THE DEPICTION OF DRAGON IN POPULAR ENTERTAINMENT MEDIA

Abstract

This paper was focused on the characteristics and depictions of dragons in Christopher Paolini’s Eragon (2002), a novel, and Square Enix’s Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, a video game, in order to understand the changes to the depictions of dragons in entertainment media. Furthermore, the theory of Orientalism proposed by Edward Said was used as the theoretical framework of this study. The analysis revealed that the dragons in both Eragon and Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn were changed to make them unique and different from past dragons. Past dragons were presented as the “Other.” That is, they were stereotyped as evil creatures with a terrifying and aggressive appearance, as well as lesser intelligence and morality. Therefore, they should be destroyed by humans. On the contrary, Paolini depicted his dragons to be more humane by making them more regal in appearance, giving them more vibrant colors, showing them with greater intelligence, literacy, and superior morality. Similarly, in Final Fantasy XIV: A Ream Reborn, dragons were depicted as more unique by adding the elements of diversity and modernization. They were given much greater varieties in terms of their appearances, from traditional reptilian designs to that of insectoid or humanoid designs. They also understood the concept of technologies used by their opponents and could devise cunning strategies to overcome their enemies without relying on brute force. As a result, the dragons in Eragon and Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn were not the “Other” and lived in harmony with humans. This study indicated that the depictions of dragon in entertainment media have changed from the past, with the globalization of the world, intercultural exchange and the waning influence of religions in playing a part in altering the depiction of dragons.

-