Before continuing the examination of the hidden symbolism of the Harry Potter books I am going to emphasize the Spoiler Alert! If you continue reading this article you should have read all seven of the novels or don't care about knowing what will happen before you read the books or see the movies. Also, if you haven't read the analysis of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, you should before proceeding with this one, where I analyze book two, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Again, the primary focus is going to be on the covers and chapter art of the American editions, provided by Mary GrandPré. All the art in this article is by GrandPré unless otherwise noted.
Part of the genius of the Harry Potter saga is the way each year's narrative matures with the young protagonists and the readers. This seems to be the case with the illustrations as well, though that is at least partly the natural development one would see with any artist's work over a period of many years. Book two details Harry's second year at Hogwarts. Hogwarts is as clear a presentation of an "Invisible College" as you could hope to ever find. Considering the associations between the concept of an Invisible College and the philosopher Francis Bacon, "Hogwarts" is a very interesting name for the school. Bacon is said to have used the pig and its image as a symbol representing himself, and his family seal featured a pig. Also, while Rowling has stated that she did not consciously name Hogwarts after the plant hogwort, the connotation of a Baconian institution that lives and grows over time is artful and sophisticated. Even if done so accidentally.
When we look at Mary GrandPré's cover for Chamber of Secrets we see many of the emblems already familiar to us from book one, namely twin columns flanking an arched doorway, serpents, and a checkerboard floor. We also have a Torch of illumination. J.E. Cirlot calls the Torch a symbol of purification and an emblem of the truth. In An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Traditional Symbols, J.C. Cooper points out how the Torch combines the masculine symbol of fire and the feminine symbol of wood, and how it confers spiritual illumination, intelligence, and immortality. Torches are emblematic of many, many legendary gods and heroes. Particularly ones whose ancient Mystery Rites were held in dark caverns or secretive chambers. Torches are solar symbols. Harry and the phoenix are both solar symbols
as well, and this continues throughout the series to be the of the
utmost importance. The Hero's Journey is a Solar Allegory.
GrandPré's image of the phoenix Fawkes is an aesthetic blending of several types of birds, with the predominant effect on my eye being a scarlet peacock or a heron. Hans Biedermann describes the Phoenix as being heron-like as it evolved from legends of the Egyptian Bennu bird. As with the Owl, the Phoenix can be suggestive of the Language of the Birds (which you may recall was a detail of vital importance to the end events of The Hobbit). The film version of Fawkes is much more eagle like.
GrandPré's image of the phoenix Fawkes is an aesthetic blending of several types of birds, with the predominant effect on my eye being a scarlet peacock or a heron. Hans Biedermann describes the Phoenix as being heron-like as it evolved from legends of the Egyptian Bennu bird. As with the Owl, the Phoenix can be suggestive of the Language of the Birds (which you may recall was a detail of vital importance to the end events of The Hobbit). The film version of Fawkes is much more eagle like.
Cirlot describes the Phoenix as eagle-sized with certain features of the pheasant. Both symbolists discuss how phoenix-like myths are found in cultures throughout history and around the world, in every case representing rebirth and the sun. Cooper agrees on the solar aspect but also notes the lunar nature of the Phoenix's mutability, which is interesting in combination with Dumbledore and his office, as we'll see later. In The Complete Dictionary of Symbols, Jack Tresidder describes the Phoenix as representing the victory of the human spirit over various trials. All the symbolist works I consult note the alchemical meanings of the Phoenix, Biedermann associating it with the process of creating the Philosopher's Stone, and Cirlot referring to "the regeneration of universal life and to the successful completion of a process." Both are saying essentially the same thing.
Fawkes then can be viewed as representative of the end point of Harry Potter's continuing initiation process. We see this visually on the cover by following the invisible lines suggested by Harry's red cape and the floating red feather, which meet close to Fawkes' head. This all works well with the fact that Fawkes is Dumbledore's familiar. Interesting that later in the series the titles "Order of the Phoenix" and "Dumbledore's Army" mean the same thing. Looking again at that singular feather, Cirlot describes the Feather apart from the bird as representing the element of air, which reminds me once again of book one's feather levitation lesson. More interesting perhaps is that a Feather is also a quill, an essential writing implement. The second book of the Harry Potter series is largely about writing, books, the knowledge they contain and the lies that they can tell.
The cover illustration more directly represents a moment in the text than what we saw for book one. Fawkes carries Harry, Ron and Ginny Weasley out of the Chamber of Secrets following the slaying of the basilisk (more on momentarily) and the freeing of Ginny from the spell of Tom Marvolo Riddle/Voldemort. That's Godric Gryffindor's Sword on Harry's belt, which I will discuss later in this article. Despite this GrandPré still makes choices that seem to be based on esoteric symbolism. The basilisk at this moment is dead, but we see the tail of the serpentine creature holding aloft a torch at the far left edge of the cover illustration, the serpent as bearer of Promethean illumination.
The Basilisk is the other major feature of this cover, and a vital symbolic element of the novel. It is an extension of the symbolism of the Monster and the Serpent, both discussed in part one of this series. The "King of Serpents," its name derives from the Greek for "little king". In Chamber of Secrets, Rowling essentially presents the Basilisk as the opposite of the Phoenix, death versus life, chthonic versus aerial, base versus elevated. Hildegard of Bingen described the creation of a Basilisk as: "A toad, feeling herself pregnant, saw a serpent's egg, sat upon it to hatch it, until her young were born. They died, but she continued to sit upon the serpent's egg, until life began to stir within it, which was immediately influenced by the power of the serpent of Eden... The young slipped out, then suddenly let out a blast of breath like fire... [It] kills everything that comes near." This is very near to the description of the Basilisk that Hermione finds in the Hogwart's library shortly before she is paralyzed by the creature: " - is born from a chicken's egg, hatched beneath a toad."
It is interesting to see that Dumbledore model Leonardo daVinci's Bestiary repeats the account of Pliny the Elder that the Basilisk is vulnerable to weasels (likely derived from accounts of cobra slaying mongooses), given the role Ginny Weasley plays in this novel. More on Ginny Weasley later. More on da Vinci as well. Tresidder considers the Basilisk as a personification of human sins such as lust. Cooper directly relates the Basilisk the Antichrist.
