Some red & green theories (with a little alchemy thrown in) (WAS Hi and the question of colors)

[Caroline Flowers]

No: HPFGUIDX 33154

Thank you so much for this topic!  Maybe I'm nuts, but
this is my kind of thing....

After reading heathernmoore's excellent alchemy
information (beginning at message 31653), I did a
little research of my own, and found LOTS of
interesting things about colors.

According to my source, the Philosopher's Stone
(which, as heathernmoore said, can be a material
object OR a living being)is created by the combination
of Sulpher and Mercury.

Sulpher: is the active, male principle; corresponds to
fire; and is associated with the color red.  
   The phoenix is, among other things, an alchemial
symbol of red sulpher.  Another word for red sulpher
is cinnibar.  So is the stag.  And the lion.  (And
cinnibar means dragon's blood in Persian!)

Mercury:  is the female principle; corresponds to
water (which is one thing green symbolizes.)
     The serpent & the unicorn are both symbols of
alchemial mercury.

Alchemists believed all kinds of things about green
light:  that the light of the emerald pierces the most
closely guarded secrets; that the life force itself is
blood in a green vessel ("the blood of the Green Lion,
which is not ordinary gold, but Philosopher's Gold").

(Source for all this is the Penguin Dictionary of
Symbols, pub. 1994)

So-- I agree with heathernmoore, who, IIRC, stated
that perhaps Harry is a Living Stone.

If you all agree with any of this--what could it mean
for the story?

--Does Gryffindor = sulpher & Slytherin = mercury?
--Is Lily somehow related to Voldie?  (I am firmly in
the "we don't know 100% that Lily's family is all
Muggle" camp)
--Was Voldie trying to kill Harry, not to keep him
from doing something in future, but to absorb his
power?

Any thoughts?

Caroline
(who, as a librarian married to a librarian, has her
own copy of the Dictionary of Symbols)





 








__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Send FREE video emails in Yahoo! Mail!
http://promo.yahoo.com/videomail/