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Mythological Connections
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Teaching Levels for the Harry Potter Series Elementary School Middle School High School -Sophomore Literature -Arthurian Legends -Mythological Connections |
The Harry Potter series
contains many mythological connections, from Greek god references to
mythological and archetypal heroes and even the unique Potterverse mythos.
Working with such engaging modern literature and finding the connections
to ancient stories can allow students to see that these types of
interrelations are present not only in Harry Potter, but in most
everything they read. Finding these links between Harry Potter and
mythology can help develop the ability to find links between other
literature, works of art, historical fact and our own lives.
One of the most prevalent mythological connections are the names given to many of the characters throughout the Harry Potter series. Remus Lupin shares his name with one of the twins, Remus and Romulus, who founded Rome. Sirius Black, with his canine animagus form, is named for the 'dog star,' Sirius, which is the brightest star in the Canus Major constellation. Minerva is the Roman name for Athena, Goddess of Wisdom, which is very fitting considering Professor McGonagall's personality. These are just a few examples of the names influenced by mythology. Rowling also uses a number of mythological creatures such as the three headed dog, Fluffy (Cerberus, the guard of Hades), Centaurs, Basilisk, and more. Background information on these creatures, such as the story of Cheiron the centaur and its corollaries with Firenz in the Harry Potter series, can aid the reader in understanding the literature on a deeper and interconnected level. Harry Potter is a prime example of an archetypal hero, having many similarities to Arthur Pendragon and Frodo Baggins, for example. Other archetypes are found in all three stories, such as Merlin, Gandalf and Dumbledore. Joseph Campbell's book, The Hero With a Thousand Faces, offers a great deal of insight into the various aspects of heroic archetypes and could be a useful resource through which to view the Harry Potter books. |
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Don't worry - these lesson plans will not turn you into Severus Snape.