Introducing the Medieval Dragon

* This book is accessible and readable but grounded in solid scholarship. * It takes stock of the extant scholarship and is able to build on it - and present new interpretations and themes. * This introduction enables the reader to understand the function of dragons - not only in medieval texts and paintings, but also in post-medieval (popular) culture. * It focuses on the medieval European dragon, but without ignoring (medieval) evidence from other traditions (e.g. the Chinese dragon). * It uses concrete case studies that illustrate the more general discussion.

This book is an introduction written for both the scholar and the interested lay reader. It presents a fascinating topic - the medieval dragon - in an accessible and lucid manner that educates, entertains, and enthrals - exactly as medieval dragons themselves did.The aim of this book is to explore the characteristics of the medieval dragon and discuss the different and sometimes differing views found in the relevant medieval text types. This study is based on an intimate knowledge of the primary texts and presents new interpretations of well-known literary works and also takes into consideration paintings and other depictions of these beasts. Dragons were designed not only to frighten, but also to fire the imagination, and provide a suitably huge and evil creature for the hero to overcome - yet there is far more to them than reptilian adversaries. This book introduces the medieval dragon via brief, accurate and clear chapters on its natural history, religion, literature and folklore, and concludes with how the dragon is constantly revived - from Beowulf to Tolkien, Disney and Potter.