Taunton and the language of mythology

There’s been debate about the symbol for Somerset: dragon, wyvern, or something? We might imagine the stories from Somerset’s distant past when many believed magical creatures roamed our rural homeland.

‘Dragon’ is a Middle English word derived from older serpent tales in Greek and Latin.

The Oxford English Dictionary cites its earliest written use in English around 1220, when early talk of dragons referred to a snake-like serpent or python.

As the ‘dragon’ evolved it led to a reptile associated with fire-breathing; by the time Shakespeare used it in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (around 1600) when Puck talks of “night’s swift dragons cut the clouds full fast” they were flying creatures.

Some have suggested our Somerset serpent should be a ‘wyvern’ – linguistically an obsolete form of ‘viper’ (wyver).

The earliest recorded reference is from Chaucer, around 1374, who used the creature as a metaphor for jealousy.

By 1610 a wyvern was understood to be a winged dragon with two feet, like an eagle, and a serpent’s barbed tail.

Wyverns, possibly closer-looking to those original, serpentine dragons, have been associated with the idea of Wessex since at least the mid-1800s and probably long before.

Chaucer also mentioned another mythological flying beast – the ‘gryphon’. Within 10 years of his wyvern, he referred to ‘looking about like a gryphon’ in the Knight’s Tale.

Gryphons have the head and wings of an eagle and the body and tail of a lion.

Just a few years before Chaucer’s gryphon comes the first written reference in English to a ‘chimera’ (1382).

Noted by the OED as originating from Greek mythology with lion’s head, goat’s body, and serpent’s tail. The mid-late 14thC was certainly a place for monster-appreciation: it was a time of hardship.

When times are tough perhaps we suspect the ‘unknown’ even more. Language reflects this as we give name to the things we fear.

One of the reasons Somerset seems to have taken the dragon to its heart is the association with King Alfred and his struggles against external threats.

If you want to marvel at Somerset creativity in our own time, do go to see the dragon which landed in Taunton’s High Street in February.

And nip along to the inspiring Titan Arcadia gallery at the new Coal Orchard development to see more amazing creatures and the wonderful imagination of recent Somerset folk.

If you have heard any other words for local Somerset monsters, do comment-in.

Written by Marcus Barrett.

Mr Barrett is course manager for English Language A-level at Richard Huish College, Taunton, and a director of educational charity, The English Project, Winchester.