The Seven Gates of Hell
Part 1: Introduction
Part 2: The Key to the Code
Part 3: The Structural Framework
We came to the foot of a noble castle, seven times circled by high walls, defended round about by a fair streamlet. This we passed as if hard ground; through seven gates I entered with these sages; we came to a meadow of fresh verdure.
... Cerberus, a beast cruel and monstrous, with three throats barks doglike above the people that are here submerged. (12)
Dante is taking no artistic liberties in the above portrayal of Hell as having seven walls and seven gates -- it is so described many traditional sources, such as the Quran (Koran) and the Sumerian story of the goddess Inanna's descent into the Underworld. Similarly, the three-headed dog Cerberus guarding the gates of Hell is consistent throughout classical mythology, and similar dogs -- Anubis and Garm -- guard the houses of the dead in Egyptian and Norse myths, respectively.
It is beyond any doubt or argument that the three-headed dog Fluffy (obtained by Hagrid from "a Greek chappie" and vulnerable to music) is a reference to Cerberus as the guardian of the Underworld. Every one of the Harry Potter books so far features a symbolic trip to the underworld and a near-death experience for Harry as its climax, and this pattern will assuredly continue in the final two books. Rowling herself has repeatedly stressed death as a major theme -- or the major theme -- of her series. For example:
Death is an extremely important theme throughout all seven books. I would say possibly the most important theme. (13)
Besides signaling to us that Harry is descending into Hell, Fluffy the three-headed dog is inextricably connected to the number seven. Its four legs represent its earthly, animal nature and its three heads represent the past, present, and future -- adding up to seven. As we will see, this four/three split is intrinsic to the traditional symbology of the number seven and its application by J.K. Rowling. But there is more than this. We have our first intimation of Fluffy's existence in chapter 7 (note the explicit reference to death):
'And finally I must tell you that this year, the third floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death.'
Harry laughed, but he was one of the few who did.
'He's not serious?' he muttered to Percy.
'Must be,' said Percy, frowning at Dumbledore. 'It's odd, because he usually gives us a reason why we're not allowed to go somewhere - the forest's full of dangerous beasts, everyone knows that. I do think he might have told us prefects, at least.'
We actually see Fluffy in chapter 9. Nine is a number connected to Hell as well, through the work of Dante. Despite having seven walls, his Inferno has nine circles of sinners, in a pattern of 7 + 2. Literary critics and theologians have connected the first seven circles to the Seven Deadly Sins of Christian tradition, with the last two circles representing sins even more egregious than the first seven. This corresponds perfectly to the structure of the Harry Potter series, which has seven primary books and two additional ones -- the Comic Relief schoolbooks. Much of the symbolic structure of sevens in this series also contains the 7 + 2 pattern (14).
We see Fluffy once more in chapter 16 (1+6=7), where Harry and his friends face seven tasks, one of which involves choosing between seven bottles, in order to reach the Philosopher's Stone. We can be completely confident that the connection of seven with Fluffy and Hell is intended, with all the symbolic applications connected to it.
Foremost of those symbolic applications is the correspondence of Dante's first seven Circles of Hell to the Seven Deadly Sins which damned their occupants. The usual formation is as follows:
Circle Sin
I - Limbo Sloth (15)
II - The Lustful Lust
III - The Gluttonous Gluttony
IV - The Hoarders and the Spendthrifts Greed
V - The Wrathful and the Sullen Anger
VI - The Heretics Pride
VII - The Violent Envy
(VIII - The Fraudulent)
(IX - The Traitors) (16)
These are further connected to the Seven Contrary Virtues which counteract the Seven Deadly Sins and to the Seven Heavenly Virtues, consisting of the Three Theological Virtues (Faith, Hope and Charity) and the Four Cardinal Virtues (Fortitude, Prudence, Temperance, and Justice).
The order of the Seven Contrary Virtues follows that of the Seven Deadly Sins:
1 - diligence
2 - chastity
3 - abstinence
4 - liberality
5 - patience
6 - humility
7 - kindness
However, the Seven Heavenly Virtues are almost always with "faith, hope, and charity" first, with the Cardinal Virtues second (in a variety of orders -- I have chosen the one that seems to fit best):
1 - faith
2 - hope
3 - charity
4 - fortitude
5 - prudence
6 - temperance
7 - justice
To complete the theological round of sevens, we must not fail to mention the Seven Corporal Works of Mercy of the Christian Church. The order of these is not connected to the Seven Circles of Hell, and may be rearranged in any order:
1. Feed the hungry
2. Give drink to the thirsty
3. Welcome the stranger
4. Clothe the naked
5. Visit the sick
6. Visit the prisoner
7. Bury the dead.
"So what?" you may be asking at this point and, frankly, I don't blame you. But this is all connected to the other major theme of the book -- most would call it the major theme, if Rowling's quote above did not contradict it -- the moral growth and maturation of Harry as a hero, to the point that he is ready and able to vanquish Voldemort. This theme is unequivocally signaled by the use of the Philosopher's Stone -- a reference to the process of alchemy which is supposed to purify and refine the soul of the alchemist as the base metal is purified and refined into gold. In Europe in the Middle Ages and Renaissance, the alchemical process was explicitly Christian in its aims, symbolism, and terminology.
