Origin: J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit
History: Smaug was the red dragon in J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit. He kept the riches of Lonely Mountain for himself after killing several dwarves to get it. Bilbo Baggins, Gandalf the wizard, and thirteen other dwarves all ventured to Lonely Mountain in order to obtain their riches.
When there, the dwarven party snuck around the mountain and entered into the back door. Bilbo, having a ring that made him invisible, had the first encounter with the dragon. After some trial, the dragon rages out of the cave, angered, and then flew to torment the town near Lonely Mountain.
While the dragon tormented the villiagers, the king of the village fled. The town's master archer looked at the dragon and tried to find a weakness. Smaug's underbelly was soft, but it was covered with many spectacular jewels to protect himself. However, there was one jewel missing, and the archer managed to hit that one spot. With a screech, Smaug feel into the water and died.
Symbolism: Smaug proves as another poor symbol for dragons. He is a sign of greed and power, and he is often depicted in artwork alone with his hoard. His name also leads to the idea of pollution and its negative effects.
Physical Description: Smaug is usually considered a red western dragon. He has firey breathe and a long, thin snout. He is also commonly depicted guarding his horde, breathing fire, or falling into water.
- The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
For more information about these footnotes, please see the bibliography.
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Last updated: 5 October 2009