Hello lovelies!
Short of the sword, the dagger is possibly the most used and beloved weapon in writing. I believe this may be because of a combination of aesthetics and versatility. The dagger can have a lot of very attractive designs, while also being easy to hide and use because of its small size.
Daggers have pretty much entered the 'must have' list of both fantasy and historical settings for stories with any kind of fighting or drama. Nonetheless, it's always good to revisit something so popular, and look at some of its possible uses in a narrative. So, let's do just that!
Material:
While daggers are typically made of metal, with leather wrapped around the handle for comfort, as well as better grip, it most certainly isn't the only material this weapon can be made of. Daggers made of ivory, wood, and even precious metals, like silver, have been found before as well. However, most of these are predominantly used for ceremonial purposes.
The shape and decorations on daggers can be some of the varied and creative designs seen on any weapon. This is partially, again, because daggers are sometimes used for religious or ceremonial purposes, and not necessarily as a weapon. Still, there is the factor of class, culture, and wealth to consider.
Simple daggers are the most practical and easiest to hide, meaning they either belong to someone of a lower status, or someone who genuinely needs the use the weapon in daily life. The more varied the dagger, the more a person's status, profession, and place of origin can be illustrated.
Use:
Because of the dagger's small size, long range combat isn't really an option. In direct contact fighting, it would have to be close range only. That is, if the dagger is the only weapon being used. This is a weapon that is often used in a pair, alongside another weapon, usually a sword. In this case, the dagger is either a defence, to protect open, vulnerable parts of the body, or as a hidden plan to stab the opponent when close enough, and take them by surprise.
In fact, a dagger being a secret weapon is fairly common. It's possibly one of the most prominent 'assassin' tools seen in literature and illustrations. This is, again, because of its small size, but also because of how lightweight it is, so it's easy to move around. In this case, the best kind of dagger is long and thin, since they stab more cleanly and deeper.
As a ceremonial or religious artifact, daggers are usually used to make sacrifices, or as a representation of strength. In this case, the dagger will most likely be more embellished than practical, since it's part of a ritual. How the dagger is made and decorated is going to be important because of this as well, so take symbolism into account.
Character Types:
One of the character types you could give a dagger as a weapon to, is a character who is otherwise not well-versed in fighting or inexperienced. A dagger is easy, light, small, and a good tool for self-defence. People more experienced in fighting will usually have another weapon as a personal choice, with the dagger being the support tool.
If the dagger is ritualistic, than the character type can belong to a religion or sect who practises certain ceremonies and/or uses the dagger to identify themselves. Because of its size, the order gets the benefit or carrying around something easy to travel with, while keeping it as a tool, symbol, and weapon all in one.
In contrast to the first character type mentioned, someone carrying a dagger can also be incredibly versatile in their fighting style and art of weaponry. A dagger is a good tool for creativity, while also easy to pair with other weapons. So, an experienced, flexible fighter is almost bound to have at least one, and have a couple of tricks up their sleeve on how to use it.
I hope this has brought some love to our favourite, little weapon, and that it's been a fun read.
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Goodbye, lovelies!
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