He Wizarding world, forced to go underground with the International
Statute of Secrecy in 1692 due to trouble with Muggles (non-magic folk),
establishes an apt setting to learn a new curriculum—one of wand-lore,
care of magical creatures, and the history of magic, vastly different
from the Muggle education. In this context, students gain a fresh
perspective on learning, one that becomes magical again. The Wizarding
world not only holds its own history, it also references ours. The Harry
Potter series is rife with allusions to Greek, medieval, and Biblical
literature, as well as other folklore. Students will recognize familiar
mythological creatures, such as unicorns, goblins, dragons, and giants.
Mostly, the associations for good and bad follow the established norm of
legends. Unicorns still reign as majestic beings, goblins still scheme
with cunning treachery, and dragons still embody adventure and great
danger. However, a deeper study will lead us to notice close ties with
ancient texts that we can use to introduce our students to other works,
from Ovid to Malory to the Bible.
Greek Mythology
In Greek mythology, Cerberus is a three-headed dog who guards the
entrance to the Underworld. When Orpheus visits the Underworld to
retrieve Eurydice, he lulls Cerberus to sleep with his gift of music. In
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
, Fluffy is a three-headed dog who guards the entrance to an
underground maze that leads to the Sorcerer’s Stone. Playing a whittled
flute that Hagrid gave him, Harry and friends lull Fluffy to sleep and
gain entrance to the trapdoor he guards. Another dog in Greek mythology
is Sirius; Sirius was the dog of Orion, who the goddess Artemis falls in
love with. When Artemis unknowingly kills Orion, she places him in the
heavens as a constellation with his faithful dog, Sirius, at his heels.
In
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
, we learn that the character Sirius Black is an Animagus (a wizard
who can transform into a certain animal at will). His animal form is a
dog and, fittingly, he is the faithful friend. As Harry’s father’s best
friend, Sirius soon joins him in death, protecting Harry. Students who
do not know the story of Orion may still question the connection between
Sirius Black and Sirius satellite radio, whose logo is a dog with a
star-shaped eye—Sirius is the Dog Star. This particular example
reinforces the idea that understanding literature is relevant to
students’ lives. They are surrounded by these remnants of thought and
beliefs, these connotations, in their everyday lives. Reading Harry
Potter brings it all together in the classroom.
The names of some of the characters also pertain to some Greek
predecessors. Professor McGonagall, deputy headmistress to Albus
Dumbledore and professor of Transfiguration, keeps her class at
attention with a stern look. She is set as the rational character
against Professor Trelawney, the professor of the mystical art of
Divination. Professor McGonagall’s first name, Minerva, is the Roman
counterpart for the Greek goddess Athena, the goddess of wisdom and
craft. Professor Trelawney’s first name, Sybil, also derives from an
allusion to the ancient gods. Sybil was the name for the high
priestesses of Apollo, the god of prophecy. The school caretaker, Argus
Filch, shares his first name with a mythological figure as well. Zeus,
who often strayed during his marriage to Hera, became enamored of Io,
eventually transforming her into a heifer to protect her from his wife’s
potential wrath. Always suspicious, Hera sets Argus of a hundred eyes
to watch over Io so that she cannot resume her former shape as a
beautiful young woman. Likewise, Filch is set over the student body,
always watchful to catch students out of line. With his cat, Mrs.
Norris, as a second pair of eyes, he sees every misdeed committed by
students in the castle.
They are surrounded by these remnants of thought and beliefs, these connotations, in their everyday lives.
Nymphadora Tonks, spritely and cheerful for an Auror (dark wizard
catcher), reminds the reader of the nymphs that haunt the woods and
waters of Greek mythology. As a Metamorphmagus (a wizard who can change
appearance at will), she inherits the gift of the nymphs to change
forms. Her name means gift of the nymphs,
dora
being the Latin word for gift. Interestingly, her mother, Andromeda,
also has a Greek history. She was the daughter of an arrogant woman,
and was sentenced to be punished for it before being rescued by Perseus.
In Harry Potter, Andromeda is the sister of Narcissa (who like
Narcissus is in love with outer vanity) and Bellatrix, from a highly
arrogant “Pureblood” family. She is saved from the same bigotry by her
marriage to a Muggle-born man. (Another shape-shifter in Greek mythology
was Proteus; Hermione uses a protean charm on coins to announce
meetings for their secret gathering.)