It is interesting to see that Dumbledore model Leonardo daVinci's Bestiary repeats the account of Pliny the Elder that the Basilisk is vulnerable to weasels (likely derived from accounts of cobra slaying mongooses), given the role Ginny Weasley plays in this novel. More on Ginny Weasley later. More on da Vinci as well. Tresidder considers the Basilisk as a personification of human sins such as lust. Cooper directly relates the Basilisk the Antichrist.
Before moving on to the interior art I just want to point out the black cat in the arched window which seems to be a matter entirely of Mary GrandPré's whim (unless it is meant to be Mrs. Norris, who is not a black cat and who was paralyzed during the events depicted on the cover). It could be meant as an easy means to communicate the witchcraft aspect of the story as it is still so early in the series. Symbolically Cats can act as guardians of the underworld/otherworld. Notice this stands against the only indication of outside, the starry night sky. Keeping in mind the prominent solar symbolism throughout the series, and the frequent allusions to Egyptian mythology, note that a Basilisk is rarely depicted as being as large a creature as Rowling chose to make her King of Serpents. This seemingly purposeless cat could be referencing Ra, in the form of a cat, slaying the world encircling serpent Apep.
After all, that is pretty much the sum of the battle that takes between Harry and the basilisk inside the Chamber of Secrets.
We see many of the major elements from the cover in the illustration for the title page, the Torch, Feather, Serpents, this time with the arch of the doorway repeated between the columns. The snakes twined around the columns seems particularly caduceus-like. The additional component here is the Spider. The Spider is another initiation symbol related via Arachne to Ariadne from the myth of Theseus, the minotaur and the labyrinth. More on spiders, big spiders, later.
Chapter One: The Worst Birthday
In Chapter One Harry is having a horrible summer with the Dursleys, eagerly awaiting the return of the school year (note the reversal of Harry from normal children), and wondering if his experiences of the year before were all a dream as he has had no correspondence with any of his friends from Hogwarts. The story begins on Harry's twelfth birthday, which his aunt and uncle have forgotten. Twelve is an important number in this book. All of the Dursleys' attention is on a dinner party that evening with potential customers of Grunnings, the drilling company Uncle Vernon works for. These guests the Dursleys are so eager to impress are named the Masons. While this is an understandable pun name for a character who works in construction, I can not imagine Rowling could be unaware of the occult significance of the word Masons.
The moment illustrated for the chapter is Harry sensing he is being watched by someone in the bushes. They are the eyes of Dobby the House-Elf. Dobby is also the subject of GrandPré's illustration for chapter two.
Chapter Two: Dobby's Warning
The introduction of the House-Elves in book two have been described as the Rowling presenting the first cracks in the seeming ideality of the wizarding world. These are not elves of the Tolkien variety. They are much more akin to Santa's Little Helpers. To me they seem to be an extrapolation of fairies, personifications of natural processes. This view point is emphasized by the image for chapter one, where Dobby is visually one with the shrubbery.
Cirlot describes Elves (as well as dwarves, gnomes and the Dactyls) as "the personification of those forces which remain virtually outside the orbit of consciousness." and Fairies he describes as symbols of "the supra-normal powers of the human soul" pointing out their contradictory nature, the performance of humble tasks along with the possession of extraordinary powers. He connects their function in stories to sudden revelation of latent possibilities, and calls them "personifications of stages in the development in the spiritual life." And this is very much how the House-Elves work in the Harry Potter stories. Harry has gone through the gateway of his initiation into the super natural world. Dobby personifies doubt and insecurity as Harry prepares to enter the next stage of his development. This doubt is not unreasonable as we learn that some of the wonders of the magical world come from the enslavement and exploitation of other intelligent beings. Tresidder considers them to be embodiments of human desires and frustrations, pointing out that the name "fairies" derives from the Latin "fata" or Fate.
Chapter Three: The Burrow
Here we see a microscopic depiction of conception. No, wait, it is a flying car and the night sky. Dobby is trying to prevent Harry from returning to the supernatural world for Harry's own protection, and uses his extraordinary powers for the humble task of dropping a pudding on Mrs. Mason's head during the Dursleys' dinner party. Harry is blamed of course, and the Dursleys refuse to take Harry back to Hogwarts. They go so far as to lock Harry in his room and even bar his window. Rescue comes in the form of Ron, Fred and George Weasley in their father's flying Ford Anglia. Rowling was inspired by an old car owned by a friend who served as part of the basis of Ron Weasley. But note how cleverly this vehicle that Harry and Ron later use to get to school when they can't get on the Hogwarts Express has a name which can be read as meaning "Cross England".
In part one I discussed how Flying can be used as a symbol of enlightened consciousness. One interesting point from Cirlot (citing Luc Benoist's Art du Monde) describes the processional carriage as "a temple-on-wheels, with all the 'correspondences' implies." If you consider the reverence of automobiles in Western culture you might agree this association has not only transferred but magnified with the motorized development of this object. Personal temples that fly rather than crawl upon the ground are easy to see as even more emblematic of higher spirituality. The list of deities who travel by flying chariot or cart is a long one. Given its use as a source of escape from Harry's life with the Dursleys to the Otherworld of magic, Tressider's description of the Chariot as representing the "triumphant journey of the spirit" feels very apt.
Fred and George are key supporting characters throughout the series, and represent the major symbolic motif of the Twins. With Twins we either see a pair of figures in opposition to one another, or, like Fred and George, completely alike and compatible. Hans Biedermann describes this type of pairing as "they compliment each other perfectly, forming an invincible duo so dangerous to cosmic order that they must be eliminated from the world of the living." This type of Twin is associated with the zodiac constellation of Gemini, notably an air sign.
Chapter Four: At Flourish and Botts
At the Burrow Harry experiences life in the wizarding world beyond Hogwarts and his brief visit to Diagon Alley. One of the most striking aspects of this is the intelligence that is imbued in almost every object, from pesky garden gnomes to (one of) Mrs. Weasley's enchanted clocks. When it comes time to buy school supplies, Harry and the Weasleys travel to Diagon Alley using the Floo Network. This is the use of magical powder to teleport from place to place via fire places. As seen in later books it can also be used as a medium of communication. Considering the number of fire/solar/illumination symbols we have already seen up to this point, the connotations of transporting people and information through fire is easy enough to follow. It is a Promethean detail.
