What do dragons symbolize in dreams?

A common theme in fairytales is that of the young hero who must journey to a foreign land to discover his true self, before returning to slay a dragon, or rescue a suffering maiden. When such themes appear in dreams they usually symbolize a journey into the unconscious, where the dreamer seeks to find and assimilate fragmented parts of the psyche in order to achieve a psychological confidence and wholeness that can differentiate him or her from collective society.

Siegfried for example learned the language of animals after eating the heart of the dragon Fafnir. Jung saw the Dragon as a primary symbol related to the collective or overbearing social aspect of the Great Mother, who must be slain if the hero is to be free.

David Fontana