KKU Res J HS (GS) 3 (1) : January - April 2015 1 Dragons and Nagas: Mythical Creatures in English and Thai Contemporary Literature มังกรและพญานาค: สัตว์ในต�านานในงานวรรณกรรมร่วมสมัย ของไทยและอังกฤษ Tassawat Suksawat Na Ayutaya (ทัศน์สวัสดิ์ สุขสวัสดิ์ ณ อยุธยา)1* Dr.Paradee Tungtang (ดร.ภารดี ตั้งแต่ง)** ABSTRACT This study aims to analyze the roles of mythical creatures: dragons and nagas, as well as to compare the differences and similarities between the two creatures in the selected contemporary literature based on the External and Internal Quality Framework. Dragons are well-known in western myths as being evil, fierce and possessive of treasures while nagas are sacred beings associated with Buddhists’ beliefs and ways of life and are respectful in Thai culture. Even though dragons and nagas originate from different cultures, they are both described as reptile or serpent-like beings. This study was conducted by developing a framework called the External and Internal Quality Framework to analyze six selected mythical creature characters in six contemporary works of fiction: three English novels and three Thai novels. The results show a trend of using and adapting details of dragons from the original myths in the selected English novels but there is tendency of preservation of original features of the nagas in the selected Thai novels. บทคัดย่อ งานวิจัยนี้มีวัตถุประสงค์เพื่อศึกษาบทบาทของสัตว์ในต�านานซึ่งคือมังกรและพญานาค รวมทั้งความ เหมือนและความแตกต่างระหว่างสัตว์ทั้งสองชนิดซึ่งปรากฏในงานวรรณกรรมร่วมสมัยโดยอิงจากเครื่องมือ ซึ่งเรียกว่าExternal and Internal Quality Framework มังกรนั้นเป็นสัตว์ในต�านานซึ่งเป็นที่รู้จักกันดี ในวัฒนธรรมตะวันตกว่าเป็นสัตว์ที่ชั่วร้าย กราดเกรี้ยว และหวงสมบัติ ส่วนพญานาคนั้นเป็นตัวตนศักดิ์สิทธิ์ ซึ่งมีความเกี่ยวข้องกับศาสนาพุทธ วิถีชีวิตและเป็นที่เคารพนับถือของคนไทย ถึงแม้สัตว์ในต�านานทั้งสอง จะมาจากต่างวัฒนธรรมกันแต่ทั้งสองก็มีจุดร่วมคือมีลักษณะคล้ายสัตว์เลื้อยคลานหรืองู งานวิจัยนี้ด�าเนินการ โดยสร้าง framework ขึ้นมาใช้ในงานวิเคราะห์ ซึ่งมีชื่อว่า External and Internal Quality Framework เพื่อใช้ในการวิเคราะห์ตัวละครเป้าหมายในนิยายภาษาอังกฤษร่วมสมัยสามเรื่องและนิยายไทยร่วมสมัย 1Correspondent author: [email protected] * Student, Master of Arts in English, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Khon Kaen University ** Lecturer, Department of English, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Khon Kaen University 2 วารสารวิจัย มข. มส. (บศ.) 3 (1) : ม.ค. - เม.ย. 2558 สามเรื่อง ซึ่งผลจากการวิจัยพบแนวโน้มในการเลือกใช้สัตว์ในต�านานในงานวรรณกรรมรวมทั้งการดัดแปลง เนื้อหาของมังกรจากต�านานต้นฉบับในนิยายตะวันตกแต่พญานาคในนิยายไทยนั้นมีแนวโน้มไปในทาง การรักษาลักษณะตามต�านานต้นฉบับ Key Words: Contemporary literature, Dragon, Naga ค�าส�าคัญ: วรรณกรรมร่วมสมัย มังกร พญานาค Introduction as the story progresses. Mythical creatures are Myths are stories which appear in believed to have been real animals in the past various forms, such as epics, poems and but their descriptions have become distorted dramas. These stories about heroes, gods, [3]. One example is Behemoth, a mythical mythical creatures, magical items, and creature that is very strong, dangerous, lives fantastic places have been told since primitive near a river, and is believed to be derived from times, and they still continue existing until the hippopotamus [4]. Dragons, the focus of today [1]. Ancient stories, especially Greek this study, are one of the most well-known and Roman stories, were often claimed to mythical creatures in the world. Stories originate from myths. This is also true in some about dragons are believed to originate in the contemporary novels, such asHarry Potter Ancient Near East and later enter Greek by J.K. Rowling and The Lord of the Rings and Christian mythology. In prehistoric by J.R.R Tolkien, where mythical elements Indo-European mythology, there is comparative are found. However, in modern novels with -based evidence suggesting that mythical elements, writers tend to adapt the fire-breathing dragon motif may originate original myths in their literary works, such from the image of the spitting cobra[5]. as changing some details from the original Another suggestion is that dragons might stories to suit the new plot and the story, have been used to explain the discovery of or using the mythical names to symbolize dinosaur fossils. Generally, dragons in the certain ideas [2]. After the discovery of the original myth look like reptiles or serpents, similarities between different myths from with scales in various colors, bat-like wings, different regions, studying myth or mythology fangs, and the ability to spit fire. Dragons has become quite popular [1]. Studies about are seen as evil, fierce, and possessive of myths do not only focus on comparing myths, treasures [6].Dragons are found in many but