerys names the three dragons Viserion (after her brother Viserys), Rhaegal (after her brother Rhaegar), and Drogon (after Drogo).
The text is an extract from A clash of Kings (1998) written by George R.R. Martin. It takes place after the hatching of the dragons. The extract shows how Daenerys considers the dragons as her own children, offering a new type of Human / Dragon relationship.
Daenerys looks both overwhelmed / anxious and determined. A baby dragon is standing on her right shoulder, his wings spread as a symbol of domination. She makes one with the dragon, she is the mother of this dragon and together, they have power on the world.
• Dragons’ characteristics:
“No larger than scrawny cats” (l. 1): the mythical beasts are compared to commonplace animals / pets. They are particularly tall, their span is large and impressive, their wings are both colourful and translucent. They are described as gorgeous / splendid creatures. They have a large appetite, they are compared to snakes: they are wild and ferocious beasts. The dragons are described as having different coloured scales; the different colours symbolise a specific character trait which belonged to the person by which they are named.
• Daenerys’ feelings :
Daenerys is fascinated by her dragons, she admires their elegance and might, and loves them tenderly with a mother’s affection: “such little things” (l. 7-8).
Her maternal love for them is also felt when she has a dragon ride her shoulder each evenfall / at dusk: she is really close to them, they share a special and almost magical and mythical bond. They wouldn’t be calm without her presence, and the feeling is reciprocal. They are like children to her: they need each other. They also remind her of her deceased brothers, Rhaegar and Viserys: there definitely is a family bond with the dragons.
She is called the “Mother of dragons” because they share a “mother and son” relationship: she “gave birth” to them, they consider her as their mother and she raises them and feeds them as a mother would.
The epic Beowulf paved the way for the next writers and had a major influence on the development of heroic fantasy novels.
J.R.R. Tolkien used the medieval dragon’s characteristics that can be found in the poem in his novels, while adding a modern touch to it by imagining a talking and thinking dragon able to lead and follow a conversation;
George R.R. Martin used the myth of the dragon to add to the supernatural and mythical dimension of his story, giving them both traditional characteristics (they are unable to think or speak but can communicate with Daenerys) and a more modern and magical touch as they were born thanks to a human being, and what’s more, a woman.
Therefore, unlike in medieval tales, they don’t embody or enhance a man / warrior’s might or superiority but a woman’s power and strength.