[Essay-a-thon entry] Christ Figures in Harry Potter
Written for kitsunelover who requested Christ figures in Harry Potter. If this isn't to your taste, I'd be willing to do the second request.
Introduction
Harry Potter is a book series set in the Western world, and is steeped in its traditions and mythologies from: how Hogwarts is one in the line of many boarding school tales, to the representation of suburbia that is Privet Drive and the bourgeois Dursleys, to the archetypal depiction of good and evil, to its drawing on an European medieval bestiary (basilisks, unicorns, dragons, werewolves, etc.). It is possible that JKR, the author, may have drawn some elements of Christian mythology, and there may be one or two hidden Christ figures within the books.
The first question to ask is: What is a Christ figure? Apparently, no website turned up by Google can agree on the exact criteria for spotting a Christ figure, while they all agree that Christ figures abound in the cinema. For the purposes of this essay, a Christ figure will be defined by: metaphorical or literal death and resurrection done for the purposes of self-sacrifice in order to further a higher cause and save or inspire people, being marked as the chosen one or as special, and with the option of resembling other aspects of Christ's life such as wearing white robes. The following section is a sample of the diverse qualifications used to judge who is a Christ figure. It is possible to skip that part and go to the section applying Christ figures within the Harry Potter books.
A Sampling of Christ Figure Criteria
Metaphilm Website's Save Us! Recognizing Christ Figures in the Movies:
-usually outsiders not of this world
-usually have alter egos, one mundane and the other fantastic
-sometimes begin their divine mission when 30
-sometimes have an iconic 12 close friends, though usually a lesser number
-frequently, a Magdalene figure (a sexually tagged woman hanging round the Christ figure)
-sometimes a John the Baptist figure points out the Christ figure
-the ultimate sign of a Christ figure is having a character die and come back to life
-at some point, the Christ figure is displayed in a cruciform position
-sometimes, though infrequently, the Christ figure is clothed in white at one point
-a cinematic tradition is to give the Christ-figure blue eyes
-someone will indirectly refer to Jesus Christ
-sometimes the Christ-figure will actually have the initials of J.C.
Christ Figures in the Movies website has an entirely different criteria, dividing Christ figures into three different types:
-Christ as Priest: "...these characters make of their lives complete sacrifices so that others may live and grow and find meaning."
-Christ as Prophet: In the scriptural model, the role of the prophet is to seek out the People of God who have lost their way and lead them back into the embrace of God.
-Christ as King: The Kingship of Christ is universal, and the fundamental principal of unity between all people. ....true leaders, who in recalling the people entrusted to them to their own fundamental dignity, make brotherhood and community possible.
The JoyofMovies: Christ Figures in the Movies web article's discussion of Christ figures in director James Cameron's movies had an entirely different criteria:
Christ figures in literature and film help us explore the humanity of a person whose life mirrors Christ's in some way -- revealing the thoughts and emotions that Jesus himself might have experienced. These Christ figures reveal only a single dimension of who Jesus is, but by combining these slivers of truth, we can begin to see biblical reality peek through.
Harry Potter
The character of Harry Potter fulfills all the key criteria for a Christ figure. Harry Potter has been marked as the chosen one. Trelawney's first accurate prophecy singles out one person born at the end of July who will have the power to defeat the Dark Lord, "...he will have power the Dark Lord knows not..." (OotP). The two likeliest candidates were Harry and Neville, but Harry was the one who got chosen when Voldemort decided that he was the threat, and further marked Harry by the aborted Killing Curse. Voldemort's attempt to kill Harry when he was one years old could be interpreted as a metaphorical death of a normal boy and the rebirth of The Boy Who Lived, who is expected to save the wizarding world. Harry 'died' on that Halloween night in Godric's Hollow in order to buy eleven years of peace in the wizarding world, and save everyone else. Harry, in learning the Patronus, a defensive spell against Dementors, creatures that are capable of sucking the soul out of living creatures, could literally be said to have saved people's souls from his godfather Sirius', his friends', his cousin Dudley's, and his own.
