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Our Dragons Are Different/Literature: Difference between revisions
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== Middle Earth ==
* Smaug from ''[[The Hobbit]]'' broke from the Western tradition by being intelligent and capable of speech. This was so successful a [[Trope Maker|trendsetter]] that the older mindless, animalistic Western dragon is now a decided minority (at least in [[Fantasy]] [[Literature]]). Tolkien, who was a fan of Norse mythology, drew his inspiration for Smaug from two famous dragons: Fafnir, of the poetic eddas, and the unnamed dragon who fought Beowulf. Like Fafnir, Smaug is intelligent and can talk, and has a softer underbelly. Like Beowulf's bane, Smaug is winged and breathed fire, and is enraged by the theft of a cup from his hoard and emerges to lay waste to the countryside. (Smaug also shows some original characteristics, like a fondness for riddles and [[Hypnotic Eyes]].)
** Interestingly, in the animated version of ''[[The Hobbit]]'', Smaug has [https://web.archive.org/web/20120511223600/http://www.thehobbit-movie-buzz.com/wp-content/uploads/hobbit/large_smaug_dragon_from_thehobbit_animated-r7nn9rsi.jpg a furry back ruff and somewhat lupine/vulpine head,] but also a large body and wings, a sort of Eastern/Western hybrid. Perhaps this is due to it being a Japanese/American co-production.
* There are three kinds of dragons in Middle Earth, actually - winged dragons, like Smaug; fire drakes, which can breathe fire but can't fly, and cold drakes, which can do neither. All are descended from the ancient fire drake Glaurung, whose origin was never totally revealed, save that it was connected to Morgoth. All the dragons seen on page were evil and also highly intelligent and magically powerful, to the extent that they might be said to have [[Magnificent Bastard]] as their [[Planet of Hats|hat]].
** In the various background writings, dragons, like the Balrogs, are described as lesser Maiar corrupted by Morgoth, warped by him into reptilian form. Nearly all the evil races and beings were similarly created by Morgoth, out of corrupted Maiar or Elves.
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