The Seven Steps to Transformation
Like Fluffy, the Stone is unmistakeably stamped with the sign of the Symbolical Seven. We first see it in Vault seven hundred and thirteen, and the Trio faces seven tasks (one involving seven bottles), set by seven professors, to reach the Philosopher's Stone (which occurs in chapter 17). In addition, all the associations between Quidditch and seven listed in the previous section can also be applied to the Stone, since the Golden Snitch sought by Harry is a stand-in or alter-ego for the Philosopher's Stone (which makes gold). More will be revealed later of the symbolism of gold, the Snitch, and the Stone.
Is it reasonable to believe that Rowling is consciously using the Christian sins and virtues above as part of her symbolic structure of the series? It is not only reasonable, but virtually certain. Rowling herself has said that her Christian beliefs are key to deciphering the central mystery -- what will happen at the end of the series:
"Yes, I am [a Christian]," she says. "Which seems to offend the religious right far worse than if I said I thought there was no God. Every time I've been asked if I believe in God, I've said yes, because I do, but no one ever really has gone any more deeply into it than that, and I have to say that does suit me, because if I talk too freely about that I think the intelligent reader, whether 10 or 60, will be able to guess what's coming in the books."
Most analysts have somewhat vaguely attributed this quote to a sacrificial Christ symbolism for Harry or to redemption of a "fallen" character such as Voldemort or Pettigrew, but I believe this is shallow. We must remember that Rowling belongs to the Church of England (Anglican Church), one of the two branches of Christianity (along with Catholicism) which most ascribe to the theology of these enumerated sins and virtues. It is very likely that she would incorporate them into the symbolic puzzle that is her books (17).
Whether we consider it likely or not, whether it was conscious or unconscious on Rowling's part, we can simply observe that these moral groupings of seven are in fact woven into the very warp and woof of the Potter texts. In each of the seven books, the villain exemplifies the Deadly Sins in order, while Harry struggles to achieve the Contrary Virtues, and Dumbledore preaches the corresponding Heavenly Virtue at the end of each book. Even more strikingly, each of the seven books includes an unmistakeable action by Harry to exemplify the Seven Corporal Acts of Mercy. Correspondingly, each book is represented and prefigured by the corresponding task at the end of Book One. Observe:
Book One/Task One: Sloth -- Diligence -- Faith -- Feeding the Hungry
The first book is concerned with Harry's acceptance of his true identity as a wizard and as a hero -- in Joseph Campbell's terms, the stages of "The Call to Adventure" and "Refusal of the Call." This directly corresponds to the situation of the souls in Limbo who did not hear or did not heed the call to Christianity. The book's villain -- Quirrell/Voldemort -- propounds a philosophy of moral sloth -- "there is no good or evil" -- and Harry's worst temptation in the book is to refuse to act -- to fail to fulfill his destiny. There are several specific moments in the book when Harry comes close to refusing the call to the hero's journey -- sometimes on the advice of his two advisors Ron and Hermione:
- 'Hagrid,' he said quietly, 'I think you must have made a mistake. I don't think I can be a wizard.'
- 'Hermione!' they said together.
It was the last thing they wanted to do, but what choice did they have? Wheeling around they sprinted back to the door and turned the key; fumbling in their panic - Harry pulled the door open - they ran inside.
- 'Don't play,' said Hermione at once.
'Say you're ill,' said Ron.
'Pretend to break your leg,' Hermione suggested.
'Really break your leg,' said Ron.
'I can't,' said Harry. 'There isn't a reserve Seeker. If I back out, Gryffindor can't play at all.'
Possibly the clearest illustration of the Limbo/Sloth/Diligence theme takes place in the Elysian grass fields of the Hogwarts grounds after the Trio have finished their exams:
Hermione always liked to go through their exam papers afterwards, but Ron said this made him feel ill, so they wandered down to the lake and flopped under a tree. The Weasley twins and Lee Jordan were tickling the tentacles of a giant squid, which was basking in the warm shallows.
'No more revision,' Ron sighed happily, stretching out on the grass.
Despite being counseled to lassitude by both Ron and Hermione, Harry feels the lash of a duty undone:
Ron couldn't get worked up, it was too hot.
'Harry, relax, Hermione's right, the Stone's safe as long as Dumbledore's around. Anyway, we've never had any proof Snape found out how to get past Fluffy. He nearly had his leg ripped off once, he's not going to try it again in a hurry. And Neville will play Quidditch for England before Hagrid lets Dumbledore down.'
Harry nodded, but he couldn't shake off a lurking feeling that there was something he'd forgotten to do, something important. When he tried to explain this, Hermione said, 'That's just the exams. I woke up last night and was halfway through my Transfiguration notes before I remembered we'd done that one.'
Harry was quite sure the unsettled feeling didn't have anything to do with work, though.
Harry's diligence defeats sloth, leading to the moral climax of the series for Harry and Ron and Hermione as well when Harry makes the uncharacteristically eloquent "hero speech" declaring his intention to go after the Stone, and Ron and Hermione decide to accompany him.