The other part to ask is if Harry's life resembles any of the apocryphal stories of Christ. Harry has faithful followers in Ron and Hermione, and they are, interestingly enough, called the Trio in fandom, which is not far off from the Holy Trinity. Another way that Harry resembles Christ, is the formation of the D.A. in OotP, where the members of the school form under a common purpose, where Harry tells the members of the dangers of Voldemort and the need to unite, similar to all Christ figures in that they unite people to a higher purpose in order to save them. In the case of the D.A., Marietta Edgecomb is the Judas Iscariot figure who betrays Harry the Christ figure by ratting on the club. Dumbledore makes a most convenient John the Baptist figure, by singling out Harry and recognizing his worth.
Lord Voldemort
The other most character most likely to fulfill the Christ figure criteria is Lord Voldemort. During his time at Hogwarts, he was singled out as the Heir of Slytherin and marked as the chosen one by his Parseltongue abilities. After he left Hogwarts, he called the wizarding populace to his cause: persecuting the Muggleborn in order to save the wizarding world and elevating the Purebloods. The equivalent of his apostles would be the Death Eaters, his most trusted people, who spread his word and message throughout the wizarding world. Voldemort has followed an even clearer path of death and resurrection than Harry. On Halloween night in Godric's Hollow, Voldemort 'died' when his Killing Curse rebounded on him when he attempted to kill Harry--he lost his body, and for eleven years was less than a ghost. It was only until GoF that he gained a new body and was reborn. Voldemort subsequently went on to call back his loyal followers, who were likely inspired by Voldemort's ability to come back stronger. Since OotP, Voldemort seems to be gaining and inspiring new followers to his cause.
Peter Pettigrew
While it is unknown whether Peter was marked by birth as special, we do know that he 'died' and came back. In 1981, Peter faked his own death, and framed his friend Sirius Black for the murder of thirteen Muggles. He subsequently went on to live as the Weasley family's pet rat, and became 'reborn' as a man in PoA, when his old friends, Sirius and Remus, cast a spell forcing him out of his Animagus rat form. While his death and rebirth did not inspire anyone to a cause, I'm sure Peter's death inspired the wizarding populace to fear Sirius Black as a mad mass murderer, and to respect the powers of the Dark side.
Peter has marked himself, and his key actions within the books, are defined by his self-sacrifice. In 1981, when he faked his own death, he cut off his own finger, and was later identified by Sirius by his missing digit. In GoF, Peter was courageous enough to sacrifice his own hand in order to aid in the resurrection of Voldemort. It must also be noted that Peter's entire behavior in GoF was aimed towards nurturing and taking care of the helpless Voldemort. Self-sacrifice, a nurturing nature, and the healing of the sick (or near dead), are admirable traits in a Christ figure.
Honorable Mentions:
Several characters have led inspiring lives of incredible sacrifice, yet failed to meet one or two criteria, mostly the ability to be resurrected after their deaths, or having failed to die. Nevertheless, they have inspired others, and caused others to commit to a higher cause.
Lily Evans Potter sacrificed her life for her child, Harry, so that he might live. Albus Dumbledore has united people in the Order of the Phoenix to fight against Voldemort, has been a mentor figure for Harry and the rest of the school, and in OotP gave up his job in order to protect the D.A. members. Remus Lupin was a mentor to Harry, and taught him the Patronus which was key to saving Harry's life on many an occasion, and has been a calm voice within the books. Ever since Sirius Black broke out of Azkaban, he has self-sacrificed to protect his godson Harry's life, from starving in a cave to be near Harry in case he needed him, to coming out of hiding and dying in the mission to rescue Harry. Sirius has also died, but further canon is needed to tell if he will be resurrected.
