By Darius
Previously we have mentioned the image of snakes in ancient China, Egypt, and Mayan civilization. Then, what will Westerners say when we talk about those serpents?
In Western culture, the image of the snake appears in various literary, religious, and mythological contexts, carrying diverse and rich symbolic meanings.
In the Bible, the snake is often seen as a symbol of cunning and evil, representing temptation and betrayal. For instance, in Genesis, the snake tempts Eve to eat the forbidden fruit, leading to Adam and Eve being expelled from the Garden of Eden. To punish the snake, God asked it to "walk" without limbs and feet. This has led to the snake being commonly associated with the devil in Christian culture.
Medusa, a well-known figure from Greek mythology, is often depicted as a monstrous creature with snakes for hair and a gaze that turns people into stone. Medusa was once a beautiful mortal woman who was cursed by Athena for a transgression and transformed into a Gorgon with a hideous appearance.
On the other hand, in the ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus' "serpent-biting philosophy," the snake is seen as a symbol representing perpetual change and cycles, symbolizing eternal cycles and regeneration.
Now, in the well-known "Harry Potter" series, one of the four Hogwarts houses is Slytherin, AKA the snake house. Slytherin house is emblematic of the traits of the Slytherin family, nurturing students with ambition, determination, and cunning. Students of Slytherin are often seen as possessing qualities of caution, composure, and cleverness, but they may also exhibit negative traits such as deceitfulness and indifference.
Overall, the image of the snake in Western culture is a multifaceted and symbolic one, representing concepts such as wisdom, evil, change, and power among others. The dual nature of the snake highlights the complexity of their symbolism and the ambiguous role they play in different contexts.
The duality, frankly speaking, serves to remind us of the multifaceted nature of life itself, where things are not always black and white but exist in shades of gray, embodying both light and darkness, good and evil. This remarkable creature, with its completely different appearance and habits from humans, has left a profound impression worldwide.
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