The actual accomplishing of the first task is exemplified by Faith, most notably in the blind drop into the seemingly bottomless pit below the trap door. The lulling of the beast with music is a traditional symbolism of Grace by Faith, and the final "moral homily" by Dumbledore is also on this subject. Harry's protection from his mother's sacrifice is clearly a Christian symbol of salvation by faith, and Dumbledore praises Harry for the faith in his own abilities that leads him to accept the seemingly impossible task of saving the Stone, and his unconscious faith in his mother's protection that leads him to instinctively reach out his hand to Quirrell's face and arm.
Finally, one of the most memorable and touching scenes of the book involves a rich exploration of Harry performing an action which is a Corporal Act of Mercy: feeding the hungry:
Ron had taken out a lumpy package and unwrapped it. There were four sandwiches in there. He pulled one of them apart and said, 'She always forgets I don't like corned beef.'
'Swap you for one of these,' said Harry, holding up a pasty. 'Go on -'
`You don't want this, it's all dry' said Ron. 'She hasn't got much time,' he added quickly, `you know, with five of us.'
'Go on, have a pasty,' said Harry, who had never had anything to share before or, indeed, anyone to share it with. It was a nice feeling, sitting there with Ron, eating their way through all Harry's pasties and cakes (the sandwiches lay forgotten).
Harry's first conscious act of friendship is a deeply symbolic moment, closely tied to the structural lattice of the sevens.
Book Two/Task Two: Lust -- Chastity -- Hope -- Clothing the Naked
I must be succinct in the remaining books, or I will never complete this elucidation of the mysterious in my allotted twenty-four hours. Simply, the villain in this book, Tom Riddle, lusts for the life that he plans to purloin from Ginny Weasley much as the starved basilisk lusts for the blood of the Muggleborn. Riddle's seduction and exploitation of Ginny is disturbingly sexual in its delineation, to the edge of what is possible in a children's book. The temptations to lust on the part of the "good guys" is portrayed more delicately still -- primarily by the notorious sexual imagery that abounds in this book and humorous nudges at romantic situations.
The symbolism of the second book is dominated by the Edenic image of the serpent, while the second task involves the "snakelike" tendrils of the Devil's Snare twining sinously about the two boys. The romantic/sexual situations include Molly and Hermione crushing on Lockhart, Ginny being taken with Harry, Percy snogging Penelope in the empty classroom, various Valentines Day embarrassments, Harry and Ron being caught in a girls' restroom, and Hermione penetrating the boys' bedroom. Naturally, chastity triumphs over lust, and Harry's heroic victory over the villain and the snake in the climax is a traditional evocation of the preservation of a maiden's purity, with Ginny delivered safely and virtuously back into the arms of her parents.
Dumbledore, as usual, expounds the Heavenly rather than the Contrary Virtue with his words of Hope:
"I will only truly have left this school when none here are loyal to me... Help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it."
and none, I think, will deny the symbolism of Fawkes and the phoenix song bringing hope to Harry in his extremity.
Finally, the very striking Act of Mercy Harry performs is to clothe the naked:
"Come, Dobby. I said, come."
But Dobby didn't move. He was holding up Harry's disgusting, slimy sock, and looking at it as though it were a priceless treasure.
"Master has given a sock," said the elf in wonderment. "Master gave it to Dobby."
"What's that?" spat Mr. Malfoy. "What did you say?"
"Got a sock," said Dobby in disbelief. "Master threw it, and Dobby caught it, and Dobby -- Dobby is free."
There could hardly be a more dramatic visualization of this particular Act of Mercy.
Book Three/Task Three: Gluttony -- Abstinence -- Charity -- Visiting the Prisoner
Scurrying now: The villain of this book, Scabbers/Pettigrew, is repeatedly associated with Gluttony, and Harry faces temptations of the gluttonous type in his desire to go to Hogsmeade (Honeydukes and butterbeer) and his desire for the Firebolt. There is much striking imagery of gluttony, from Crookshanks being wrongly suspecting of having "eaten" Scabbers to Buckbeak's ravenous gulping to the traditional figure of the werewolf ravenous for human flesh to -- most notably -- Harry "blowing up" his Aunt Marge as she is patting her stomach after an "excellent nosh."
As in Books 1 and 2, Harry's "hero moment" -- keeping the voracious Dementors from eating the souls of Sirius, himself, Hermione, Ron, and Snape, is a clearly symbolic triumph over the forces of Gluttony. However, the moral climax of the book is an act of Charity by Harry -- his refusal to let the murderer of his parents be killed. Dumbledore's moral homily affirms the virtuousness of this charitable act.
Again, one of the most emotional and memorable scenes in the book is Harry's symbolic Act of Mercy -- visiting the (eponymous) Prisoner:
"He's there!" Harry said, spotting Sirius as they rose up beside the window. He reached out, and as Buckbeak's wings fell, was able to tap sharply on the glass.
Black looked up. Harry saw his jaw drop. He leapt from his chair, hurried to the window and tried to open it, but it was locked.
"Stand back!" Hermione called to him, and she took out her wand, still gripping the back of Harry's robes with her left hand.
"Alohomora!"
The window sprang open.
"How -- how --?" said Black weakly, staring at the hippogriff
"Get on -- there's not much time," said Harry, gripping Buckbeak firmly on either side of his sleek neck to hold him steady. "You've got to get out of here -the dementors are coming -- Macnair's gone to get them."
