Serpent Symbolism
. The most prominent serpent story in our culture is of Christian tradition, that story happens to be the creation story of Adam and Eve. It is often suggested that the serpent is symbolic of the devil or evil in Genesis. Assuming that the serpent exemplifies evil, one may then safely ask the question, "Why do bishop's crooks have serpents on them?" Looking around at other cultures it is also relevant to question why the Romans often kept serpents in their homes (Simon and Schuster 370). Many other questions arise, but by opening one's mind and looking at other possibilities one can find the answers. It is true that the serpent can be symbolic of evil, however the serpent is also representative of, among many other things, eternity, wisdom, and healing. From the beginning of time to the present, the serpent has had multiple meanings for different cultures. By looking at the serpent as simply evil in the creation story or any other story, one fails to exhaust the rich !background that the serpent has accumulated through time. The serpent and their offspring have generally thought to be cursed by God for its actions in the Garden of Eden. According to the New Catholic Encyclop
Serpent as a symbol of Chaos, Evil, and the Underworld In Egyptian culture the serpent plays many roles, one of which is an evil being. The Egyptians believed that fire-breathing serpents armed with knives inhabited the underworld (Simon and Schuster 372). As a result, incantations from "The Book of the Dead" were cited to protect the pharaohs from the treachery of serpents. Some of these charms are: "Earth, devour that which has come forth from thee. Monster (beast), lie down, glide away." "Serpent turn over so that Re may see you (Joines 28)." Vries, Ad de. "Serpent." Dictionary of Symbols and Imagery. 1976. phallic shape of the snake allows it to be associated with the 'regeneration' of man. Serpent as a symbol of Life, Healing, and Immortality Jobes, Gertrude. Dictionary of Mythology Folklore and Symbols. 1961.
Some common words found in the essay are:
Garden Eden, Simon Schuster, Epic Gilgamesh, Adam Eve, Wisdom Matthew, Consequently Adapa, Serpent Worship, Book Dead, Hermes Trismegistus, Earth Joines, serpent symbol, garden eden, simon schuster, adam eve, creation story, symbolism serpent, offered bread water, created serpent, plant life, offered bread, bread water, story adam eve, bread water immortality, rich background serpent, serpent dictionary symbols,
Approximate Word count = 2234
Approximate Pages = 9 (250 words per page double spaced)
|
