Harry Potter - a Christian morality tale? (SPOILERS)

[Nikolai]

She also once said everyone would know what kind of beliefs she have after reading the whole book.

[aneeshm]

She also said that if people focused on her beliefs, then they could get a good general idea of how the plot will turn out.

[molly bloom]

Originally posted by Elok


If so, your source postdates Christ considerably, no?

No- the oral tradition predates the Christ myth. Only the written accounts postdate it.



Two main sources, as well as translations of the Eddas and Sagas : 'The Norse Myths' by Kevin Crossley-Holland and 'Myth And Religion Of The North' by E. O. G. Turville-Petre.

Also: 'Gods and Myths of Northern Europe' by H. R. Ellis Davidson and 'Dictionary of Mythologies' by Rhoda Hendricks and the Larousse Encyclopaedia of Mythologies.

Odin voluntarily died on Yggdrasil to gain knowledge- in fact other names for Odin are : 'Lord of the Gallows', 'God of the Hanged' and 'God of the Spear'.

Adam of Bremen describes the hanging of human sacrifices on sacred trees or gallows amongst the pagan worshippers of the Norse pantheon.

The nature of Harry's demise is far more similar to Christ's than to that of Osiris, or Baldur, or Quetzalcoatl, or whoever you care to name.

The only aspect I find that Harry and Jesus have in common is the supposedly voluntary aspect of their deaths- although Jesus has to be betrayed to and arrested by, the authorities of the occupying power rather than surrender himself to the religious officials of his own faith, or go voluntarily to the Roman authorities.

Odin dies twice, by the way. The second time it's through battling the Fenris Wolf.


It's unlikely that Rowling restricted herself to the New Testament for literary inspiration.

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by Rufus T. Firefly
: he chooses life over death, domestic bliss over sacrifice, earthly comfort over martyrdom.

Close, but no leaf wrapped tobacco product.

When he chooses NOT to die, he does not know that he will get domestic bliss or earthly comfort. For all he knows, he WILL get martydom, put as part of the next phase of the fight, alongside his friends, not alone as a pure sacrifice. Or, if he survives, he may well not achieve bliss - being human, and not a god, (whether Christian or Aztec), he does NOT now whether his personal life will work out or not. Heck, he doesnt know if Ginny will survive the battle, let alone whether his life with her will work out.

What he chooses, is to wager on life, with all its uncertainties, its pain AND joy, its ups and downs.

The only thing he knows, is that if chooses life, he is making the choice of love. Love will bring him pain, but only love can overcome death.

The book is, finally, therefore, pardon, Jewish. Or Judeo-Christian if you will. The core theme is not the christ story, it is from Proverbs. "Love is strong as death". And the final turn, is, like the last line of Rosenzweig's Star of Redemption, "into life". I would say its really a very Rosenzweigian tale, and thus has a very Christian feel, despite its twist away.

I doubt that JKR has read Franz Rosenzweig, though its possible she has been influenced by someone who has.

[lord of the mark]

Note, that in turning back into life, and finally getting some domestic bliss (as far as we can tell from the final scene) harry is most unlike Frodo Baggins, who cannot escape the pain of his sacrifice, and MUST leave the world. LOTR is much more classically Christian, at a deep level. Harrys scar never hurts him again - "all is well" the earth is home for him, as it never is again for Frodo.


and again, Harry is no god. He is not jesus, OR Odin, or any of those dudes. he is human, with profoundly human weaknesses, and the strength he finds is a deeply human strength.

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by Elok
The force of Jesus's story isn't in just dying and coming back to life; if it comes to that, Lazarus and the daughter of Jairus went through the same thing in Jesus's own story and they don't receive honor like him. What makes it powerful is that, like HP, he chose to do it for others when he could have declined, and walked up to his own death to face it alone. Maybe Jesus's story isn't unique in that regard, but it's more uncommon than you guys are making it out to be.

IIUC, the compelling aspect of the Jesus story is that he does NOT have to die, ever. The only reason he lives as a human is to suffer death, for mankind. Maybe the Bacchus story is related, I dont know it.

HP is not at all like that. Harry is a mortal. He WILL die at some point. He was born, like all of us humans, with no particular say in the matter.

[lord of the mark]

I also question whether Harry has actually died. DD (and thus JKR) is not clear on that. It could be that he has suffered an injury that leaves him on the point of death (its not clear how long in the "real world" it is between the AK curse and his next breath) and that his choice, at "kings cross" is between actual death, and transformation of his soul while alive.

I will admit that "kings cross" is suggestive. Lots of other RR stations in London JKR could have chosen, no?