This chapter has the news that Percy Weasley received twelve O.W.L.S. (important exams for fifth year Hogwarts students). As The Harry Potter Lexicon points out, there is a marked preoccupation in the Harry Potter series with the number twelve (see the essay The Number Twelve). Remember that this novel begins with Harry's twelfth birthday. Cirlot states that Twelve is symbolic of universal order, space and time, the wheel or circle, as well as salvation. The basis of this is likely the twelve signs of the zodiac. Note also that there are twelve Apostles, twelve tribes of Israel, and twelve gods in the Greek pantheon. Cooper adds that, as a number of completion, twelve represents both the exoteric and the esoteric.
The sentience of mundane objects is a hallmark of the Harry Potter universe, and we see this quite a bit, and with comical effect, with the vain glorious Gilderoy Lockhart with his many lively portraits. It is the deceitful Lockhart holding one of these living images of himself from the cover of one of his many books that is the subject of this chapter's illustration. Renowned, idolized and beloved for the exploits he claims to have had in these books, Lockhart is really only good at using magic to alter people's memories, covering for the fact that he did none of the brave things he describes. Note how this is played parallel to the seduction of Ginny Weasley through Tom Riddle's diary.
The lies books can tell, and the hidden truth within them, is very much what Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is about. Books of course are integral to the belief systems of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. Biedermann discusses the Book as "the container of intellect." Cirlot makes mention of the Book "written inside and out" as an allegory of the esoteric and exoteric, like the number twelve. He also broadly relates the symbolism of the Book to that of weaving, which is interesting considering the prominent role of spiders in this narrative. Cooper speaks of the Book as connected to Tree symbolism and states that taken together the two symbols represent the "whole of the cosmos". What a nice segue.
Chapter Five: The Whomping Willow
Due to Dobby's continued interference Harry and Ron are unable to cross the magical barrier to Platform 9 3/4 to board the Hogwarts Express so they appropriate Mr. Weasley's flying car (a "temple on wheels" that not only displays sentience but is also much bigger on the inside than it appears from the outside) to make the trip to Hogwarts. When they reach the school Ron runs the car into the Whomping Willow. Again we have a seemingly common object that is (violently) mobile, and displays at least a degree of intelligence, enough at least to defend itself from anyone who comes too close. In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban we learn the purpose of this particular enchanted tree is to guard an underground passage to the Shrieking Shack, so Remus Lupin could transform into a werewolf in safety and privacy (a topic that will be discussed in the next Harry Potter article). Put more simply the Whomping Willow exists to keep a secret.
Once again we find an almost incidental story element that makes use of an occult symbol of great magnitude. Cirlot calls the Tree "one of the most essential of traditional symbols." He further associates the Tree with universal life, immortality and what he terms 'absolute reality/the center of the world'. The Tree often represents the world-axis. Like the ladder and the mountain, the upward growth of the Tree makes it stand for the link between Hell, Earth and Heaven. Biedermann discusses the use of the Willow in the cult of Asclepius to ward off serpents. Cooper terms the Tree "the whole of manifestation" as it combines symbolic aspects of earth, heaven and water, with the Willow being specifically sacred to lunar goddesses.
The incident with the Whomping Willow leads to Ron's wand being broken (see part one for notes on wand symbolism), leading to his being unable to focus his magic throughout the novel, and the Ford Anglia heading off alone to live in solitude in the Forbidden Forest.
Chapter Six: Gilderoy Lockhart
Chapter six details Harry's first day of classes of his second year. The chapter art depicts the magical Mandrake plants the students are introduced to in Professor Sprout's Herbology class. The use of the Mandrake as a panacea, as well as its lethal scream, are both aspects taken from the plant's traditional folk lore. It is likely much of the Mandrake's mystical attributes derive from the fact that it is a nightshade containing poisonous hallucinogens, as well as the root's vaguely human-like appearance. Cooper calls the Mandrake an emblem of the "Great Mother" which is something to consider given the device of their nurturing and development like children over the course of the story. Note the use of the Mandrake as well in Pan's Labyrinth, a film that also featured prominent fairies/pixies.
Cornish Pixies are the subject of Lockhart's first Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson. Recall Cirlot's description of fairies as "personifications of stages in the development in the spiritual life", when considering Lockhart's inability to handle the creatures, leaving the task to Harry, Ron and Hermione. The spiritual development of these early second stage initiates is already more pronounced than that of their supposed educator. And yet the book-loving Hermione is still unable to comprehend that the Lockhart described in his books is a false entity.
Chapter six details Harry's first day of classes of his second year. The chapter art depicts the magical Mandrake plants the students are introduced to in Professor Sprout's Herbology class. The use of the Mandrake as a panacea, as well as its lethal scream, are both aspects taken from the plant's traditional folk lore. It is likely much of the Mandrake's mystical attributes derive from the fact that it is a nightshade containing poisonous hallucinogens, as well as the root's vaguely human-like appearance. Cooper calls the Mandrake an emblem of the "Great Mother" which is something to consider given the device of their nurturing and development like children over the course of the story. Note the use of the Mandrake as well in Pan's Labyrinth, a film that also featured prominent fairies/pixies.
Cornish Pixies are the subject of Lockhart's first Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson. Recall Cirlot's description of fairies as "personifications of stages in the development in the spiritual life", when considering Lockhart's inability to handle the creatures, leaving the task to Harry, Ron and Hermione. The spiritual development of these early second stage initiates is already more pronounced than that of their supposed educator. And yet the book-loving Hermione is still unable to comprehend that the Lockhart described in his books is a false entity.
Chapter Seven: Mudbloods and Murmurs
In Chapter Seven the Harry/Draco rivalry is intensified when Harry learns that Malfoy is the new Seeker for Slytherin's Quidditch team. Recalling that the winged Golden Snitch is an obvious solar symbol, as is Harry Potter himself, his competition for the object against the serpent themed Slytherins is an easy to read solar allegory. And this is only heightened by his opposite number being named Draco. This is particularly noteworthy here in book two with Rowling's giant serpent version of the basilisk, reminiscent of the already mentioned Apep, and similar mythological entities like the Midgard Serpent or Typhon.
