"During the Medieval Ages, myths of monsters flourished, cropping up in many types of literature and art. People believed that these monsters lived on the fringes of the world, beyond the civilized, Christian world of Europe. According to traditional thought, monsters lived mostly in the East, particularly India, but as exploration progressed, monsters were also attributed to Africa, and much later to the New World. These monsters were only partially a reflection of the East itself, as they provided far more telling information about the society that produced them. Thus, Medieval monsters provided a way for the West to define themselves in opposition to those who were different, and displace their own anxieties and troubles upon the created monsters of the East." - Getson

Language: English