|
"Underneath the adventure story,
there's an encyclopedia's worth of references to literature,
myth, art, history — and all of it put together with a
light touch and a great sense of humor," says David
Colbert, author of The Magical Worlds of Harry Potter: A
Treasury of Myths, Legends, and Fascinating Facts
(Lumina Press, $14.95).
The plot and specific magical
environment are Rowling's own invention, but nearly all of
the creatures and their exploits — as well as spells,
potions and supernatural explanations of events — have
their roots in European folklore, with some references
dating back thousands of years.
"Most of the magic in Harry
Potter comes out of the Western magical tradition, which
really originated in the Middle East, in Babylonia and
Mesopotamia," says Allan Zola Kronzek, who, with
daughter Elizabeth Kronzek, wrote The Sorcerer's
Companion: A Guide to the Magical World of Harry
Potter (Broadway, $15). "Greek, Roman and Egyptian
sources all got mixed together in a kind of melting pot and
formed what scholars called the Western magical tradition.
That's where a lot of the magic spells, the potions and the
curses come from."
That's precisely what bothers some
Christians about Harry Potter. Linda Harvey,
president of Mission America, a Christian non-profit
organization based in Columbus, Ohio, worries that so much
information about witchcraft and wizardry could result in an
upsurge in occultism.
"From a Christian perspective,
sorcery, witchcraft, spell-casting, dealing with the occult
has always been forbidden," she says. "Witchcraft
is being pitched to our kids. We have no idea what we're
playing with here, even though it's done in a lighthearted
way."
Rowling's richly detailed,
meticulously researched tales draw upon hundreds of years of
history.
"I don't know how much research
she did, but there's no question that she did quite a
lot," Elizabeth Kronzek says. "I think she's been
interested in this stuff all her life and is probably
somebody who was reading folklore and mythology from a young
age.
"As I was reading the books, I
thought certain names were so funny: grindylows (water
demons), hinkypunks (one-legged spirits) and red caps (evil
goblins). I was sure she'd made them up. But I discovered
that, no, these are actually from European folklore. Some of
them are from very, very obscure folklore."
The references are interwoven
artfully into a seamless blend with action and excitement.
Writes Colbert: "One of
Rowling's amazing gifts is her ability to toss them out
without breaking stride in telling her story."
And, what's more, historians say that
the references are told with remarkable accuracy.
"I don't think she got anything
wrong in all four books," says Allan Kronzek.
Rowling, a former French teacher and
single mom, has been quoted telling a curious fan: "Go
and look it up. A little investigation is good for a
person."
Clearly, the Edinburgh,
Scotland-based author took her own advice — and then some.
"She had to have a very thorough
grounding," Colbert says. "My guess is she's the
kind of person who can do the London Sunday Times
crossword puzzle quickly and in ink. She must be one of
those people who simply read an enormous amount and keep it
in their heads."
That's unquestionably the case, says
David Heyman, one of the film's producers.
"Jo is a very well-read and
curious individual," he says. "She reads
voraciously. What we have read in her books is just the
surface of the world. It's as if what we read is the tree,
and the knowledge she actually has is the roots. She has
notebook upon notebook upon notebook about this world."
Rowlings' depth of knowledge does not
mitigate Harvey's concern, however.
"I don't know what her agenda
is," she says. "It's probably just to write an
entertaining book. Be that as it may, the outcome is that
kids are more interested in witchcraft. And in the current
context where they can access information extremely quickly,
I think parents should really think about this: Do you want
your 10-year-old actually casting spells from their
bedroom?"
Others doubt that's a real danger,
saying the stories are so popular partly because their rich
context makes them more than a flight of fancy — and gives
them the potential to be enormously educational.
Rowling "has made a very fun
treasure hunt out of all sorts of things you would love your
kids to be reading: Greek myths, Shakespeare, epic poems,
Chaucer," Colbert says.
That's nothing more sinister than the
literary tradition of retelling existing myths and legends
in a new way. Says Colbert: "Characters and ideas and
themes and settings simmer in this great big pot, according
to J.R.R. Tolkien. Every writer takes from that pot, and
everybody adds something. I think she has added more than
she took out."
Following are a few noteworthy
scenes, substances and characters, as well as clues about
their origins:
A wizard's places and things
• The Sorcerer's Stone: In
the story, the stone is a treasured source of immortality
that Harry and his pals try to keep out of the hands of an
evil wizard. It is said to be discovered by Nicolas Flamel.
There actually was such a thing in history as the Sorcerer's
(or Philosopher's) Stone. And Flamel was a real-life
alchemist who, in 1383, believed he discovered a substance
that would turn ordinary metal into gold and also thought he
had discovered the Elixir of Life, which offered
immortality. In Sorcerer's Stone, Flamel and
his wife, Pernelle, were still alive at age 660. The real
Flamel was born in 1330. In 1990, when Rowling began writing
the book, he would have been 660.