The chapter art shows Ron after he accidentally curses himself with his broken wand, causing him to spit up slugs. Even this small detail conforms with the already established symbols. Cirlot compares the Slug to "a small snake... the male seed, the Origin of life, the silent tendency of darkness to move towards light." The cauldron GranfPré has chosen as a receptacle for Ron's many slugs combines with this description in a male/female manner. From Cirlot we learn that the Cauldron is the site of "forces of transmutation and germination," and strongly connected to Water symbolism, a key point we will discuss momentarily. Tresidder refers to the Cauldron's connection to transformation and rebirth.
Chapter Eight: The Deathday Party
On Halloween, Harry, Ron and Hermione are obligated to attend Nearly Headless Nick's "Deathday Party." All the other guests of Nick's party are ghosts. Cirlot describes the Ghost or Apparition as symbolic of psychic dissociation. He also calls the Head the center of the soul, which is essentially the same as Cooper's description of the Head as denoting wisdom, mind and intelligence. Nick's nearly headless status is amusing, especially in this novel with his desire to join the Headless Hunt, it also reinforces Nick's undead state. He is almost but not quite dissociated from the land of the living. Note that Halloween night is also when Voldemort murdered James and Lily Potter and gave Harry his trademark scar, and the night when the Troll attacked the school in the first book. Obviously this holiday most associated with witchcraft (and the changing of the seasons) is being emphasized and is important to Rowling's system. So we shouldn't be surprised that it is on Halloween that the Chamber of Secrets is opened and the basilisk's first (near) victim is found. Halloween will continue to play an important part as it is associated with the approach of winter (antagonistic in a solar allegory) and traditionally involves a dissolution of the barrier between the living and the dead. The symbolism of cats and torches have already been discussed when talking about the cover, with the exception here being that this is clearly meant to be Mrs. Norris. Key here, however, is the use of the Torch as Illuminator. A message is being delivered. A hidden message from a secret place.
Chapter Nine: The Writing on the Wall
Chapter nine introduces Moaning Myrtle, whom we later learn is the ghost of the Basilisk's victim when Tom Riddle opened the Chamber of Secrets fifty years earlier. I find it a bit surprising that Myrtle was a Ravenclaw, mostly due to the heavy association of the character with Water. I suppose that as a Muggle-born she couldn't be sorted into Slytherin. There is an underlying component in this story about sorting and mis-sorting, as well as the role of free will in the process. We only really see Harry's experience with the Sorting Hats up close, and he actively chooses not to be in Slytherin. Perhaps Myrtle, an overt outcast, thought she would do best in the intellectual, airy house of Ravenclaw and asked the hat to place her there. We don't know. Lockhart, another Ravenclaw, also seems misplaced to me, but I can see where being a Ravenclaw would conform to his self-image rather than his actual nature.
GrandPré's illustration emphasizes Myrtle's watery nature. This suits my purposes very nicely as I feel that Myrtle is overtly one of the ghosts of Hogwarts, but covertly she is a Water Nymph. A Nymph, or Water Maiden, is the personification of a spring, torrent, waterfall or (key here) a fountain. Cirlot describes their ambivalent nature as they represent both birth and fertility as well as dissolution and death. Notice Myrtle's adolescent boy-interest, alongside her preoccupation with death (not to mention her status of being dead). Biedermann believes Nymphs are the embodiment of unconscious mental activity. Tresidder points out that Nymph's frequently fall in love with mortals, and that they possess prophetic abilities. All of this falls into accordance with the character of Myrtle. It is Myrtle who ultimately leads Harry and Ron to the Chamber after all.
Myrtle's connection to Water is of importance here as Water is easily the most prominent of the elements utilized in this novel. The Philospoher's Stone has a Fiery quality to it, but Chamber of Secrets is decidedly a Slytherin story, and underneath as well, as Harry's underlying Watery nature is detailed. Put more directly, Harry Potter is exoterically a Gryffindor and esoterically a Slytherin.
As one of the four basic elements, Water is naturally a very complex symbol. Cirlot delineates its dualistic nature by calling it both the Source of Life as well as the abode of the dragon (with the Basilisk as presented in the Harry Potter universe being essentially a Dragon). Water is feminine, and representative of intuitive wisdom, Mystery, and the "universal congress of potentialites." Of the elements, Water is the most transitional as it sits between the solid and the ethereal, and moderates life and death. There is a further spatial connotation relating to the level of the given body of water. Traditionally, the source of all waters was held to be a stone, a cave or forest.
Biedermann adds to this that waters under the earth represent primordial chaos, which seems appropriate given the ultimate position and the history of the Chamber. He furthers that water represents the "deeper layers of the psyche," areas inhabited by "mysterious life forms." For Cooper, water is the beginning and end of all things. He describes water's initiatory role, which is readily evident to anyone familiar with the act of baptizing. Remembering that Harry is both a fire representing Gryffindor, and a solar personification, it is noteworthy that water and fire are opposite elements positioned in conflict but that ultimately unite. That is very much the process of the Chamber of Secrets. Tresidder talks of water's connotations of purity, fertility, life, potentiality, birth and regeneration, dissolution, mingling and cohesion. The chapter ends with our three leads deciding they need to engage in some potion making (watery action) in order to transform themselves (watery effect).
Chapter Ten: The Rogue Bludger
In this chapter there is a Quidditch match between the Gryffindors and the Slytherins. Quidditch is an astronomical allegory. This is only emphasized by having the enemy Seeker be a character named Draco. This is essential solar allegory, barely veiled. This is the same thing as Ra versus Apep near the beginning of this article. Which means it is the same thing as Harry versus the Basilisk. Dobby even refers to Harry as a "beacon of hope" and his survival of Voldemort "a new dawn."