Black placed a hand on either side of the window frame and heaved his head and shoulders out of it. It was very lucky he was so thin. In seconds, he had managed to fling one leg over Buckbeak's back and pull himself onto the hippogriff behind Hermione.
"Okay, Buckbeak, up!" said Harry, shaking the rope. "Up to the tower -- come on.
The hippogriff gave one sweep of its mighty wings and they were soaring upward again, high as the top of the West Tower.
Again, the amplitude of the "Merciful Act" is heightened and intensified in a way that can only be intentional.
Book Four/Task Four: Greed -- Liberality -- Fortitude -- Burying the Dead
Voldemort is greedy for life and plans to steal Harry's blood. Harry is tempted to greed -- the Triwizard Tournament, a date with Cho, the Triwizard Cup in the end. Imagery of greed is abundant -- the leprechaun gold, the Nifflers, the twins' wager and "blackmail," etc. Harry's liberality consistently triumphs, and his final moral necessity is fortitude in the face of great danger and suffering, which is duly praised by Dumbledore:
"You have shown bravery beyond anything I could have expected of you tonight, Harry. You have shown bravery equal to those who died fighting Voldemort at the height of his powers..."
Fortitude is also the virtue shown by Ron in the fourth task, facing the chess queen's blow unflinchingly so that Harry can move on.
The intensified Act of Mercy by Harry is burying the dead -- more specifically, bringing Cedric's body back for his parents to bury. As usual, I find it the most moving scene in the entire book.
Book Five/Task Five: Anger -- Patience -- Prudence -- Visiting the Sick
I submit that all of these are ridiculously self-evident in Book Five. Application will be left as an exercise for the reader.
In task five, Harry and Hermione prudently pass the Troll (a symbol of Anger) right by. These temptations and virtues also apply well to the Trio's earlier triumph over the Troll at Halloween.
Conclusions for Future Works:
Book Six/Task Six: Pride -- Humility -- Temperance -- Welcoming the Stranger
The villain of Book Six will be motivated by pride, and Harry will be tempted by pride and learn humility. We have already been told by Rowling that Harry will learn Temperance. The stranger that Harry welcomes may be the Half-Blood Prince.
Book Seven/Task Seven: Envy -- Kindness -- Justice -- Giving Drink to the Thirsty
The villain of Book Seven (presumably Voldemort) will be motivated by envy, and Harry will be tempted by it, but overcome it. Justice will the the final theme, and the Act of Mercy will involve giving a drink -- the Elixir of Life? -- to the thirsty.
I can foresee your comments already: "This is all very well, but how does it relate to shipping? Answers should appear in the next part, which will have to be backdated. :p
[Much, much later edit: Clearly, I guessed wrong in assigning the two Works of Mercy to the last two books (not surprisingly, since they have no official order). Rowling obviously chose to assign Giving Drink to the Thirsty to Book 6 (Harry and Dumbledore in the cave) and Welcoming the Stranger to Book 7. This last might not be obvious, but we must remember how the Tale of the Three Brothers began and ended:
There were once three brothers who were traveling along a lonely, winding road at twilight. In time, the brothers reached a river too deep to wade through and too dangerous to swim across. However, these brothers were learned in the magical arts, and so they simply waved their wands and made a bridge appear across the treacherous water. They were halfway across it when they found their path blocked by a hooded figure. And Death spoke to them --
...
It was only when he had attained a great age that the youngest brother finally took off the Cloak of Invisibility and gave it to his son. And then he greeted Death as an old friend, and went with him gladly, and, equals, they departed this life.
Harry walking bravely to meet the Stranger (Death) is the most emotionally moving scene of the book, and Harry's supreme Act of Mercy in the series.]
Notes:
(12) Dante Aligheri, The Divine Comedy, Volume 1, Hell [The Inferno], Cantos III & VI (Translated by Charles Eliot Norton).
(13) "Harry Potter and Me" (BBC Christmas Special, British version), BBC, 28 Dec. 2001.
(14) Rowling has also followed Dante's 7+2 pattern for Hell in her design of the underground Ministry of Magic headquarters. This has seven main floors (described on the elevator ride Harry takes with Mr. Weasley) plus two more -- the Atrium and the Basement where the Department of Mysteries is. The odds of this being accidental are miniscule.
(15) The residents of Limbo are not necessarily guilty of Sloth, as they are those not reached by the Christian message, and some commentators lump the slothful in with the lustful in Circle II -- Sins of the Body. However, Dante's description of the inhabitants of Limbo and their Lotus-Eater type drifting is evocative of sloth.
(16) The last two sins do not correspond as perfectly as the second through fifth. The Heretics are considered to be guilty of intellectual pride against God, and some commentators lump all three of the last circles as "envy."
(17) Various statements by Rowling along the lines of "when I'm writing I do not sit down and think of it like, there's my line, and here's the moral lessons we are going to teach our children. None of that ever enters my head" can be confidently dismissed by the use of Lord ____'s Lemma. She is not writing to teach specific morals to children but her books are structured so that Harry receives specific moral lessons in line with the moral path approved by Rowling's Church. The pattern is literary and symbolic, rather than preachy and pedagogic.
