Phoenix Bird

Mythology has always been a subject of interest and excitement for human beings. One of the most important characteristics of mythology are the colorful and interesting characters that are thrown towards the readers. Of course, most of the characters are exaggerated, but then, we have no proof that such characters did not exist or did not have the virtues and characterizations that are said to be theirs. The phoenix bird is one such mythical creature that has garnered the interest of generations of humans.

Phoenix Bird Legend and Physical Description:

The Phoenix Bird myth is in itself exciting and racy. Different legend has it that the phoenix bird lives for about 500 or 1461 years and then builds a nest for itself. The nest is made up of cinnamon twigs. The bird then ignites the nest and itself. The myth so says that a new bird comes out of the ashes of the burnt bird. This bird is destined to live as long as the previous bird. According to some myths, the new Phoenix bird creates an egg out of the ashes of the old Phoenix and stores it in the City of Heliopolis in Egypt.

This myth is routinely used to put an emphasis on afterlife, survival and strength in modern culture and literature. According to other legends, the Phoenix bird also has regenerating capabilities, which makes it almost immortal. It is also the symbol of fire and divinity.

Various legends have a different description of the Phoenix bird. Some legends say that it had a gold and red plumage, while other legends, like the Greeks and the Romans pictured like more on the lines of the eagle or the peacock. The Egyptians described the phoenix bird as a heron or a stork.

Phoenix in Contemporary Usage:

Due to the legend attached to the Phoenix bird, it makes for a good example for anything to with survival, strength, patience, and to a large extent, even victory in popular culture. It has been an important character in many modern and ancient legends. In the US, it is prominently seen on the flag of County and City of San Francisco. It is also seen in the flag and seal of the City of Atlanta.

Phoenix in Media:

Probably, the most famous and successful corroboration of the Phoenix legend has been in the fictional Marvel Comics character Phoenix. The Phoenix has been used in other mainstream media like a spacecraft in the Startrek universe. A sci-fi series titled the ‘Phoenix’ had a short run in the ‘80s. In literature, the Phoenix has played an important part in character creation. It served as a title for a 2000 novel about aircraft crash survivors. Another fantasy novel, titled ‘The Phoenix’ was written by Steven Brust for his Vlad Tatos series in 1990.

Of course, the current famous corroboration of the Phoenix and its legend has been in the fifth Harry Potter novel, ‘Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix’.