Dragons: Difference between revisions
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| feathers= | | feathers= | ||
| distinctions= | | distinctions= | ||
| lifespan= | | lifespan="Long and slow"<ref>{{S|13}}</ref> | ||
| members=[[Glaurung]], [[Ancalagon]], [[Scatha]], [[Smaug]] | | members=[[Glaurung]], [[Ancalagon]], [[Scatha]], [[Smaug]] | ||
}}<center>{{quote|Never laugh at live '''dragons'''.|[[Bilbo Baggins]]<ref> {{H|Inside}}</ref>}}</center> | }}<center>{{quote|Never laugh at live '''dragons'''.|[[Bilbo Baggins]]<ref> {{H|Inside}}</ref>}}</center> | ||
'''Dragons''' were created by [[Morgoth]] out of fire and sorcery sometime before the [[First Age|First Age of the Sun]], when [[Glaurung]] first appeared. | '''Dragons''' were created by [[Morgoth]] out of fire and sorcery sometime before the [[First Age|First Age of the Sun]], when [[Glaurung]] first appeared. | ||
==Taxonomy== | ==History== | ||
===The origin and early history of dragons=== | |||
Seeing the strength of the [[Noldor]] in battle, Melkor realized that [[orcs]] alone were not sufficient to defeat his enemies. He therefore began to breed a new race of monsters: the dragons.<ref>{{GA|115}}</ref> | |||
[...] | |||
At the [[Fall of Gondolin]], Morgoth's foul host included dragons, "''many and terrible''".<ref>{{S|23}}</ref> | |||
===The re-emergence of dragons=== | |||
[...] | |||
In the late [[Third Age]] the dragons bred in the Northern Waste and Withered Heath north of the [[Ered Mithrin]], stirred by the [[Necromancer|return of Evil]], and began to make war with the Dwarves around year [[Third Age 2570|2570]] ([[Dáin I]] and [[Frór]] of [[Durin's folk]] were killed by a great cold-drake in [[Third Age 2589|2589]]).<ref>{{App|B2}}</ref><ref name=Durin>{{App|A3}}</ref> It was perhaps in these wars that dragons swallowed four of the [[Seven Dwarf-rings]].<ref name=Shadow>{{FR|Shadow}}</ref> | |||
[...] | |||
Although Smaug was the greatest of the dragons of his day,<ref name=Durin/> he seems not to have been the last of his kind as [[Gandalf]] told [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] that "''there is not now any dragon left on earth in which the old fire is hot enough'' [to melt the Rings of Power]",<ref name=Shadow/> indicating the presence of other, lesser dragons. | |||
==Characteristics== | |||
===Taxonomy=== | |||
Tolkien designed his own taxonomic system for dragons, based on two factors:{{fact}} | Tolkien designed his own taxonomic system for dragons, based on two factors:{{fact}} | ||
===Means of locomotion=== | ====Means of locomotion==== | ||
*Some dragons ([[Scatha]]) had no legs, or front legs alone, and crawled like snakes. | *Some dragons ([[Scatha]]) had no legs, or front legs alone, and crawled like snakes. | ||
*Others ([[Glaurung]]) walked on four legs, like a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Komodo_dragon Komodo dragon] or some other lizard. | *Others ([[Glaurung]]) walked on four legs, like a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Komodo_dragon Komodo dragon] or some other lizard. | ||
*A third type ([[Ancalagon]], [[Smaug]]) could both walk on four legs and fly using wings. Winged-dragons only first appeared during the [[War of Wrath]], the battle that ended the First Age, so all dragons introduced before the end of the First Age couldn't fly (such as Glaurung), although breeds of wingless dragons did survive into later ages. | *A third type ([[Ancalagon]], [[Smaug]]) could both walk on four legs and fly using wings. Winged-dragons only first appeared during the [[War of Wrath]], the battle that ended the First Age, so all dragons introduced before the end of the First Age couldn't fly (such as Glaurung), although breeds of wingless dragons did survive into later ages. | ||
===Fire breathing=== | ====Fire breathing==== | ||