References:
Save Us! Recognizing Christ Figures in the Movies by Anton Karl Kozlovic on the Metaphilm website
Christ Figures in the Movies by Barbara Nicolosi on the Catholic Exchange website
JoyofMovies: Christ Figures in the Movies by Steve Lansingh on the Joy of Movies website
Introduction
Harry Potter is a book series set in the Western world, and is steeped in its traditions and mythologies from: how Hogwarts is one in the line of many boarding school tales, to the representation of suburbia that is Privet Drive and the bourgeois Dursleys, to the archetypal depiction of good and evil, to its drawing on an European medieval bestiary (basilisks, unicorns, dragons, werewolves, etc.). It is possible that JKR, the author, may have drawn some elements of Christian mythology, and there may be one or two hidden Christ figures within the books.
The first question to ask is: What is a Christ figure? Apparently, no website turned up by Google can agree on the exact criteria for spotting a Christ figure, while they all agree that Christ figures abound in the cinema. For the purposes of this essay, a Christ figure will be defined by: metaphorical or literal death and resurrection done for the purposes of self-sacrifice in order to further a higher cause and save or inspire people, being marked as the chosen one or as special, and with the option of resembling other aspects of Christ's life such as wearing white robes. The following section is a sample of the diverse qualifications used to judge who is a Christ figure. It is possible to skip that part and go to the section applying Christ figures within the Harry Potter books.
A Sampling of Christ Figure Criteria
Metaphilm Website's Save Us! Recognizing Christ Figures in the Movies:
-usually outsiders not of this world
-usually have alter egos, one mundane and the other fantastic
-sometimes begin their divine mission when 30
-sometimes have an iconic 12 close friends, though usually a lesser number
-frequently, a Magdalene figure (a sexually tagged woman hanging round the Christ figure)
-sometimes a John the Baptist figure points out the Christ figure
-the ultimate sign of a Christ figure is having a character die and come back to life
-at some point, the Christ figure is displayed in a cruciform position
-sometimes, though infrequently, the Christ figure is clothed in white at one point
-a cinematic tradition is to give the Christ-figure blue eyes
-someone will indirectly refer to Jesus Christ
-sometimes the Christ-figure will actually have the initials of J.C.
Christ Figures in the Movies website has an entirely different criteria, dividing Christ figures into three different types:
-Christ as Priest: "...these characters make of their lives complete sacrifices so that others may live and grow and find meaning."
-Christ as Prophet: In the scriptural model, the role of the prophet is to seek out the People of God who have lost their way and lead them back into the embrace of God.
-Christ as King: The Kingship of Christ is universal, and the fundamental principal of unity between all people. ....true leaders, who in recalling the people entrusted to them to their own fundamental dignity, make brotherhood and community possible.
The JoyofMovies: Christ Figures in the Movies web article's discussion of Christ figures in director James Cameron's movies had an entirely different criteria:
Christ figures in literature and film help us explore the humanity of a person whose life mirrors Christ's in some way -- revealing the thoughts and emotions that Jesus himself might have experienced. These Christ figures reveal only a single dimension of who Jesus is, but by combining these slivers of truth, we can begin to see biblical reality peek through.
Harry Potter
The character of Harry Potter fulfills all the key criteria for a Christ figure. Harry Potter has been marked as the chosen one. Trelawney's first accurate prophecy singles out one person born at the end of July who will have the power to defeat the Dark Lord, "...he will have power the Dark Lord knows not..." (OotP). The two likeliest candidates were Harry and Neville, but Harry was the one who got chosen when Voldemort decided that he was the threat, and further marked Harry by the aborted Killing Curse. Voldemort's attempt to kill Harry when he was one years old could be interpreted as a metaphorical death of a normal boy and the rebirth of The Boy Who Lived, who is expected to save the wizarding world. Harry 'died' on that Halloween night in Godric's Hollow in order to buy eleven years of peace in the wizarding world, and save everyone else. Harry, in learning the Patronus, a defensive spell against Dementors, creatures that are capable of sucking the soul out of living creatures, could literally be said to have saved people's souls from his godfather Sirius', his friends', his cousin Dudley's, and his own.