Part 2: The Key to the Code
Part 3: The Structural Framework
We came to the foot of a noble castle, seven times circled by high walls, defended round about by a fair streamlet. This we passed as if hard ground; through seven gates I entered with these sages; we came to a meadow of fresh verdure.
... Cerberus, a beast cruel and monstrous, with three throats barks doglike above the people that are here submerged. (12)
Dante is taking no artistic liberties in the above portrayal of Hell as having seven walls and seven gates -- it is so described many traditional sources, such as the Quran (Koran) and the Sumerian story of the goddess Inanna's descent into the Underworld. Similarly, the three-headed dog Cerberus guarding the gates of Hell is consistent throughout classical mythology, and similar dogs -- Anubis and Garm -- guard the houses of the dead in Egyptian and Norse myths, respectively.
It is beyond any doubt or argument that the three-headed dog Fluffy (obtained by Hagrid from "a Greek chappie" and vulnerable to music) is a reference to Cerberus as the guardian of the Underworld. Every one of the Harry Potter books so far features a symbolic trip to the underworld and a near-death experience for Harry as its climax, and this pattern will assuredly continue in the final two books. Rowling herself has repeatedly stressed death as a major theme -- or the major theme -- of her series. For example:
Death is an extremely important theme throughout all seven books. I would say possibly the most important theme. (13)
Besides signaling to us that Harry is descending into Hell, Fluffy the three-headed dog is inextricably connected to the number seven. Its four legs represent its earthly, animal nature and its three heads represent the past, present, and future -- adding up to seven. As we will see, this four/three split is intrinsic to the traditional symbology of the number seven and its application by J.K. Rowling. But there is more than this. We have our first intimation of Fluffy's existence in chapter 7 (note the explicit reference to death):
'And finally I must tell you that this year, the third floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death.'
Harry laughed, but he was one of the few who did.
'He's not serious?' he muttered to Percy.
'Must be,' said Percy, frowning at Dumbledore. 'It's odd, because he usually gives us a reason why we're not allowed to go somewhere - the forest's full of dangerous beasts, everyone knows that. I do think he might have told us prefects, at least.'
We actually see Fluffy in chapter 9. Nine is a number connected to Hell as well, through the work of Dante. Despite having seven walls, his Inferno has nine circles of sinners, in a pattern of 7 + 2. Literary critics and theologians have connected the first seven circles to the Seven Deadly Sins of Christian tradition, with the last two circles representing sins even more egregious than the first seven. This corresponds perfectly to the structure of the Harry Potter series, which has seven primary books and two additional ones -- the Comic Relief schoolbooks. Much of the symbolic structure of sevens in this series also contains the 7 + 2 pattern (14).
We see Fluffy once more in chapter 16 (1+6=7), where Harry and his friends face seven tasks, one of which involves choosing between seven bottles, in order to reach the Philosopher's Stone. We can be completely confident that the connection of seven with Fluffy and Hell is intended, with all the symbolic applications connected to it.
Foremost of those symbolic applications is the correspondence of Dante's first seven Circles of Hell to the Seven Deadly Sins which damned their occupants. The usual formation is as follows:
Circle Sin
I - Limbo Sloth (15)
II - The Lustful Lust
III - The Gluttonous Gluttony
IV - The Hoarders and the Spendthrifts Greed
V - The Wrathful and the Sullen Anger
VI - The Heretics Pride
VII - The Violent Envy
(VIII - The Fraudulent)
(IX - The Traitors) (16)
These are further connected to the Seven Contrary Virtues which counteract the Seven Deadly Sins and to the Seven Heavenly Virtues, consisting of the Three Theological Virtues (Faith, Hope and Charity) and the Four Cardinal Virtues (Fortitude, Prudence, Temperance, and Justice).
The order of the Seven Contrary Virtues follows that of the Seven Deadly Sins:
1 - diligence
2 - chastity
3 - abstinence
4 - liberality
5 - patience
6 - humility
7 - kindness
However, the Seven Heavenly Virtues are almost always with "faith, hope, and charity" first, with the Cardinal Virtues second (in a variety of orders -- I have chosen the one that seems to fit best):
1 - faith
2 - hope
3 - charity
4 - fortitude
5 - prudence
6 - temperance
7 - justice
To complete the theological round of sevens, we must not fail to mention the Seven Corporal Works of Mercy of the Christian Church. The order of these is not connected to the Seven Circles of Hell, and may be rearranged in any order:
1. Feed the hungry
2. Give drink to the thirsty
3. Welcome the stranger
4. Clothe the naked
5. Visit the sick
6. Visit the prisoner
7. Bury the dead.
"So what?" you may be asking at this point and, frankly, I don't blame you. But this is all connected to the other major theme of the book -- most would call it the major theme, if Rowling's quote above did not contradict it -- the moral growth and maturation of Harry as a hero, to the point that he is ready and able to vanquish Voldemort. This theme is unequivocally signaled by the use of the Philosopher's Stone -- a reference to the process of alchemy which is supposed to purify and refine the soul of the alchemist as the base metal is purified and refined into gold. In Europe in the Middle Ages and Renaissance, the alchemical process was explicitly Christian in its aims, symbolism, and terminology.
