Weasleys with Arthurian Names

[seventhsqueal <seventhsqueal@yahoo.com>]

No: HPFGUIDX 52700




It is very likely that this has been discussed on this list before 
if so I apologize for rehashing what to some of you is an 
exhuasted subject.

I saw a documentary about the legend of the Holy Grail this week 
and I realized for the first time that Percy Weasley was named 
after Percival the knight who went to seek the grail. The 
documentary was very good because it explored the grail as a 
metaphor for personal ambition.  In most of the grail legends 
with Percival, he sees the grail but fails to retain it because he 
is  unable to answer the question,  "Whom does the grail serve?" 
It takes him a very long time to get around to the realization that 
the answer is "Mankind".  
 
 We have already seen in the books that Percy is ambitious. 
Perhaps his name foreshadows a future crisis of character that 
 Percy will need to overcome to realize that his ambition must 
 serve his family and community instead of personal glory.
 
The two other obvious Arthurian names in the Weasley family are 
Arthur's and Ginny's = Guinevere. The other names don't strike 
me as Arthurian but perhaps I'm overlooking a stretch or 
diminutive of an Arthurian character: Molly, Bill, Charlie, Ron, 
George, Fred. 
 
Does anyone have any opinions regarding JK Rowling's 
intriguing use of the Arthurian reference in these characters? If 
 so, I'd be interested in hearing some theories.

SeventhSqueal