[HPforGrownups] The Death Eater Name

[Caius Marcius]

No: HPFGUIDX 11509

Message: 19
   Date: Fri, 2 Feb 2001 08:40 PHT
   From: duo at dangerous-minds.com
Subject: The Death Eater name was Voldemorts Sphere of Influence

>Whilst we're on the subject, does anyone agree with me that
>"Death-Eaters" was rather a silly name for JKR to have chosen for
>Voldemort's supporters?
>Wouldn't something along the lines of "The Dark League" or "The
>National Order of Dark Wizardry" have been much better?
>Bob

To us Freudians, the name Death-Eaters is redolent of both the "oral" phase
of childhood development and the dread and awe-inspiring Thanatos, The Death
Instinct - i.e., simultaneously childishly immature and transcendentally
sinister and destructive.  The name Death-Eaters literally coruscates with
Dark Magic, and I would count it as one of JKR's most serendipitous
coinages. The National Order of Dark Wizardry OTOH sounds like something
that would have an office on K Street and extensive contacts on Capitol Hill
and the Commerce Dep't.

     - CMC