The Forge of Tolkien Episode 6: A Taxonomy of Dragons
When is a dragon “dragon enough” and when is it an example of “draconitas”? In this episode, Professor Rachel Fulton Brown explores the “wilderness of dragons” Tolkien invented for his children’s stories and contrasts them with the argument he makes for taking dragons seriously in his essay “Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics.” How is Smaug like and unlike Beowulf’s bane? And how many dragons are there in a “wilderness”?
Word of warning: if you ever visit The Hobbit Museum in Switzerland, do NOT ask about dragons. You will be treated to a long lecture on the taxonomy of dragons, including a detailed explanation on why the so-called “dragons” of A Game of Thrones are not, in fact, dragons at all.