Chapter 2:
Legends & Luster – My Adventures in Art and History

I haven’t just been a bystander—I’ve been immortalized in myths, art, and epic stories. Let me take you on a whirlwind tour through the ages where I starred in cultural masterpieces.

“Hello, I’m your guide—an adventurous little tooth with a big story to tell!
Across time and continents, teeth have starred in myths, art, literature, and film. There are literally thousands of tooth tales out there,
but I’ve chewed through the archives and hand‑picked ten that truly sparkle.
Ready to sink your enamel into history?”

Click to open the scroll

Source: Map image courtesy of Nations Online Project (nationsonline.org)

Why a Map?

“I’m not just any tooth—I’m a world‑traveler! This map shows the exact spots where our ten iconic tooth stories were born, from ancient Greece to modern Hollywood. Scroll on to follow my chronological journey. 10 stories keep our adventure bite‑sized—any more and we’d never finish chewing!”

1. Spartoi – Dragon-Tooth Warriors (Greek Mythology, c. 6th Century BCE)

Country: Greece
Why Classic: Ancient Greek myth where dragon teeth transform into fierce warriors symbolizing creation and conflict.

Tooth talk: "I am a dragon's tooth sown into the earth by Cadmus. From me and my brethren sprouted the Spartoi, armed warriors born for battle. Our tale illustrates the transformative power of teeth, symbolizing both conflict and civilization’s birth from destruction."

2. Geoffrey Chaucer – The Wife of Bath (c. 1390)

Country: England
Why Classic: Gap teeth symbolizing bold sexuality and independence in medieval literature.

Tooth talk: "I'm the famous gap-tooth smile of Chaucer’s Wife of Bath, proudly representing her audacious and amorous spirit. In medieval England, a gap-tooth was believed to signal sensuality and bold character, traits she fearlessly embraced."

3. William Shakespeare – Richard III (c. 1593)

Country: England
Why Classic: Teeth symbolize unnatural villainy; Richard III born with teeth, foreshadowing his ruthless nature.

Tooth talk: "I am Richard III’s prematurely born tooth, an ominous sign of his villainous destiny. Shakespeare immortalized my unsettling presence, connecting physical abnormality with moral corruption, symbolizing predatory ambition from birth."

4. Edgar Allan Poe – "Berenice" (1835)

Country: United States
Why Classic: Teeth symbolize obsessive madness, mortality, and violation in Gothic literature.

Tooth talk: "I am Berenice's flawless tooth, obsessively coveted by Egaeus. My enduring whiteness amidst her decay captivated him until madness drove him to violently extract us. Poe’s narrative uses teeth to reveal deep psychological fears and obsessions."

5. Frank Norris – McTeague & Greed (1899, novel; 1924, film)

Country: United States
Why Classic: Gold tooth symbolizes greed and moral decay, reflecting American materialism and corruption.

Tooth talk: "I’m McTeague’s gilded molar, initially symbolizing prosperity, later becoming a marker of moral rot. My golden gleam faded alongside McTeague's humanity, reflecting how unchecked greed corrodes the soul beneath apparent success."

6. Marathon Man (1976)

Country: United States
Why Classic: Teeth symbolize vulnerability, torture, and primal fears of dental procedures in thriller cinema.

Tooth talk: "I'm the infamous tortured tooth from Marathon Man, subjected to Szell’s merciless drill. My torment symbolizes profound vulnerability and terror, exploiting humanity's deep-seated fears of dental torture and loss of control."

7. Stephen Chow – The God of Cookery (1996)

Country: Hong Kong SAR, China
Why Classic: Teeth symbolize hidden strength and societal prejudice against physical imperfections in comedic cinema.

Tooth talk: "I’m Turkey’s conspicuous gold-capped bucktooth, once mocked, yet heroically saving lives by stopping a bullet. My story humorously underscores societal judgments on appearances while celebrating hidden resilience and courage."

8. Blood: The Last Vampire (2000)

Country: Japan
Why Classic: Vampire fangs symbolizing duality of predator and protector, reflecting isolation and identity conflicts in anime and film.

Tooth talk: "I'm Saya’s deadly fang, piercing evil while symbolizing her eternal internal struggle. Balancing predator instincts with protective duties, I represent the haunting loneliness and tragic nobility of being the last vampire."

9. Zadie Smith – White Teeth (2000)

Country: United Kingdom
Why Classic: False teeth symbolize cultural assimilation pressures, identity struggles, and hidden truths in multicultural literature.

Tooth talk: "I'm Clara’s false tooth, masking her true Jamaican identity for societal acceptance. My discovery by her daughter Irie symbolizes the uncovering of hidden truths, sparking introspection about cultural heritage and authenticity."

10. Venom (2018)

Country: United States
Why Classic: Teeth symbolize antiheroic violence, moral ambiguity, and inner aggression portrayed through monstrous imagery in superhero cinema.

Tooth talk: "We are Venom’s vicious fangs, embodying monstrous heroism and moral ambiguity. Our terrifying presence and fierce bite symbolize Eddie Brock’s inner aggression, challenging traditional heroic ideals through brutal yet just acts."

“They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but a tooth can tell a thousand stories.”

References: (for chapter 2)

Deepal, D. (2025). Tutorial 7: Teeth in the Arts from the Bookshelf to the Screen [PDF slides]. University of Hong Kong.
Nations Online Project. (n.d.). *Political map of the world*. Retrieved April 2025, from https://nationsonline.org/oneworld/map/world_map.htm
Yeung, A. (2025). Teeth in the Arts: From the Bookshelf to the Screen [PDF slides]. University of Hong Kong.

Chapter 2: Legends & Luster – My Adventures in Art and History