*The ''[[Urulóki]]'' (singular ''Urulokë'', Fire-drakes) could breathe fire. | *The ''[[Urulóki]]'' (singular ''Urulokë'', Fire-drakes) could breathe fire. It is not entirely clear whether the term "Uruloki" referred only to the first dragons such as Glaurung that could breathe fire but were wingless, or to any dragon that could breathe fire, and thus include Smaug. | ||
*The [[Cold-drakes]] could not. | *The [[Cold-drakes]] could not. | ||
==Other characteristics== | ===Other characteristics=== | ||
The dragons also shared a love of treasure (especially gold), subtle intelligence, immense cunning, great physical strength, and a hypnotic power called "dragon-spell". The best way to talk to a dragon under the circumstances of this spell (when it was questioning you) was to not directly give it the information it wanted, as this would compromise you and your friends, but not to flat out deny it an answer, because this would anger it to violence. Therefore, the best way to talk to the dragon is to be vague and speak in riddles- apparently dragons find it hard to resist wasting time with riddles. | The dragons also shared a love of treasure (especially gold), subtle intelligence, immense cunning, great physical strength, and a hypnotic power called "dragon-spell". The best way to talk to a dragon under the circumstances of this spell (when it was questioning you) was to not directly give it the information it wanted, as this would compromise you and your friends, but not to flat out deny it an answer, because this would anger it to violence. Therefore, the best way to talk to the dragon is to be vague and speak in riddles- apparently dragons find it hard to resist wasting time with riddles. | ||
Dragon-fire (of the Urulóki) was hot enough to melt [[Rings of Power]]: | Dragon-fire (of the Urulóki) was hot enough to melt [[Rings of Power]]: four of the [[Seven Rings]] of the Dwarves were consumed by Dragon-fire, although it was not powerful enough to destroy the One Ring itself.<ref name=Shadow/> | ||
== | == Individual dragons == | ||
[[Image:John Howe - Smaug the Golden.jpg|thumb|''Smaug the Golden'' by [[John Howe]].]] | [[Image:John Howe - Smaug the Golden.jpg|thumb|''Smaug the Golden'' by [[John Howe]].]] | ||
* [[Glaurung]] — Father of Dragons, slain by [[Túrin|Túrin Turambar]]. First of the Uruloki, the Fire-drakes of Angband. He had four legs and could breathe fire, but didn't have wings. | * [[Glaurung]] — Father of Dragons, slain by [[Túrin|Túrin Turambar]]. First of the Uruloki, the Fire-drakes of Angband. He had four legs and could breathe fire, but didn't have wings. | ||
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* [[Scatha]] — Slain by Fram of the [[Éothéod]]. Apparently a cold-drake. Described as a "long-worm", although this imparticular term seems to be more of an expression rather than a separate taxonomic group. | * [[Scatha]] — Slain by Fram of the [[Éothéod]]. Apparently a cold-drake. Described as a "long-worm", although this imparticular term seems to be more of an expression rather than a separate taxonomic group. | ||
* [[Smaug]] — the last great dragon of [[Middle-earth]], slain by [[Bard the Bowman|Bard]] of [[Esgaroth]]. A winged Urulokë. | * [[Smaug]] — the last great dragon of [[Middle-earth]], slain by [[Bard the Bowman|Bard]] of [[Esgaroth]]. A winged Urulokë. | ||
* An unnamed dragon appears in [[Hobbits|Hobbit]] verse, said to have had red eyes, black wings and teeth like knives.<ref>{{AB|Hoard}}</ref> | |||
==Etymology== | |||
''Dragon'' is derived from French; ''drake'' is an English word, from [[Old English]] ''draca'' (derived from Latin).<ref>{{HM|LT2}}, "Short Glossary of Obsolete, Archaic, and Rare Words", p. 350</ref> | |||
==Other fiction== | ==Other fiction== |
Revision as of 04:16, 28 October 2010
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Dragons | |
---|---|
Race | |
General Information | |
Members | Glaurung, Ancalagon, Scatha, Smaug |
Physical Description | |
Lifespan | "Long and slow"[1] |
Gallery | Images of Dragons |
- "Never laugh at live dragons."