The other part to ask is if Harry's life resembles any of the apocryphal stories of Christ. Harry has faithful followers in Ron and Hermione, and they are, interestingly enough, called the Trio in fandom, which is not far off from the Holy Trinity. Another way that Harry resembles Christ, is the formation of the D.A. in OotP, where the members of the school form under a common purpose, where Harry tells the members of the dangers of Voldemort and the need to unite, similar to all Christ figures in that they unite people to a higher purpose in order to save them. In the case of the D.A., Marietta Edgecomb is the Judas Iscariot figure who betrays Harry the Christ figure by ratting on the club. Dumbledore makes a most convenient John the Baptist figure, by singling out Harry and recognizing his worth.
Lord Voldemort
The other most character most likely to fulfill the Christ figure criteria is Lord Voldemort. During his time at Hogwarts, he was singled out as the Heir of Slytherin and marked as the chosen one by his Parseltongue abilities. After he left Hogwarts, he called the wizarding populace to his cause: persecuting the Muggleborn in order to save the wizarding world and elevating the Purebloods. The equivalent of his apostles would be the Death Eaters, his most trusted people, who spread his word and message throughout the wizarding world. Voldemort has followed an even clearer path of death and resurrection than Harry. On Halloween night in Godric's Hollow, Voldemort 'died' when his Killing Curse rebounded on him when he attempted to kill Harry--he lost his body, and for eleven years was less than a ghost. It was only until GoF that he gained a new body and was reborn. Voldemort subsequently went on to call back his loyal followers, who were likely inspired by Voldemort's ability to come back stronger. Since OotP, Voldemort seems to be gaining and inspiring new followers to his cause.
Peter Pettigrew
While it is unknown whether Peter was marked by birth as special, we do know that he 'died' and came back. In 1981, Peter faked his own death, and framed his friend Sirius Black for the murder of thirteen Muggles. He subsequently went on to live as the Weasley family's pet rat, and became 'reborn' as a man in PoA, when his old friends, Sirius and Remus, cast a spell forcing him out of his Animagus rat form. While his death and rebirth did not inspire anyone to a cause, I'm sure Peter's death inspired the wizarding populace to fear Sirius Black as a mad mass murderer, and to respect the powers of the Dark side.
Peter has marked himself, and his key actions within the books, are defined by his self-sacrifice. In 1981, when he faked his own death, he cut off his own finger, and was later identified by Sirius by his missing digit. In GoF, Peter was courageous enough to sacrifice his own hand in order to aid in the resurrection of Voldemort. It must also be noted that Peter's entire behavior in GoF was aimed towards nurturing and taking care of the helpless Voldemort. Self-sacrifice, a nurturing nature, and the healing of the sick (or near dead), are admirable traits in a Christ figure.
Honorable Mentions:
Several characters have led inspiring lives of incredible sacrifice, yet failed to meet one or two criteria, mostly the ability to be resurrected after their deaths, or having failed to die. Nevertheless, they have inspired others, and caused others to commit to a higher cause.
Lily Evans Potter sacrificed her life for her child, Harry, so that he might live. Albus Dumbledore has united people in the Order of the Phoenix to fight against Voldemort, has been a mentor figure for Harry and the rest of the school, and in OotP gave up his job in order to protect the D.A. members. Remus Lupin was a mentor to Harry, and taught him the Patronus which was key to saving Harry's life on many an occasion, and has been a calm voice within the books. Ever since Sirius Black broke out of Azkaban, he has self-sacrificed to protect his godson Harry's life, from starving in a cave to be near Harry in case he needed him, to coming out of hiding and dying in the mission to rescue Harry. Sirius has also died, but further canon is needed to tell if he will be resurrected.
References:
Save Us! Recognizing Christ Figures in the Movies by Anton Karl Kozlovic on the Metaphilm website
Christ Figures in the Movies by Barbara Nicolosi on the Catholic Exchange website
JoyofMovies: Christ Figures in the Movies by Steve Lansingh on the Joy of Movies website