The personification of a stage in the development of Harry's spiritual life (Dobby), enchants a bludger to exclusively attack Harry, leading to his arm being broken. Lockhart attempts to mend Harry's arm, but instead accidentally removes the arm and hand's bones. Notice how watery GrandPré's depiction of the boneless arm is. The motion lines and the arm itself are positively wave-like. Also note the astrological symbols on the bed. The sun (Harry) positioned between the moon and a star. There's a mistake in the image, as it was Harry's right arm that was broken. Or is this an opportunity to subtly refer to the left-hand path? I'm certain that any similarity to the above illustration and the image of Baphomet you'll see at that link is purely coincidental. Also in this chapter is a trip to the Restricted Section of the Library to borrow the book Moste Potente Potions (water). It strikes me that a restricted section of an occult library seems very much like an esoteric level of information.
Chapter Eleven: The Dueling Club
The chapter title refers to the Dueling Club that is created at Hogwarts and overseen by Professors Snape and Lockhart.
A duel is a formulated, even ritualized fight. Cirlot calls the Fight (as depicted in literature or art) a "-rite or the vestiges of rites-" meaning an enacted conflict of opposites symbolizing various forces as part of Mystery practices. This is a highly significant item to consider, not just for this article, but for every subject I've written about here thus far. I don't think any of them lack in physical, or better yet, magical combat. Cirlot also considers Fighting to be emblematic of astrophysical activity (representing astronomical events, the basis of myth and religion, as I state in several articles), and seasonal change. Look at the embedded video of Harry and Draco's duel, noting the overt astronomical imagery of the dueling platform. The platform depicts an eclipse, an event that might be symbolized as a snake or dragon swallowing the sun. An eclipse is always a matter of planetary alignment. Planetary alignment is always about time-keeping and age shift. Noteworthy as well is the sacrificial quality of the Fight, stated again by Cirlot.
This chapter lays out more of the connotation of Harry's being a Parseltongue, but the most noteworthy element of this chapter must be Harry learning the disarming charm "Expelliarmus," which becomes his signature spell, and is the spell he ultimately uses to defeat Voldemort. The spell "Expelliarmus" was utilized utilized by Shakespeare to defeat the witch-like aliens the Carrionites in an episode of Doctor Who. Shakespeare, at the least, resonates with Francis Bacon. I wrote about Doctor Who in my article Doctoring Art Gotic Part One, specifically presenting the Doctor as a professor of the Invisible College. This episode featured the Tenth Doctor, David Tennet, the actor who plays Barty Crouch Junior (the false Mad-Eye Moody) in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, a professor of Hogwarts, an Invisible College with a Baconian name.
Chapter Twelve: The Polyjuice Potion
Harry is seen in mid transformation into the form of Goyle. The reflective surface of the mirror is keeping with the watery symbolism of this book, as well as the lunar character. The Polyjuice Potion connects to both these areas as well. A Reflection holds certain Platonic connotations, as the material world was considered a more base reflection of an ideal plane, noteworthy as here we see a figure startled by his course reflection as compared to his more refined and spiritually enlightened self. A Metamorphosis like this symbolizes an inversion, the changing of one thing into another, because nothing material is really anything at all. This is also a symbol at play with the introduction of the phoenix Fawkes in this chapter.
Even more fascinating then this is Harry's first visit to Dumbledore's office. Note how many key activities take place in this location from this point onward in the ongoing adventures of Harry Potter. The entrance to Dumbledore's office is hidden behind a Gargoyle (noting the name of the character Harry disguises himself as in this chapter, hiding behind a "goyle"). Cirlot calls Gargoyles embodiments of cosmic forces and entities of the underworld who have been captured, made "-prisoners of a superior spirituality." They are subordinate to angelic entities, and this is certainly in keeping with the character and role of Albus Dumbledore.
Dumbledore's office is described as being filled with numerous silver instruments of mysterious purpose. Silver is always a lunar association, as Gold is emblematic of the sun. Tresidder states that as a lunar symbol it is also feminine, carrying connotations of purity, charity and eloquence as well as hope and wisdom. All of Dumbledore's devices of his own invention seem to be crafted from Silver, including the Deluminator.
And if Silver is the moon, then Dumbledore's office can be read as a microscopic representation of the cosmos. The room is circular. A Circle represents the sky. As stated earlier, the Phoenix (or Harry for that matter) represents the sun. Note that the resurrection cycle of the Phoenix is essentially circular. This is a totality, especially in conjuncture with the number Twelve. This is Chapter Twelve. Twelve is representative of the Zodiac, and the Zodiac is the ring around observable space. More on the number twelve down the line.
Cooper describes the Circle's symbolic attributes as including totality, perfection, the infinite, eternity, timelessness and spacelessness, recurrence, celestial unity, and dynamism. Biedermann calls the circle the most significant of all geometric forms, and notes its function of protection in conjurings. Tressider concurs and notes its implicit relationship with many other major symbols including the Wheel, the Disc, the Ring, the Clock, the Ouroburos (the Snake devouring its own tail) and not surprisingly, the sun, the moon and the Zodiac.
If we are to take the word of the Marauder's Map as presented in the films, then Hogwarts is a very square structure.
Which makes the Headmaster's office a Circle within a Square. Tresidder refers to this pattern as representative of the soul, the divine spark within a base, material body. During the Renaissance, the Circle was regarded as the most perfect shape. The first century BCE Roman architect Vitruvius observed that "if a man lies on his back with hands and feet outspread, and the center of the circle is placed on his fingers and toes will be touched by the circumference. This is the source of daVinci's late 15th century illustration Vitruvian Man.
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| Leonardo da Vinci, Vitruvian Man, 1490 |
Dumbledore is the man within the circle within the square, the divine spark, the soul of Hogwarts. Think about this, especially in those moments when Dumbledore is forced to leave Hogwarts (one of which occurs in chapter fourteen). I personally find it very interesting that the traditional image that we have of da Vinci as a older man with a long beard is based mostly on a drawing by da Vinci widely, but not universally, considered to be a self-portrait, and the appearance of Plato in Raphael's The School of Athens which is popularly held to be also a portrait of Leonardo.