• Magic wands: In the book,
wands are required implements for all young wizards
attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry; one of
the first lessons given to students involves the proper use
of them. "The idea of wands goes way back, not just
since magic tricks, but to ancient Egypt," Colbert
says. "The Druids used to have different wands for
different levels of learning and priesthood. Evil wizard
Voldemort's wand is made of the yew tree. The yew tree has
always been said to have supernatural power. It was one of
the few evergreen trees in Britain at one time. So, it's a
symbol of immortality. That's the immortality that Voldemort
wants."
• The Forbidden Forest:
Hogwarts' students are warned about the dangers that lurk
within the forest, which is replete with all kinds of
monsters, some of which emerge from their shadows and meet
up with Harry. This is a familiar construct in literature
and fairy tales. It signifies nature run wild. It is a
danger, yet also a sanctuary. The idea that there is special
knowledge in natural places, as there is in the Forbidden
Forest, draws upon the tradition of nature gods worshiped by
the Druids. Julius Caesar wrote of travelers encountering
horrific creatures in an ominous forest back in the first
century B.C., according to The Sorcerer's Companion.
Magical creatures and fantastic
beasts
• Fluffy, the three-headed dog:
Hagrid's pet dog and guardian of the Sorcerer's Stone was
sold to Hagrid by "a Greek chappie I met in the
pub." (Though in the movie, it has been changed to
"an Irish chappie.") Fluffy is descended from
Cerberus, a famous three-headed beast in Greek mythology.
Cerberus was a sentry in mythology as well. He guarded the
underworld, Hades. In Greek mythology, Orpheus played his
lyre to tame Cerberus. In the movie, Fluffy is rendered calm
and drowsy by the music of an enchanted harp.
• Hedwig, Harry Potter's snowy
owl: Hedwig was a German saint who lived in the 13th
century. An order of nuns dedicated to caring for orphans
was established under the patronage of St. Hedwig. And, of
course, Harry is an orphan. Also, owls have long been
connected with magic and wisdom in folklore. The emblem of
Athens was an owl. Knowledge and owls have long been
connected, because of Athens.
• Unicorns: In a climactic
moment in Sorcerer's Stone, a hooded man drinks the
blood of the unicorn, hoping it will give him longer life
or, possibly, immortality. "It's long been a part of
legend that unicorns are sacred and so innocent as to be
divine," Colbert says. "As a result, their horns
or their blood were thought to have magical healing
powers." A "single-horned creature" was first
described 2,000 years ago by Greek physician Ctesias, who
believed the animal was native to India. Over the next
centuries, a belief in the elusive creature expanded,
according to The Sorcerer's Companion. By the Middle
Ages, images of the graceful horselike creatures with a
white horn were depicted in paintings and tapestries. It
later became part of the royal coat of arms of England and
Scotland.
Hogwarts' faculty and students
• Rubeus Hagrid: The first
name of the gentle giant, who collects dangerous animals and
is the groundskeeper at the school, derives from the red
gem, and he is ruddy-faced. "There's a whole British
history of gargantua, gentle giants and the giants of
Stonehenge," Colbert says.
• Albus Dumbledore, Hogwarts'
headmaster: The name of the Merlin-like figure is itself
imbued with meaning. "Albus" means
"white" in Latin, and the character has long white
hair and beard and fights the dark Lord Voldemort. His last
name is an ancient word meaning bumblebee. The elderly
wizard is a chamber music enthusiast who is often heard
humming absent-mindedly, like the buzzing of a bee.
• Draco Malfoy: Harry's
cruel nemesis at Hogwarts has a last name that has been tied
to witchcraft. "Malfoy" derives from the Latin maleficus,
meaning evildoing. A pair of witch hunters published a book
in 1486 called Malleus Maleficarum, which
instructed readers on how to catch witches. "Draco"
has a double meaning in Latin: dragon and snake. And the boy
is in the house of Slytherin, which also is an allusion to a
snake. Draco's equally villainous father is named Lucius,
which is a derivative of Lucifer. Rowling, Colbert says,
"is having great fun with language."
• Argus Filch: The caretaker
who keeps a constant watch over Hogwarts is particularly
keen on catching students in off-limits places. Argus in
Greek mythology was a watchman with 1,000 eyes on his body.
"If you've got 1,000 eyes," Colbert says,
"you're going to see if somebody will filch
something."
• Alberic Grunion: Harry and
his pal Ron Weasley (and most of the other students) collect
Famous Witches and Wizards trading cards. Grunion is on one
such card. Alberich is a powerful wizard in a German epic
poem that has been the basis of many modern works, most
importantly the 19th century Wagnerian opera The Ring
Cycle. One of the heroes in the poem is given an
invisibility cloak by Alberich. Harry also is given an
invisibility cloak by Dumbledore.
These are only a smattering of the
many literary allusions.
"I've gotten letters from all
over the world," Colbert says. "The effect that
she has is exactly the same in every culture. Kids are
excited about that world. They want to talk about it, read
about it, write about it."
Lore and legend do allow creative
juices to overflow, says Allan Kronzek.
"I think writers love to write
about magic because they can just let their imaginations run
free," he says. "There's something about magic
that makes you feel that anything is possible."
13 spellbinding numbers
|
