Hello, lovelies!
This time, I've chosen a creature which you don't see much anymore in stories, which is kind of a shame. The griffin used to be such a magnificent beast, and an important symbol of both earthly and divine power.
You would think it would appear a little more often in stories centred around fantasy or religion, but that doesn't seem to be case. So, I will be highlighting some ways in which this beautiful creature can be used in a narrative.
Hopefully, it will inspire someone out there. So, let's do this!
General Description:
So, first things first. The griffin has a fairly straightforward aesthetic, one that is not at all subtle. The upper body of the griffin is that of an eagle, since this was considered to be the king of the sky, while the lower body was that of a lion, since this was considered the king of the land.
Needless to say, this symbolism makes the griffin associated with majesty, power and royalty. However, its other association is with Christ himself. With the griffin being a chimeara between the kings of land and sky, Christ being the son of both heaven and earth, has given the creature an additional divine identity.
King and Ruler:
As said above, the griffin has been associated with power since, well, forever. So, if you're looking for a creature who can either embody kingship, either as a symbol or as an omen, or as a literal king, you're probably not going to find a better creature than this, especially in the Western world.
As a symbol, you could ,for example use the griffin on the crest or as an associated with a royal, or otherwise powerful, family. As an omen, it could be an interesting detail in worldbuilding. Much like the qilin in Chinese culture, seeing a griffin may be a sign that the land is being ruled by righteous, just leader, or it may signal the arrival of a divine king.
However, you could also write the griffin as the divine, righteous king himself. Whether your characters are human or not, if you want to spice up your worldbuilding or creature diversity, writing in mythological beasts is a good way to do so, since at least a portion of the audience will be familiar with them. Since the griffin represents kingship and was sometimes seen standing next to kings on medieval tapestries, writing a griffin as the king itself could be an interesting endeavour.
Divinity:
The above use of the griffin probably fits the lower half of its body the best, so it's only fair to do the same for the upper half. Considering its connection to divinity is especially prominent in Christian iconography, the griffin as something connected to the heavens and the divine could work best in religiously themed stories. However, like with most symbols and creatures, this is not a fixed requirement.
If you do choose to write a religiously themed story, specifically Christian, the griffin is perfect as a symbol or allegory for Christ. For example, your characters seeing or dreaming of a griffin can serve as their connection to the Holy Son, or as a confirmation of their faith. However, the griffin can also be the crest of a religious order, if you don't want to use the griffin as an actual character.
If your story isn't that religiously themed, the griffin can still act as a divine presence in your narrative. For example, they may carry divine energy with them or act as messengers or transporters for the heavens. If you're not working with a real-life religion, and are instead creating your own, the griffin could even be used as a divine entity himself.
Guardian:
Similar to the Western dragon, the griffin was also sometimes seen as a guardian and protector of treasure, but also of important people. On top of that, the treasure he guarded wasn't for himself, but for others, making him loyal to at least one person, order, and/or God, since the treasures are sometimes holy.
In this case, it's important to determine what exactly the griffin is guarding, and how it factors into the story. It's possible it never even makes an appearance, and a treasure being guarded by a griffin is just a story told in passing. Or it may be
what the entire story is centred around.
For who the griffin is guarding the treasure should get the same treatment. If it's just a story in passing, it won't take much space in the narrative, but if it's an important part of the storyline, than anyone involved in both the griffin and the treasure should get fleshed out. Something else to consider is whether your characters want the treasure, because of the treasure itself, or because they don't want the person who currently has it to have it. This will also help determine which one of your characters you want to be protagonists, and which one are antagonists.
I hope this has been an interesting introduction to this magnificent beast, and that we will soon see the griffin represented in more stories.
Thank you for reading!
Goodbye lovelies!
コメント