- ― Bilbo Baggins[2]
Dragons were created by Morgoth out of fire and sorcery sometime before the First Age of the Sun, when Glaurung first appeared.
History
The origin and early history of dragons
Seeing the strength of the Noldor in battle, Melkor realized that orcs alone were not sufficient to defeat his enemies. He therefore began to breed a new race of monsters: the dragons.[3]
[...]
At the Fall of Gondolin, Morgoth's foul host included dragons, "many and terrible".[4]
The re-emergence of dragons
[...]
In the late Third Age the dragons bred in the Northern Waste and Withered Heath north of the Ered Mithrin, stirred by the return of Evil, and began to make war with the Dwarves around year 2570 (Dáin I and Frór of Durin's folk were killed by a great cold-drake in 2589).[5][6] It was perhaps in these wars that dragons swallowed four of the Seven Dwarf-rings.[7]
[...]
Although Smaug was the greatest of the dragons of his day,[6] he seems not to have been the last of his kind as Gandalf told Frodo that "there is not now any dragon left on earth in which the old fire is hot enough [to melt the Rings of Power]",[7] indicating the presence of other, lesser dragons.
Characteristics
Taxonomy
Tolkien designed his own taxonomic system for dragons, based on two factors:[source?]
Means of locomotion
- Some dragons (Scatha) had no legs, or front legs alone, and crawled like snakes.
- Others (Glaurung) walked on four legs, like a Komodo dragon or some other lizard.
- A third type (Ancalagon, Smaug) could both walk on four legs and fly using wings. Winged-dragons only first appeared during the War of Wrath, the battle that ended the First Age, so all dragons introduced before the end of the First Age couldn't fly (such as Glaurung), although breeds of wingless dragons did survive into later ages.
Fire breathing
- The Urulóki (singular Urulokë, Fire-drakes) could breathe fire. It is not entirely clear whether the term "Uruloki" referred only to the first dragons such as Glaurung that could breathe fire but were wingless, or to any dragon that could breathe fire, and thus include Smaug.
- The Cold-drakes could not.
Other characteristics
The dragons also shared a love of treasure (especially gold), subtle intelligence, immense cunning, great physical strength, and a hypnotic power called "dragon-spell". The best way to talk to a dragon under the circumstances of this spell (when it was questioning you) was to not directly give it the information it wanted, as this would compromise you and your friends, but not to flat out deny it an answer, because this would anger it to violence. Therefore, the best way to talk to the dragon is to be vague and speak in riddles- apparently dragons find it hard to resist wasting time with riddles.
Dragon-fire (of the Urulóki) was hot enough to melt Rings of Power: four of the Seven Rings of the Dwarves were consumed by Dragon-fire, although it was not powerful enough to destroy the One Ring itself.[7]
Individual dragons
- Glaurung — Father of Dragons, slain by Túrin Turambar. First of the Uruloki, the Fire-drakes of Angband. He had four legs and could breathe fire, but didn't have wings.
- Ancalagon the Black — first and mightiest of the Winged-dragons, slain by Eärendil in the War of Wrath.
- Scatha — Slain by Fram of the Éothéod. Apparently a cold-drake. Described as a "long-worm", although this imparticular term seems to be more of an expression rather than a separate taxonomic group.
- Smaug — the last great dragon of Middle-earth, slain by Bard of Esgaroth. A winged Urulokë.
- An unnamed dragon appears in Hobbit verse, said to have had red eyes, black wings and teeth like knives.[8]
Etymology
Dragon is derived from French; drake is an English word, from Old English draca (derived from Latin).[9]
Other fiction
A dragon named Chrysophylax appears in J.R.R. Tolkien's story Farmer Giles of Ham.
See also
References
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Return of the Noldor"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit, "Inside Information"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Jewels, "The Grey Annals": §115
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of Tuor and the Fall of Gondolin"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Third Age"
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "Durin's Folk"
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, "The Shadow of the Past"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Adventures of Tom Bombadil, "The Hoard"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part Two, "Short Glossary of Obsolete, Archaic, and Rare Words", p. 350