Chaoskampf means 'battle against chaos' in German. It's a favorite motif of myth throughout the known lands. Chaoskampf typically involves the fight of a hero deity, the personification of control, against a monster of Chaos, often a serpent or dragon.
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The term Chaos comes from the ancient Greek χάος, romanized: Kháos. It refers to the void or nothingness preceding the creation of the cosmos. In Christianity it's the abyss between the realms of Heaven and Earth.
The themes and conflicts of Chaoskampf appear the myths of the god Baal and the sea monster Lotan; Marduk and the goddess Tiamat; or the Egyptian tale of epic battle between Horus and Set.
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As a personification of Chaos and the primordial connection of opposites, Set rules the Red Lands (desert), while Horus rules the Black Lands (fertile). They finally mitigate their differences with the unification of Egypt (above).
Despite his depiction as an entity of disorder, Set acts as a helper God to Ra when the Sun God sets out to battle Apep, the great serpent of Chaos. The Serpent Apep is also a fierce enemy of Ma'at (Maat), winged Egyptian Goddess of Justice, Truth and Order.
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In the Hebrew Bible, the legend of Leviathan illustrates the concept as the sea monster of Chaos is slain by God. Like other sea creatures such as Tiamat, the monster is a female entity. In Norse mythology the Chaoskampf is a medium of mass destruction in the tale of Ragnarok.
The Chaoskampf explains not only mastery by the powers of Order, but also the concept of creation arising from Chaos. Even the death of the Gods at Ragnarok leads to a new world order. After Ragnarok many deities are resurrected.
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Chaos and order cannot exist without each other, and without Chaos there can be no Creation. Tales of Sacrifical Twins embrace this concept, as bloodshed leads to the creation of the world, or part of it.
Popular dragon-slaying is an offshoot of the Chaoskampf, in which the mythical hero/ine kills a dragon for a) the good of humanity, as in Lord George the Dragon Slayer at Frankenstein's Castle, or b) the good of himself, as in the legend of Siegfried in Germany.
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The Chaoskampf rings true as it's a normal part of the reality of life. Artists and makers spend a lifetime cultiviating worlds from the environmental jumble or abyss of nothing.
Today's humans battle dragons of time management, rejection, multi-tasking, self-doubt, personal fears, misinformation, hostile forces, financial despair, grief or fear of losing control in a world moving too quick too fast. The Chaoskampf speaks to the collective unconscious.
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The battle Order vs Chaos never ends. Given the intrinsic nature of these essential elements, it's not supposed to. The theme forms the basis for cultural beliefs and traditions, illustrating such relationships as the yin and Yang of Eastern lore.
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