Since the publication of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in 1997, J.K. Rowling’s best-selling series has become enormously popular, evidenced in part by its translation into more than seventy languages (Plunkett). As its popularity has increased, it has been held in correspondingly higher esteem until Harry Potter finally joined the likes of Peter Pan and Robin Hood, and Rowling’s series was unofficially labeled Children’s Literature. Due to this station, it is being treated more seriously and examined more analytically. This attention has illuminated allusions and patterns that impose additional layers of meaning onto the story. Harry Potter’s quest, detailed through seven books and thousands of pages, includes archetypal characters, situations, and structure of a classic epic.
The main character of a classic epic is the epic hero. This hero is usually male, and he performs courageous, even superhuman feats which “determine the fate of a nation” (Stephens). He “must undertake a long and perilous journey, often involving a descent into the underworld,” during which his “endurance, courage, and cunning” are tested (Characteristics of an Epic Hero). A trip to the Underworld is usually accompanied, at some point, by “epic games” and one or more “vision[s] of the future” (Stephens). Though the hero’s friends might be great warriors, “he undertakes a task that no one else dare attempt” (Characteristics of the Epic Hero). In the course of his development, the hero passes through three stages, each consisting of several steps: first, the hero departs the known world; then embarks upon the quest, is transformed, and achieves maturity; and finally, the hero must return to the known (The Hero’s Journey). The storyline ultimately …
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…lunkett, Suzanne. “J.K. Rowling announces new book; Harry Potter fans react.” 23 June 2011. The Washington Post. 6 June 2012 .
Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. New York: Scholastic, Inc., 2007.—. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. New York: Scholastic, Inc., 2003.—. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. New York: Scholastic, Inc., 1997.
Stephens, Jimmy. “Archetypes: Student Notes and Exercises.” August 2007. 9 June 2012 .
“The Hero’s Journey.” Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools. 8 June 2012 .