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| Leonardo da Vinci, Portrait of a Man in Red Chalk, 1512 |
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| Raphael, The School of Athens (detail), 1509 |
Chapter Thirteen: The Very Secret Diary
It seems a bit unfortunate that this chapter, the one that introduces the first Horcrux into the Harry Potter story, is illustrated by a dwarf dressed as Cupid. Is there more to what we see here? Maybe. Cupid, a pupil of Hermes, is an emblem of love after all, and it is also in this chapter that Ginny's love for Harry becomes overtly apparent. That should be considered at least equally important to a sliver of Voldemort's twisted, murderous soul. What I really like here are the Hearts. Tresidder identifies the Heart as representing not only love, compassion, charity, joy and sorrow but also illumination, truth and intelligence. The Heart is also another solar symbol, as in alchemy it stands for the human body's inner sun.
And let's take it a step further and consider what else we might have here. There are seven hearts in this image if you count the tattoo on the dwarf's arm. Seven is the most significant number in Harry Potter. Is the image of seven hearts not unlike seven segments of a soul? It is the same thing really. What if we think about this as the Seven of Hearts? The Seven of Hearts is the equivalent of the Tarot's Seven of Cups. Cups represent the element of Water.
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| Art by Pamela Coleman Smith, 1911. |
Well, what do you see in this card? An enchanted castle, a dragon-like beast, and a serpent. Hidden treasure? Higher learning (laurel leaves) emerging from the cup embellished with a Dark Mark-like skull? Is that glowing, shrouded figure a ghost? Is the blue faced woman a Water Maiden? Your guess, truly, is as good as any. That's the way it is with Tarot cards. In The Pictorial Key to the Tarot, A.E. Waite, for whom Coleman Smith designed the above card, describes it as:
"Strange chalices of vision, but the images are more especially those of the fantastic spirit. Divinatory Meanings:
Fairy favours, images of reflection, sentiment, imagination, things
seen in the glass of contemplation; some attainment in these degrees,
but nothing permanent or substantial is suggested."
We will have opportunity to talk about Horcruxes much further down the road in this series. But note that the diary of Tom Riddle enters Harry's world through the element of Water. And if the intelligent paintings are emblematic of hidden messages in works of art, how much more so an intelligent diary that looks blank but which contains a world of hidden content. What about an intelligent, secret diary that lies?
Chapter Fourteen: Cornelius Fudge
The scroll that illustrates this chapter is the order of suspension delivered to Dumbledore by Lucius Malfoy. The Roman numeral twelve is meant to show that the order was signed by all twelve of the school governors. But is such a showing necessary to the chapter? What difference does it make that there are twelve governors? Because, as stated, Twelve is a very important number. Again, it is cosmic or universal order, space and time, the wheel and the circle, all of which stems from the twelve constellations of the Zodiac. Cooper adds that Twelve represents complete knowledge and understanding, six for the exoteric and six for the esoteric, and I would expect this derives from the Zodiac as well, emphasizing the duality in the system, six male and six female signs. The Scroll likely stands for prophecy, ancient wisdom and law. Combined with Twelve, this is the will and wisdom of the heavens.
Chapter Fifteen: Aragog
This image of the web of the giant spider Aragog by moonlight is rather fitting as Cirlot tells us how the spider is a lunar symbol and how in many mythological systems the moon is believed to be a giant spider. The Spider is both creative and destructive, making it emblematic of the universe itself, in a constant state of flux between weaving and devouring. The Web represents the center of the world, a spiral towards the center where its creator lies. Cooper links the Spider to the Mother Goddess in her most terrible aspect, a weaver of destiny. Tresidder speaks of the Spider's connection to divination and destiny. Note the latter when considering the role Aragog plays in this story. This is all combined with the intriguing structure of Aragog's Web, a Dome. In the article for Book One I mention how an arch designates importance and that is certainly the case here. The Dome is also the sky, the limits of the world, the boundaries of everything. Notice how with the pending confrontation the symbolism we encounter is becoming spatial, lofty, elevated and cosmic.
In my article Tingly Intuition I mention the connection between Arachne and Ariadne made by Fulcanelli in The Mystery of the Cathedrals. This association is partly made through the symbolic resonance between the Web and the Labyrinth and also through the kind of complex, multi-lingual, punning argot Fulcanelli was master of, what he termed the "spolen cabala." Ariadne is no small matter as she is highly emblematic of the Dionysian Mysteries. Initiatory rites remain vital to the underlying symbolism of Harry Potter throughout the series.
Chapter Sixteen: The Chamber of Secrets
Here we see Harry, Ron and Lockhart discovering the shed skin of the basilisk. Notice that it is Harry who bears the torch. Solar Harry is the Illuminator. This is the beginning of the climax of this story. This is ritual battle itself. Appropriately Cirlot tells us how a shed skin represents birth and rebirth. Tresidder calls this regeneration while Cooper talks of the sloughing of old skin as leaving the old for the now, attaining new youth, a higher status or immortality. The celestial connotations of the conflict of the solar Harry Potter and the cthonic basilisk are played out as Quidditch matches are canceled. Quidditch represents stellar activity.
At this point our protagonist has deduced the location of the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets, and this brings us to what might be my favorite symbol of this novel, as it is one that is so cleverly hidden. In the book at least. In the film it is down right blatant.
This is a good shot of it behind Hermione when she was preparing the Polyjuice Potion earlier in the story . I'm talking about the bathroom sink which the filmmakers have rendered as a medieval fountain/baptistry (and note: Transformation = Water, Potion = Water, Fountain = Water, etc.). To the ancient mind a Fountain was a much different matter, but in the modern era we are surrounded by Fountains and all use them every day, so much so that we mostly give them very little consideration unless they stop working.. Every sink, running tap or toilet is a Fountain.
Cirlot tells us that the Fountain is "the source," or "mystic center." Jung associates the symbolism with that of the soul, inner life and spiritual energy. It also represents strength during difficult periods. Often a Fountain designates a hallowed area. Cooper speaks of the Fountain as representing immortality and notes that a sealed Fountain stands for virginity (an important motif we will return to momentarily). This particular Fountain leads to the Chamber of Secrets. The symbolism of this is, quite frankly, a Jungian field day.
