Are Snakes a symbol of Evil or Blessings?

Red Spitting Cobra, naja pallida

Snakes as symbols of evil are prevalent throughout Judeo-Christian mythology, most notoriously in the Garden of Eden as a tempter of Eve. Other societies have viewed snakes with more favor. Snakes were venerated in ancient Egypt, and many gods were represented by snakes, such as the cobra goddess Neith, founder of the universe. African python, for instance, symbolizes blessings that are related with rainfalls in the Luo community in Kenya. More recently, Ben Franklin advocated making a rattlesnake the symbol of the United States.

Mythology aside, herpetologists (scientists who study snakes and other reptiles and amphibians) like to point out that snakes play an important role in many ecosystems throughout the world. Snakes benefit humans by controlling rodent populations, and snake venom has been used to treat various diseases, including cancer, heart disease, and hemophilia. Unfortunately, some 200 species of snakes are considered threatened or endangered, the biggest threat being habitat loss resulting from human activities. Unless humans start taking more of an interest in their survival, real-life snakes may find themselves banished from our society.

Amphibians and Reptiles of New England: Habitats and Natural History