there are also studies about comparing cultures both in the West and in the East: the use of myths in literary works. Greek, European, Norse (Scandinavian), While protagonists in the mythical Chinese, and Japanese. Some examples of stories are either human heroes or gods, dragons are Wyvern from English folklore, mythical creatures also play an important role Python from Greek mythology, Jormungand KKU Res J HS (GS) 3 (1) : January - April 2015 3 from Norse mythology, and Yamata no Orochi (2008) [9],Western Dragons and Chinese from Japanese mythology [5]. Long, is a clear example of this type of study. For nagas, they are sacred beings Zeng found that western dragons look very in Buddhism that, according to the original different from Chinese dragons; Western myth, look like serpents with green scales, ones are perceived as evil creatures whereas large long bodies, fangs, red crests, andred Chinese dragons are respected as gods. Zeng eyes, and have supernatural power. The origin suggested that people call Chinese dragons by of nagas is believed to be the Indian mythology the Chinese word ‘Loonge’ not ‘dragon’ [9]. Mahabharata. Another possibility is that the The second example is Nili Wazana’s work serpent cults which arefound in many parts of (2008)[10], Anzu and Ziz: Great Mythical the world, especially in Southeast Asia where Birds in Ancient Near Eastern, Biblical, and people’s lives are usually associated with Rabbinic Traditions. Both Anzu from water and rivers where serpents are commonly Akkadian myth and Ziz from Jewish myth found, might have led to the myths about are mythical birds that share five similarities: nagas [7]. In Thailand, nagas are respected being cosmic birds, having theme the theme because they were described in Buddhist of struggle and combat, being primitive teachings as being supportive of Buddha. mythical creature, having giant size, and One of the most well known nagas in Thai trying to reverse the world order in their mythical stories is Mucalinda, a naga who respective myths. The hypothesized protected Buddha from the storm; another explanations of these similarities are the well known naga is the one who wanted to Mesopotamian influence to Jewish literature, become a Buddhist monk but failed because and influence from the ancient Near East [10]. only humans are allowed to become monks The third study was performed by Gary G. [7, 8]. From this information, it can be seen Stanfield (2000)[14], titledGiants in Teutonic clearly that dragons and nagas share two eligion. There are similarities between Norse similarities: they are serpent-like creatures, and English giants in terms of physical and they are important creatures in their appearances and being powerful, but they respective cultures and beliefs. This simi- differ in other details. The Norse giants larities; hence, are what lead to this study relate to deities but not humans. Contrarily, comparing these two mythical creatures in English folklore does not relate giants to contemporary literature. deities but to humans [11]. In this paper, previous studies of The second approach to mythical mythical creatures are reviewed. There are studies focuses on the study of the application two main approaches to mythical studies. and adaptation of original myths in new The first is a comparative study of certain contemporary literature. An example of this focal myths aiming to compare two similar is the study of Isaraporn Prompreingpun mystical creatures; the work of Zeng Ling-cai (2000)[12], Mara and Satan, which found 4 วารสารวิจัย มข. มส. (บศ.) 3 (1) : ม.ค. - เม.ย. 2558 that two religious beings, Mara and Satan, the contemporary English and Thai novels were used as a tool to distinguish the good respectively. from the bad, as well as to be an obstacle for 2. To compare the external and the protagonist to fight against in the story internal qualities of contemporary dragons [12]. Another study is Aphrodite: From Myth and nagas with the original dragon and to Literature by Noree Pakpibul (2007)[13]. naga respectively. In this paper, seven literary works containing different adaptations of myths about the Methodology goddess Aphrodite (or Venus) were analyzed. The methods used when studying The findings showed that there were many mythology and literature vary depending influences which affected how the writers on what the researchers want to focus on. used the original myth in his or her work. Generally, there are no exact patterns Such influences included the personal or models for the analysis of myths and experience of the writer, trend at the time of literature. For most studies regarding myths publishing, and belief in religion[13]. The last in literature, the focus is placed on certain example to be examined is Susan Elizabeth elements