Harry Vanquishing LV without killing him.

[Geoff Bannister]

No: HPFGUIDX 146446

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "a_svirn" <a_svirn at y...> wrote:

a_svirn:
> Actually, prophesies tend to be very literal, rather than 
> metaphorical. Take Macbeth, for instance, he interpreted the second 
> prophesy metaphorically and it turned out to be utterly literal.  
> Judging by precedents I'd say that "at the hand of another" will 
> probably mean something quite literal as well

Geoff:
Yes, but with respect, Shakespeare also gives us the other side of 
the coin:

THIRD APPARITION: 
....
Macbeth shall never vanquish'd be, until
Great Birnam Wood, to high Dunsinane Hill
Shall come against him. 
(The Tragedy of Macbeth, Act IV, Scene I)

The way in which Shakespeare worked this prophecy out - as a bit of a 
con - absolutely incensed J.R.R.Tolkien and was a factor in his 
creation of the Ents.

An interesting point which crossed my mind when typing this quote was 
the use of "vanquish'd"....

Familiar?