Introducing the Medieval Dragon

The figure of the dragon loomed large in the medieval imagination. Dragons were intended to frighten and also to fuel fantasy by providing a suitably threatening, evil creature for the hero to overcome. Yet their cultural role went far beyond that of monstrous reptilian adversaries. Introducing the Medieval Dragon explores the characteristics of the dragon and the multifarious views found in the relevant medieval writings. Through insightful textual study, Thomas Honegger presents new interpretations of religious and literary works, visual imagery, and other depictions of these mythic beasts to illuminate the social value of these representations. From the basis of this study within everyday medieval mythology, Honegger reveals how the figure of the dragon is constantly revived--from Beowulf to Tolkien, Disney to Harry Potter.