Harry, Ron and Lockhart slide through the pipes and wind up miles beneath the school by Harry's reckoning, and likely under the lake if Ron's theory is correct. Obviously, this continues the Watery symbolism, as well as the Serpentine, as lying beneath is very much in their nature. This "under the lake" business, while just a single line of text, is very intriguing to me as the Lake represents the occult itself, and everything mysterious. Cirlot relates how the Lake became related to concepts of the Land of the Dead due to the sun's apparent descent into water when it sets at night. The Lake is the intermediary of many dualistic states; life and death, solid and gaseous, superficial and profound. Cooper tells us that the Lake is feminine, and the abode of monsters and magic. According to Tresidder, the Lake also represents rebirth, and he reminds us that Dionysus entered the Underworld through a Lake. The symbolism of Water in general, and the Lake in particular, is also very involved in matters of level, the depth or shallowness of the water, and what lies beneath it. When considering the occult meaning of the Lake it is necessary to remember that the Chamber of Secrets resides beneath it. Like a serpent.
Chapter Seventeen: The Heir of Slytherin
To truly defeat the monster in this story, the deceptive book had to be killed. And it is done with the Basilisk's own fang. A loss of Teeth equals a loss of potency, a loss of identity, and the removal of the most primordial of our animal weapons. And this device reminds me greatly of the legend of Cadmus, whom Heroditus credited with inventing the Phonecian alphabet, and whose legend includes the device of sowing the teeth of a dragon to generate an army of soldiers. Note how teeth, soldiers and letters all stand neatly in rows.
I mentioned the sealed Fountain as symbol of virginity. I note this in order to emphasize the importance of Ginny Weasley in this story and her status as a maiden sacrifice to the basilisk. Her ultimate transport to the Chamber by Tom Riddle is ritualistic. So is Harry's pursuing descent into this Underworld to rescue her for that matter. Recall that conflicts are the vestiges of sacred mystery rites of deities like Dionysus and Ceres. Ginny Weasley's name is itself evocative of the word "virgin," though the Ginny stands not for Virginia but for Ginevra. Ginevra is a Welsh form of Jennifer. So is Guinevere. Arthurian matters are complex business. Far, far more complicated than Harry Potter, thank goodness, but recall the role of Guinevere as the abducted queen, and her importance as a sovereignty figure. Put more plainly, in some variations of the Arthurian legend, Queen Guinevere is presented as a personification of the Arthur's kingdom, following the mythological model that led to the generation of goddesses such as Britannia, Erin and Columbia.
Chapter Eighteen: Dobby's Reward
The book closes with Dumbledore's return. He's an angelic entity, who we have uncovered as the animating spirit of the Invisible College of Hogwarts. Harry's faith in Dumbledore through adversity gifted him with the means of defeating the basilisk (the item that ultimately served to destroy many of the Horcruxes). GrandPré shows us Dumbledore proudly displaying the Sword of Godric Gryffindor, its hilt appropriately radiating with solar power.
For Harold Bayley, the Sword is symbolic of the Word of God. Bayley states:
"The symbolism of the sword as the word of God is enshrined in the word Sword, i.e. se-word or is-word, the Fire or Light of the Word. The Anglo-Saxon for a sword was seax, "the Fire of the great Fire." Similarly the Italian spada resolves into sepada, the Fire of the Shining Father, and the German sabel into Fire of Bel."
I love what Bayley reveals within language. Even if you don't, if you have an interest in the origins of esoteric symbol systems it is key to remember the punning use of argotic language between members of secret enclaves (like alchemists during eras where such practices got one tortured and killed). This is Fulcanelli's Spoken Cabala.
Tresidder connects the Sword to authority, justice, decisiveness, insight, penetrating intellect, phallic power, supernatural power, light and purifying, alchemical fire. Cooper calls the Sword the weapon of choice of the solar hero, the conqueror of dragons and other demonic forces. Arthur was another solar hero who slayed dragons to rescue maidens. Biedermann notes how Arthur alone could draw forth Excalibur. Harry, who spent a great deal of the book doubting the judgement of the Sorting Hat, finds resolution to his identity crisis by drawing forth the Sword of Gryffindor from the hat, an act only a true Gryffindor could do. Cirlot calls the sword the "antithesis of the monster," and a symbol of lofty rank and high command. He further points out that a curved sword, like the one depicted by GranPré, is lunar and feminine. A straight sword, like the one seen in the films, in solar and masculine.
We will have opportunity to talk about Horcruxes much further down the road in this series. But note that the diary of Tom Riddle enters Harry's world through the element of Water. And if the intelligent paintings are emblematic of hidden messages in works of art, how much more so an intelligent diary that looks blank but which contains a world of hidden content. What about an intelligent, secret diary that lies?
Chapter Fourteen: Cornelius Fudge
The scroll that illustrates this chapter is the order of suspension delivered to Dumbledore by Lucius Malfoy. The Roman numeral twelve is meant to show that the order was signed by all twelve of the school governors. But is such a showing necessary to the chapter? What difference does it make that there are twelve governors? Because, as stated, Twelve is a very important number. Again, it is cosmic or universal order, space and time, the wheel and the circle, all of which stems from the twelve constellations of the Zodiac. Cooper adds that Twelve represents complete knowledge and understanding, six for the exoteric and six for the esoteric, and I would expect this derives from the Zodiac as well, emphasizing the duality in the system, six male and six female signs. The Scroll likely stands for prophecy, ancient wisdom and law. Combined with Twelve, this is the will and wisdom of the heavens.
Chapter Fifteen: Aragog
In my article Tingly Intuition I mention the connection between Arachne and Ariadne made by Fulcanelli in The Mystery of the Cathedrals. This association is partly made through the symbolic resonance between the Web and the Labyrinth and also through the kind of complex, multi-lingual, punning argot Fulcanelli was master of, what he termed the "spolen cabala." Ariadne is no small matter as she is highly emblematic of the Dionysian Mysteries. Initiatory rites remain vital to the underlying symbolism of Harry Potter throughout the series.
Chapter Sixteen: The Chamber of Secrets
At this point our protagonist has deduced the location of the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets, and this brings us to what might be my favorite symbol of this novel, as it is one that is so cleverly hidden. In the book at least. In the film it is down right blatant.