The Seven Steps to Transformation
Like Fluffy, the Stone is unmistakeably stamped with the sign of the Symbolical Seven. We first see it in Vault seven hundred and thirteen, and the Trio faces seven tasks (one involving seven bottles), set by seven professors, to reach the Philosopher's Stone (which occurs in chapter 17). In addition, all the associations between Quidditch and seven listed in the previous section can also be applied to the Stone, since the Golden Snitch sought by Harry is a stand-in or alter-ego for the Philosopher's Stone (which makes gold). More will be revealed later of the symbolism of gold, the Snitch, and the Stone.
Is it reasonable to believe that Rowling is consciously using the Christian sins and virtues above as part of her symbolic structure of the series? It is not only reasonable, but virtually certain. Rowling herself has said that her Christian beliefs are key to deciphering the central mystery -- what will happen at the end of the series:
"Yes, I am [a Christian]," she says. "Which seems to offend the religious right far worse than if I said I thought there was no God. Every time I've been asked if I believe in God, I've said yes, because I do, but no one ever really has gone any more deeply into it than that, and I have to say that does suit me, because if I talk too freely about that I think the intelligent reader, whether 10 or 60, will be able to guess what's coming in the books."
Most analysts have somewhat vaguely attributed this quote to a sacrificial Christ symbolism for Harry or to redemption of a "fallen" character such as Voldemort or Pettigrew, but I believe this is shallow. We must remember that Rowling belongs to the Church of England (Anglican Church), one of the two branches of Christianity (along with Catholicism) which most ascribe to the theology of these enumerated sins and virtues. It is very likely that she would incorporate them into the symbolic puzzle that is her books (17).
Whether we consider it likely or not, whether it was conscious or unconscious on Rowling's part, we can simply observe that these moral groupings of seven are in fact woven into the very warp and woof of the Potter texts. In each of the seven books, the villain exemplifies the Deadly Sins in order, while Harry struggles to achieve the Contrary Virtues, and Dumbledore preaches the corresponding Heavenly Virtue at the end of each book. Even more strikingly, each of the seven books includes an unmistakeable action by Harry to exemplify the Seven Corporal Acts of Mercy. Correspondingly, each book is represented and prefigured by the corresponding task at the end of Book One. Observe:
Book One/Task One: Sloth -- Diligence -- Faith -- Feeding the Hungry
The first book is concerned with Harry's acceptance of his true identity as a wizard and as a hero -- in Joseph Campbell's terms, the stages of "The Call to Adventure" and "Refusal of the Call." This directly corresponds to the situation of the souls in Limbo who did not hear or did not heed the call to Christianity. The book's villain -- Quirrell/Voldemort -- propounds a philosophy of moral sloth -- "there is no good or evil" -- and Harry's worst temptation in the book is to refuse to act -- to fail to fulfill his destiny. There are several specific moments in the book when Harry comes close to refusing the call to the hero's journey -- sometimes on the advice of his two advisors Ron and Hermione:
- 'Hagrid,' he said quietly, 'I think you must have made a mistake. I don't think I can be a wizard.'
- 'Hermione!' they said together.
It was the last thing they wanted to do, but what choice did they have? Wheeling around they sprinted back to the door and turned the key; fumbling in their panic - Harry pulled the door open - they ran inside.
- 'Don't play,' said Hermione at once.
'Say you're ill,' said Ron.
'Pretend to break your leg,' Hermione suggested.
'Really break your leg,' said Ron.
'I can't,' said Harry. 'There isn't a reserve Seeker. If I back out, Gryffindor can't play at all.'
Possibly the clearest illustration of the Limbo/Sloth/Diligence theme takes place in the Elysian grass fields of the Hogwarts grounds after the Trio have finished their exams:
Hermione always liked to go through their exam papers afterwards, but Ron said this made him feel ill, so they wandered down to the lake and flopped under a tree. The Weasley twins and Lee Jordan were tickling the tentacles of a giant squid, which was basking in the warm shallows.
'No more revision,' Ron sighed happily, stretching out on the grass.
Despite being counseled to lassitude by both Ron and Hermione, Harry feels the lash of a duty undone:
Ron couldn't get worked up, it was too hot.
'Harry, relax, Hermione's right, the Stone's safe as long as Dumbledore's around. Anyway, we've never had any proof Snape found out how to get past Fluffy. He nearly had his leg ripped off once, he's not going to try it again in a hurry. And Neville will play Quidditch for England before Hagrid lets Dumbledore down.'
Harry nodded, but he couldn't shake off a lurking feeling that there was something he'd forgotten to do, something important. When he tried to explain this, Hermione said, 'That's just the exams. I woke up last night and was halfway through my Transfiguration notes before I remembered we'd done that one.'
Harry was quite sure the unsettled feeling didn't have anything to do with work, though.
Harry's diligence defeats sloth, leading to the moral climax of the series for Harry and Ron and Hermione as well when Harry makes the uncharacteristically eloquent "hero speech" declaring his intention to go after the Stone, and Ron and Hermione decide to accompany him.
