The Founders (was:Pansy/ Re: House characteristics)

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 150669

Catherine wrote:
>    
>   I had a diferrent take on it. I always thought Gryffindor was from
Scotland (There are Scottish Moors too) he always struck me as a
Highland Warrior type.
>   http://www.walkwise.co.uk/images/Scotland/scottish_moors.jpg
>    
>   I agree with the Lexicon (who are also just taking a stab at this)
That Fen is somewhere not far from London. I say this because I was in
a play called Fen many years ago, and it was about a group of English
working-class potato pickers.
>    
>   Sweet Hufflepuff from Valley broad...I don't see her as Scottish,
rather Irish. I'm just taking a stab at this from her personality, and
for another reason I will explain in a second...
>    
>   Fair Ravenclaw from Glen. I see her being from Wales. For the only
reason that I believe JKR had each of the founders come from each of
the 4 Brittish isles: Scotland, Ireland, England and Wales. And that
her whole thing on "House Unity" is also a plea for Brittish unity to
a certain extent. It also seems to fit in with the history of fighting
among the isles and allegiences and everything.
>    
Carol responds:
I like the idea of the four Founders each being from a different part
of the UK, one each from England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, but I
can't escape the association of "glen" with Scotland. ("Danny Boy" is
now running through my head--CMC, maybe you can filk it for me.) More
important, hasn't it been established from the route of Hagrid's
motorcycle ride in SS/PS (flying over Bristol on his way to Surrey)
that Godric's Hollow is in Wales? That being the case, Gryffindor
would be from Wales and Ravenclaw from Scotland. Also, although the
other names admittedly don't give any clue to national origin (Helga
sounds Nordic and Hufflepuff solidly English, with no hint of
Irishness), Gryffindor to me suggests a Welsh origin: Griffith
(Gruffydd) is a commmon Welsh name, and Gryffindor could be an
Anglicized version of a similar name.

However, I've always vaguely connected witchcraft/wizardry with the
Celts and Muggles with the Saxons. The Veiled archway on its dais
suggests to me some connection with ancient Druids and even ritual
sacrifice--Slytherin could come from this tradition, which of course
the Muggles (Saxons) would fear. Helga Hufflepuff could be part Saxon,
if not a Muggleborn then a half-blood, which would account for her
wanting to admit all students regardless of "blood" origins.

I'm not arguing against the four Houses representing the four
kingdoms, or whatever the correct term is. I like it, actually. But I
can't make it fit with my other idea, which to me explains Slytherin's
anti-Muggle sentiments at a time before witch burnings became common
across Europe.

Carol, hoping to be corrected onlist rather than off as she's facing a
deadline and ought to be working rather than answering e-mail (or
posting :-0 !)