[HPforGrownups] Arthurian Allusions in "Harry Potter"

[IAmLordCassandra at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 46340

In a message dated 11/8/2002 4:53:35 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
cloakofgold at yahoo.com writes:

> Anyone else want to play?

(From "The Magical Worlds of Harry Potter") 

Why are Harry and Cedric like Knights of the Round Table? 

"The Goblet of fire is a 'roughly-hewn wooden cup' that would be 'entirely 
unremarkable had it not been full to the brim with dancing blue-white 
flames.' By magic, it calls on certain wizards to test their skills in the 
Triwizard Tournament. The challenge and its mysterious source link the 
competitors, including Harry and Cedric, to the legends of King Artur and the 
Round table. 

"The Goblet of Fire is more than a little similar to another powerful goblet 
that has launched tournaments and battles: the Holy Grail. This is the cup 
from which Jesus Christ drank at the last supper. Though sometimes depicted 
as a shining silver goblet, the Holy Grail, being the cup of a poor 
carpenter, would probably have been made of wood---like the Goblet of Fire. 
The Grail is also a magical object. To drink it is to be miraculously healed. 
And like the Goblet, it can sense whether or not a person is worthy. 

"According to legend, King Arthur, praying for a sign from heaven during the 
barren period in his reign, sees the Grail. He and his knights then undertook 
quests to either capture it or at least understand its significance. 

"In Harry's world the final task of the Triwizard Tournament is also to 
literally find the Grail, in this case the Triwizard Cup, and to win it for 
Hogwarts. and just as the Grail in Arthurian legend is found by Galahad, son 
of Lancelot, because his soul is completely pur, Harry and Cedric succeed in 
reaching the Cup through strength and character as much as wizarding skill. 

"It's amusing to not that althogh Galahad finds the Grail in the Arthur 
stories, most of the legends focus on a character named Perceval. Born in a 
peasant family, Perceval eventually proves his virtue and becomes a Knight of 
the Round Table. Whether Percy Weasley will show his qualities exhibited by 
his name sake remains to be seen."  

~Cassie~

"If Severus Snape taught sex-ed, would he be called 'The Sex Master'?" 


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]