The actual accomplishing of the first task is exemplified by Faith, most notably in the blind drop into the seemingly bottomless pit below the trap door. The lulling of the beast with music is a traditional symbolism of Grace by Faith, and the final "moral homily" by Dumbledore is also on this subject. Harry's protection from his mother's sacrifice is clearly a Christian symbol of salvation by faith, and Dumbledore praises Harry for the faith in his own abilities that leads him to accept the seemingly impossible task of saving the Stone, and his unconscious faith in his mother's protection that leads him to instinctively reach out his hand to Quirrell's face and arm.
Finally, one of the most memorable and touching scenes of the book involves a rich exploration of Harry performing an action which is a Corporal Act of Mercy: feeding the hungry:
Ron had taken out a lumpy package and unwrapped it. There were four sandwiches in there. He pulled one of them apart and said, 'She always forgets I don't like corned beef.'
'Swap you for one of these,' said Harry, holding up a pasty. 'Go on -'
`You don't want this, it's all dry' said Ron. 'She hasn't got much time,' he added quickly, `you know, with five of us.'
'Go on, have a pasty,' said Harry, who had never had anything to share before or, indeed, anyone to share it with. It was a nice feeling, sitting there with Ron, eating their way through all Harry's pasties and cakes (the sandwiches lay forgotten).
Harry's first conscious act of friendship is a deeply symbolic moment, closely tied to the structural lattice of the sevens.
Book Two/Task Two: Lust -- Chastity -- Hope -- Clothing the Naked
I must be succinct in the remaining books, or I will never complete this elucidation of the mysterious in my allotted twenty-four hours. Simply, the villain in this book, Tom Riddle, lusts for the life that he plans to purloin from Ginny Weasley much as the starved basilisk lusts for the blood of the Muggleborn. Riddle's seduction and exploitation of Ginny is disturbingly sexual in its delineation, to the edge of what is possible in a children's book. The temptations to lust on the part of the "good guys" is portrayed more delicately still -- primarily by the notorious sexual imagery that abounds in this book and humorous nudges at romantic situations.
The symbolism of the second book is dominated by the Edenic image of the serpent, while the second task involves the "snakelike" tendrils of the Devil's Snare twining sinously about the two boys. The romantic/sexual situations include Molly and Hermione crushing on Lockhart, Ginny being taken with Harry, Percy snogging Penelope in the empty classroom, various Valentines Day embarrassments, Harry and Ron being caught in a girls' restroom, and Hermione penetrating the boys' bedroom. Naturally, chastity triumphs over lust, and Harry's heroic victory over the villain and the snake in the climax is a traditional evocation of the preservation of a maiden's purity, with Ginny delivered safely and virtuously back into the arms of her parents.
Dumbledore, as usual, expounds the Heavenly rather than the Contrary Virtue with his words of Hope:
"I will only truly have left this school when none here are loyal to me... Help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it."
and none, I think, will deny the symbolism of Fawkes and the phoenix song bringing hope to Harry in his extremity.
Finally, the very striking Act of Mercy Harry performs is to clothe the naked:
"Come, Dobby. I said, come."
But Dobby didn't move. He was holding up Harry's disgusting, slimy sock, and looking at it as though it were a priceless treasure.
"Master has given a sock," said the elf in wonderment. "Master gave it to Dobby."
"What's that?" spat Mr. Malfoy. "What did you say?"
"Got a sock," said Dobby in disbelief. "Master threw it, and Dobby caught it, and Dobby -- Dobby is free."
There could hardly be a more dramatic visualization of this particular Act of Mercy.
Book Three/Task Three: Gluttony -- Abstinence -- Charity -- Visiting the Prisoner
Scurrying now: The villain of this book, Scabbers/Pettigrew, is repeatedly associated with Gluttony, and Harry faces temptations of the gluttonous type in his desire to go to Hogsmeade (Honeydukes and butterbeer) and his desire for the Firebolt. There is much striking imagery of gluttony, from Crookshanks being wrongly suspecting of having "eaten" Scabbers to Buckbeak's ravenous gulping to the traditional figure of the werewolf ravenous for human flesh to -- most notably -- Harry "blowing up" his Aunt Marge as she is patting her stomach after an "excellent nosh."
As in Books 1 and 2, Harry's "hero moment" -- keeping the voracious Dementors from eating the souls of Sirius, himself, Hermione, Ron, and Snape, is a clearly symbolic triumph over the forces of Gluttony. However, the moral climax of the book is an act of Charity by Harry -- his refusal to let the murderer of his parents be killed. Dumbledore's moral homily affirms the virtuousness of this charitable act.
Again, one of the most emotional and memorable scenes in the book is Harry's symbolic Act of Mercy -- visiting the (eponymous) Prisoner:
"He's there!" Harry said, spotting Sirius as they rose up beside the window. He reached out, and as Buckbeak's wings fell, was able to tap sharply on the glass.
Black looked up. Harry saw his jaw drop. He leapt from his chair, hurried to the window and tried to open it, but it was locked.
"Stand back!" Hermione called to him, and she took out her wand, still gripping the back of Harry's robes with her left hand.
"Alohomora!"
The window sprang open.
"How -- how --?" said Black weakly, staring at the hippogriff
"Get on -- there's not much time," said Harry, gripping Buckbeak firmly on either side of his sleek neck to hold him steady. "You've got to get out of here -the dementors are coming -- Macnair's gone to get them."