This is a good shot of it behind Hermione when she was preparing the Polyjuice Potion earlier in the story . I'm talking about the bathroom sink which the filmmakers have rendered as a medieval fountain/baptistry (and note: Transformation = Water, Potion = Water, Fountain = Water, etc.). To the ancient mind a Fountain was a much different matter, but in the modern era we are surrounded by Fountains and all use them every day, so much so that we mostly give them very little consideration unless they stop working.. Every sink, running tap or toilet is a Fountain.
Cirlot tells us that the Fountain is "the source," or "mystic center." Jung associates the symbolism with that of the soul, inner life and spiritual energy. It also represents strength during difficult periods. Often a Fountain designates a hallowed area. Cooper speaks of the Fountain as representing immortality and notes that a sealed Fountain stands for virginity (an important motif we will return to momentarily). This particular Fountain leads to the Chamber of Secrets. The symbolism of this is, quite frankly, a Jungian field day.
Harry, Ron and Lockhart slide through the pipes and wind up miles beneath the school by Harry's reckoning, and likely under the lake if Ron's theory is correct. Obviously, this continues the Watery symbolism, as well as the Serpentine, as lying beneath is very much in their nature. This "under the lake" business, while just a single line of text, is very intriguing to me as the Lake represents the occult itself, and everything mysterious. Cirlot relates how the Lake became related to concepts of the Land of the Dead due to the sun's apparent descent into water when it sets at night. The Lake is the intermediary of many dualistic states; life and death, solid and gaseous, superficial and profound. Cooper tells us that the Lake is feminine, and the abode of monsters and magic. According to Tresidder, the Lake also represents rebirth, and he reminds us that Dionysus entered the Underworld through a Lake. The symbolism of Water in general, and the Lake in particular, is also very involved in matters of level, the depth or shallowness of the water, and what lies beneath it. When considering the occult meaning of the Lake it is necessary to remember that the Chamber of Secrets resides beneath it. Like a serpent.
Chapter Seventeen: The Heir of Slytherin
To truly defeat the monster in this story, the deceptive book had to be killed. And it is done with the Basilisk's own fang. A loss of Teeth equals a loss of potency, a loss of identity, and the removal of the most primordial of our animal weapons. And this device reminds me greatly of the legend of Cadmus, whom Heroditus credited with inventing the Phonecian alphabet, and whose legend includes the device of sowing the teeth of a dragon to generate an army of soldiers. Note how teeth, soldiers and letters all stand neatly in rows.
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| Cadmus Fighting the Dragon, red-figure calix-krater, ca. 350 BCE |
I mentioned the sealed Fountain as symbol of virginity. I note this in order to emphasize the importance of Ginny Weasley in this story and her status as a maiden sacrifice to the basilisk. Her ultimate transport to the Chamber by Tom Riddle is ritualistic. So is Harry's pursuing descent into this Underworld to rescue her for that matter. Recall that conflicts are the vestiges of sacred mystery rites of deities like Dionysus and Ceres. Ginny Weasley's name is itself evocative of the word "virgin," though the Ginny stands not for Virginia but for Ginevra. Ginevra is a Welsh form of Jennifer. So is Guinevere. Arthurian matters are complex business. Far, far more complicated than Harry Potter, thank goodness, but recall the role of Guinevere as the abducted queen, and her importance as a sovereignty figure. Put more plainly, in some variations of the Arthurian legend, Queen Guinevere is presented as a personification of the Arthur's kingdom, following the mythological model that led to the generation of goddesses such as Britannia, Erin and Columbia.
Chapter Eighteen: Dobby's Reward
The book closes with Dumbledore's return. He's an angelic entity, who we have uncovered as the animating spirit of the Invisible College of Hogwarts. Harry's faith in Dumbledore through adversity gifted him with the means of defeating the basilisk (the item that ultimately served to destroy many of the Horcruxes). GrandPré shows us Dumbledore proudly displaying the Sword of Godric Gryffindor, its hilt appropriately radiating with solar power.
For Harold Bayley, the Sword is symbolic of the Word of God. Bayley states:
"The symbolism of the sword as the word of God is enshrined in the word Sword, i.e. se-word or is-word, the Fire or Light of the Word. The Anglo-Saxon for a sword was seax, "the Fire of the great Fire." Similarly the Italian spada resolves into sepada, the Fire of the Shining Father, and the German sabel into Fire of Bel."
I love what Bayley reveals within language. Even if you don't, if you have an interest in the origins of esoteric symbol systems it is key to remember the punning use of argotic language between members of secret enclaves (like alchemists during eras where such practices got one tortured and killed). This is Fulcanelli's Spoken Cabala.
Tresidder connects the Sword to authority, justice, decisiveness, insight, penetrating intellect, phallic power, supernatural power, light and purifying, alchemical fire. Cooper calls the Sword the weapon of choice of the solar hero, the conqueror of dragons and other demonic forces. Arthur was another solar hero who slayed dragons to rescue maidens. Biedermann notes how Arthur alone could draw forth Excalibur. Harry, who spent a great deal of the book doubting the judgement of the Sorting Hat, finds resolution to his identity crisis by drawing forth the Sword of Gryffindor from the hat, an act only a true Gryffindor could do. Cirlot calls the sword the "antithesis of the monster," and a symbol of lofty rank and high command. He further points out that a curved sword, like the one depicted by GranPré, is lunar and feminine. A straight sword, like the one seen in the films, in solar and masculine.
Ultimately, this is an even more important novel in the Harry Potter saga than the first one. The duality of Harry and Voldemort becomes emphasized and intensified, the ritual conflict at the heart of this modern myth. In his treatment on Serpent symbolism Cooper mentions that a Serpent in conjuncture with a Stag represents Darkness and Light. together they are a totality, a cosmic unity. And Harry and Tom Riddle are more than that. Harry is himself a Horcrux, containing within himself a fragment of Voldemort's soul. This is the source of his Serpentine nature which allows him to speak to snakes and confused matters with the Sorting Hat. Cooper calls two serpents dualistic opposites that are ultimately united, much like the serpent and the stag. If these serpents entwine a staff they represent the spiraling cycles of nature. They are healing and poisoning, time and fate, the forces of opposition springing from the same source (like a fountain). If the Harry Potter saga had to be summed up in a single image it would have to be this one:
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| From the Granger Collection. No kidding. |
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