1 / 32

Alchemy: A Rose by Any Other Name…

Alchemy: A Rose by Any Other Name…. Leslie Barnhart. overview. John Granger’s Basic Course Alchemy: Nowadays, History, and JK Rowling The HP alchemical triangles and other new insights Christian Alchemy parallels, symbolism, triangles. John Granger’s Basic Course. Three Parts to Alchemy:

inigo
Download Presentation

Alchemy: A Rose by Any Other Name…

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. Alchemy: A Rose by Any Other Name… Leslie Barnhart

  2. overview • John Granger’s Basic Course • Alchemy: Nowadays, History, and JK Rowling • The HP alchemical triangles and other new insights • Christian Alchemy parallels, symbolism, triangles

  3. John Granger’s Basic Course • Three Parts to Alchemy: • Four physical elements: earth, water, air, fire • Three stages: nigredo, albedo, rubedo • Two forces: mercury and sulfur • Alchemical characters • Hermione = mercury; Ron = sulfur • Bill and Fleur – “red king” and “white queen” • Ted = alchemical orphan • Philosopher’s Stone – goal of alchemy • Alchemical numbers: 3, 7, 13 • What else do you remember?

  4. Alchemy Nowadays • Seven stages of transformation, including distillation, coagulation, separation, etc • Elements of the moon and the sun, with their “powers” – spiritual process is focus • Actual kits: chemistry kits, formulas, materials • Scripts look like made-up symbols:

  5. History of Alchemy • Possibly Chinese, definitely Egyptian roots • Well-spread throughout Roman Empire • Colossians 2:8 – talks about the “philosophy of the day concerning the four elements” • Diocletian – burned everything he could find • Resurrected from Arabia/ Spain in 12th century • People constantly focused on physical, not spiritual practice, lots of problems • http://www.alchemylab.com/history_of_alchemy.htm

  6. J K Rowling and alchemy • Used alchemy to highlight relationships between characters • Alchemical storyline: Harry is the lead – transforms to gold by end of series (JG again) • Hermione and Ron • Black, White, Red stages • Mastery of four elements • In chemistry lab, sulfur is the antidote for mercury spills

  7. Other Alchemical Pieces/ Triangles • Alchemy: a “celestial trio”: sulfur, mercury, salt • Three stages represented in many forms: • Gregory Goyle, Draco Malfoy, and Vincent Crabbe • Goyle: a golum/ gargoyle, black stage • Malfoy: white hair, etc, seeker, very intelligent • Crabbe: represents red, dies at the end of the red stage • Severus Snape, Albus Dumbledore, and Lord Voldemort • Snape: black eyes, turns away from everything • Dumbledore: blue eyes, knows everything • Voldemort: red eyes, purifying the race, battle

  8. Smaller Triangles • Lord Voldemort, Dumbledore, and Harry: • Represent the triptych of man: • Dumbledore: that which has always been (the old one) • Lord Voldemort: that which is now (the man in his prime) • Harry Potter: that which will be (forever and ever): the future • Flesh, Blood, and Bone • The bone of the father: the old man; flesh of the servant: man now; blood of the enemy: future of mankind

  9. Additional Character Alchemy • Harry = the Philosopher’s Stone in the Making • Phineus Nigellus: Nigellus = Black, hence: Pb = Lead!! – the beginning of the alchemy process • Sirius Black: initials: Sb = Antimony – the fifth/ transitional stage of alchemy (death: end of 5th stage), followers are all shiny metals, has dog-like characteristics • Sb transitions from Slytherin to Gryffindor, adopts Harry, Harry inherits the path to Gold • Gringotts: The Seat of All Alchemical Metals

  10. Three Stages • Micro and Macro: within each book, within the series • Beginning of each stage DNE book beginnings • In General, Order of the Phoenix = black stage, Half-Blood Prince = white stage and Deathly Hallows = red stage • Elements of a stage change: • Significant death • Juxtaposition of Harry and Lord Voldemort • Elements of new stage set in immediately

  11. Stage Changes • Nigredo – begins at end of Goblet of Fire • Begins with death of Cedric Diggory • Harry and Lord Voldemort’s wands “connect” • Upon returning from the graveyard, Minister denies Harry’s claim, begins renouncing Harry’s credibility

  12. Stage Changes • Albedo: begins at the end of Order of the Phoenix • Sirius BLACK dies (signals beginning of end of Black stage) • Lord Voldemort possesses Harry – juxtaposition of opposites • Cornelius Fudge suddenly understands: “He’s back!” • Lord Voldemort is completely absent during this stage from Harry’s mind

  13. Stage Changes: • Rubedo: • White stage ends with three significant deaths: • Albus Dumbledore’s death at end of Half-Blood Prince • Hedwig’s death • Mad-Eye Moody’s death • Harry and Lord Voldemort’s Wands connect in the departure from Privet Drive • Once they find out about Moody’s death, Lord Voldemort is back in Harry’s mind