Black placed a hand on either side of the window frame and heaved his head and shoulders out of it. It was very lucky he was so thin. In seconds, he had managed to fling one leg over Buckbeak's back and pull himself onto the hippogriff behind Hermione.
"Okay, Buckbeak, up!" said Harry, shaking the rope. "Up to the tower -- come on.
The hippogriff gave one sweep of its mighty wings and they were soaring upward again, high as the top of the West Tower.
Again, the amplitude of the "Merciful Act" is heightened and intensified in a way that can only be intentional.
Book Four/Task Four: Greed -- Liberality -- Fortitude -- Burying the Dead
Voldemort is greedy for life and plans to steal Harry's blood. Harry is tempted to greed -- the Triwizard Tournament, a date with Cho, the Triwizard Cup in the end. Imagery of greed is abundant -- the leprechaun gold, the Nifflers, the twins' wager and "blackmail," etc. Harry's liberality consistently triumphs, and his final moral necessity is fortitude in the face of great danger and suffering, which is duly praised by Dumbledore:
"You have shown bravery beyond anything I could have expected of you tonight, Harry. You have shown bravery equal to those who died fighting Voldemort at the height of his powers..."
Fortitude is also the virtue shown by Ron in the fourth task, facing the chess queen's blow unflinchingly so that Harry can move on.
The intensified Act of Mercy by Harry is burying the dead -- more specifically, bringing Cedric's body back for his parents to bury. As usual, I find it the most moving scene in the entire book.
Book Five/Task Five: Anger -- Patience -- Prudence -- Visiting the Sick
I submit that all of these are ridiculously self-evident in Book Five. Application will be left as an exercise for the reader.
In task five, Harry and Hermione prudently pass the Troll (a symbol of Anger) right by. These temptations and virtues also apply well to the Trio's earlier triumph over the Troll at Halloween.
Conclusions for Future Works:
Book Six/Task Six: Pride -- Humility -- Temperance -- Welcoming the Stranger
The villain of Book Six will be motivated by pride, and Harry will be tempted by pride and learn humility. We have already been told by Rowling that Harry will learn Temperance. The stranger that Harry welcomes may be the Half-Blood Prince.
Book Seven/Task Seven: Envy -- Kindness -- Justice -- Giving Drink to the Thirsty
The villain of Book Seven (presumably Voldemort) will be motivated by envy, and Harry will be tempted by it, but overcome it. Justice will the the final theme, and the Act of Mercy will involve giving a drink -- the Elixir of Life? -- to the thirsty.
I can foresee your comments already: "This is all very well, but how does it relate to shipping? Answers should appear in the next part, which will have to be backdated. :p
[Much, much later edit: Clearly, I guessed wrong in assigning the two Works of Mercy to the last two books (not surprisingly, since they have no official order). Rowling obviously chose to assign Giving Drink to the Thirsty to Book 6 (Harry and Dumbledore in the cave) and Welcoming the Stranger to Book 7. This last might not be obvious, but we must remember how the Tale of the Three Brothers began and ended:
There were once three brothers who were traveling along a lonely, winding road at twilight. In time, the brothers reached a river too deep to wade through and too dangerous to swim across. However, these brothers were learned in the magical arts, and so they simply waved their wands and made a bridge appear across the treacherous water. They were halfway across it when they found their path blocked by a hooded figure. And Death spoke to them --
...
It was only when he had attained a great age that the youngest brother finally took off the Cloak of Invisibility and gave it to his son. And then he greeted Death as an old friend, and went with him gladly, and, equals, they departed this life.
Harry walking bravely to meet the Stranger (Death) is the most emotionally moving scene of the book, and Harry's supreme Act of Mercy in the series.]
Notes:
(12) Dante Aligheri, The Divine Comedy, Volume 1, Hell [The Inferno], Cantos III & VI (Translated by Charles Eliot Norton).
(13) "Harry Potter and Me" (BBC Christmas Special, British version), BBC, 28 Dec. 2001.
(14) Rowling has also followed Dante's 7+2 pattern for Hell in her design of the underground Ministry of Magic headquarters. This has seven main floors (described on the elevator ride Harry takes with Mr. Weasley) plus two more -- the Atrium and the Basement where the Department of Mysteries is. The odds of this being accidental are miniscule.
(15) The residents of Limbo are not necessarily guilty of Sloth, as they are those not reached by the Christian message, and some commentators lump the slothful in with the lustful in Circle II -- Sins of the Body. However, Dante's description of the inhabitants of Limbo and their Lotus-Eater type drifting is evocative of sloth.
(16) The last two sins do not correspond as perfectly as the second through fifth. The Heretics are considered to be guilty of intellectual pride against God, and some commentators lump all three of the last circles as "envy."
(17) Various statements by Rowling along the lines of "when I'm writing I do not sit down and think of it like, there's my line, and here's the moral lessons we are going to teach our children. None of that ever enters my head" can be confidently dismissed by the use of Lord ____'s Lemma. She is not writing to teach specific morals to children but her books are structured so that Harry receives specific moral lessons in line with the moral path approved by Rowling's Church. The pattern is literary and symbolic, rather than preachy and pedagogic.