So, you are wondering if dragons would have been good or bad animals if they had existed. I was interested in finding out myself what the answer would be and in this article, I’ll give you the best possible answer that I was able to collect online. After fully answering the main question though, I will also answer a few more closely related questions, so make sure you read the article till the end.
Would dragons have been good or bad animals if they existed? If you would base dragons on other animals we know on this earth then you can be sure that a dragon would not be either good or bad as a dragon will just live to survive like any other animal on this earth and you can be sure that it will do everything to do so.
If the dragon, however, happens to have more of a brain like ours then you can be sure that their goodness or badness can go either way based on what it’s been through in life.
Also, online I was able to find that many people consider dragons as bad creatures because of the mythology that surrounds them. For example, in Western culture dragons were mainly seen as evil creatures, and also the bible doesn’t talk nicely about dragons.
In the Eastern culture though, dragons are thought of as spirits of good luck. People that live in the Eastern culture believe that meeting a dragon will lead to wonderous things happening in an individual’s life. This is also why you’ll see so many dragon-related symbols when you travel to, for example, Asia.
Also, in the Celtic and Slavic tradition, dragons are seen as kind and big-hearted creatures. In South Slavic mythology male dragons are seen as good creatures and female dragons are seen as evil creatures. Also, when you look at the flag of Wales then you’ll see a dragon portrayed as they believe that dragons are the bringers of fertility.
Besides the information we have about what the Eastern, Western, Celtic, and Slavic cultures believe about dragons, many movies and books use dragons in their storylines. Some storylines consist of good dragons, some storylines consist of bad dragons, and there are even storylines that portrait both of them. So, it is safe to assume that everybody is going to have a different opinion about if dragons would’ve been either good or bad.
What are the differences between being good and bad when it comes to Chinese dragons and Western dragons?
In a nutshell, Chinese dragons are seen as favorable creatures that can make all your wishes come true and Western dragons are seen as creatures that are evil and want to do evil things to others. Western movies nowadays, however, tend to portrait dragons more in a good way.
To the Chinese people, dragons are magical beings that can change the weather conditions and can therefore make it rain which would result in thriving agriculture. To them, a dragon is a god that is worshiped every day. The Chinese people also believe that dragons have a temper which would result in heavy floods and strong winds. So, the Chinese people tend to offer the dragon plates of food to keep the dragon satisfied.
In Western cultures, dragons are generally seen as evil creatures but movies like, for example, “How To Train Your Dragon” put dragons in a more positive light. Also, the dragons in, for example, the “Game Of Thrones” series show dragons that are trainable and are very loyal.
Both the Western and Chinese cultures, however, agree that dragons are powerful, dangerous, and also very intelligent creatures.
You know a lot more already about if dragons would either be good or bad creatures if they had existed. If you’re interested in finding out what dragons probably would’ve smelled like if they existed then I encourage you to check out the article: “What Would Dragons Smell Like If They Had Existed?” which will give you an in-depth answer to this question and the article will also give answers to closely related questions.
Are dragons good in the bible?
The bible describes dragons as symbols of evil. The two different dragons that are mentioned in the bible are called “Leviathan” which is mentioned in the old testament and in the second one, and “Satan” which is mentioned in the new testament.
Regarding the dragon named “Leviathan”, there are people that believe that the dragon is an elephant or a crocodile but the key description of the dragon doesn’t affirm this.
Check out the video below if you want to find out more about what the bible says about dragons.
Why are dragons considered a good sign in the east and the opposite in the west?
Dragons being considered either a good sign or a bad sign in different cultures is based on what’s told about dragons in these cultures. In China, they believe that dragons are a sign of good luck, and in Western cultures, dragons are mainly portrayed as bad creatures in books or movies.
Also, many people in China believe that their first emperor was partly a dragon which portrays even more that dragons in Eastern cultures are considered good signs. The emperor of China also uses dragons as symbols of his power and strength. In the Eastern cultures, dragons are seen as snakes with wings that symbolize energy and wisdom but in Western cultures, snakes are seen as cold-blooded, and lethal animals which therefore cannot be a good sign.
We also know by now that the bible even portrays dragons as evil creatures which will also result in Christians believing that dragons would likely tear the world apart if they were alive.
Related questions
Are dragons evil?
If you would base a dragon on the animals we know that life on this earth then you can be sure that a dragon will not be an evil creature because it will just be alive to survive, not to tear the world apart like in some movies and books.
Are dragons good luck?
In the Eastern culture, dragons are seen as a sign of good luck and that’s also why you’ll see dragons being symbolized a lot when you travel to, for example, Asia. In Western cultures, however, dragons are mainly seen as evil creatures.
Are dragons bad luck?
Western cultures still belittle dragons to be a sign of bad luck but Eastern cultures see dragons as respected, noble, and divine creatures. Also, nowadays, Western books and movies that include dragons tend to put dragons more frequently in a positive light which is a good thing in my opinion.
Conclusion
Now you know that if dragons had existed that they probably wouldn’t have been either good or bad animals as animals, in general, don’t live to be either good or bad, they’re just going to do the things that will expand their lifespan. Of course, people are going to have different opinions about the main question as religion and cultures will likely tell other stories about dragons.