  14. Stage Changes • End of Rubedo: • Three Significant deaths/ captures: • Crabbe in the fire in the Room of Requirement • Fred in the blast at Hogwarts • Rubeus Hagrid – captured in the forest • Harry and Lord Voldemort unite but are then separated forever • Battle of Hogwarts is over

  15. J K Rowling’s crucible • Alchemy is not palatable for most Christians: • Thought to be associated with witchcraft • Transformation seems like ancient “voo-doo” science • Separated into science and spiritual discovery after Galileo and Newton • Alchemy was banned by the church or ruling body multiple times • Rowling recombines spiritual alchemy with Christianity, regenerates concept of “Christian Alchemy”

  16. Alchemy of the Series • Philosopher’s Stone: Harry masters earth (monster of earth: troll, Quirreldemort) • Chamber of Secrets: Harry masters water by mastering elemental water(masters Parseltongue to help conquer monster of water, the basilisk) • Prisoner of Azkaban: Harry masters elemental air through the Hebraic understanding: breath/ air, spirit, and time: animagus, time-turners, dementors and boggart (monsters of air), … • Goblet of Fire: Harry masters fire by winning tournament, defeats other monsters of fire: blast-ended screwts, conversing via fireplace

  17. Alchemy of the series • Order of the Phoenix: • masters the fifth element: the Astral Plane, where angels and dreams live – has to conquer dreams vs reality (symbolized by the veil) • dovetails with black stage (nigredo): dreams happen at night, Harry’s exile from Dumbledore, renunciation, occlumency… • Half Blood Prince: Illumination/ albedo (lots of silver, the sixth metal of alchemy) • Deathly Hallows: Battle, unification of Lord Voldemort’s soul (eliminating pieces); unification of the races against Lord Voldemort, union with the Divine Mind

  18. Similar Christian Parallel • Philosopher’s Stone: Covenant of earth: God’s covenant with Adam, his creation • Chamber of Secrets: Covenant over water: God’s covenant with Noah • Prisoner of Azkaban: Covenant of air: God’s covenant promising a future, etc with Abraham • Goblet of Fire: covenant over fire: God’s covenant with Moses through the burning bush

  19. Christian Parallel • Order of the Phoenix: exile in Babylon, feeling of separation from God • Half-Blood Prince: Palm Sunday: begins with the triumphant re-entry of Harry and Dumbledore into society, ends with Dumbledore’s death – the Passion Narrative • Deathly Hallows: The joys of Easter: new Christian faith, as Christ rose, we share in the resurrection

  20. Idealogical Triangles • Ron – Sulfur (two sides to sulfur); Hermione – mercury: quiksilver; Harry – the “salt” of the earth (Christian connection!!) • Deathly Hallows: three men = Trinity • Elder Wand: the power of God • Resurrection Stone: the power of Christ’s Resurrection • Invisibility Cloak: the power of the Holy Spirit • As the Trinity, Hallows versus Horcruxes symbolizes differences between man’s plan for saving his “life” and God’s plan for salvation

  21. Ideological Triangles • Dumbledore’s Death = Passion Narrative • Three Points of View of the Passion: • Harry’s: St John – the only disciple to get into the courtyard and witness Christ’s torture • Snape’s: St Peter – denial of Christ three times: Snape denies Charity’s pleas three times before her death; sectumsempra on George’s ear • Mundungus: Judas: deserts the disciples, allowing the leader to die

  22. Additional Christian Characters • Fred and George Weasley – represent the Saints and Martyrs of the church: • Saint George, patron saint of England • Fred – murdered for his faith • Oliver Wood – the Olive Wood of the cross – shows Harry the quest for truth • Ollivander – the Olive Wand, again pointing to Olive Wood as the Cross wood • Peter Pettigrew / Wormtail: wormwood, the substance that always kills 1/3 of the community whenever it appears in Bible

  23. Additional Christian Characters • Albus Dumbledore = Christ Figure: Anno Domini (Year of our Lord) = Great Shepherd • Brother and sister also have AD initials • Aberforth = reminder of sheep versus goats • Predecessor, Armando Dippet = AD too • Hagrid – gatekeeper for the sheepfold • Goes to the ends of the earth to collect the lost sheep • Believes in all creatures’ goodness

  24. Additional Christian Characters • Minerva McGonagall and Molly Weasley • Martha and Mary • McGonagall = all work, duty over all else • Molly Weasley = focus on people, chores less • Snape = St. Peter: rock of Hogwarts when AD leaves, cuts of ear, close friend of Dumbledore • Harry = St. John: Beloved student, watches AD Passion, in cave and in tower • (Draco = Judas, reformed: given opportunity to change mind, appeal to AD’s mercy)

  25. Christian stage changes • Black: renouncing all evil • Early catecumenates would wear black robes during this stage • White: significant insights and learning • At baptism, Christians would gain new white robe and wear it for all special sacraments with God (communion, confirmation, marriage, death, etc) • Red: Reunification between God and humanity • Historically, the reunification between Christ and man on the cross • After death – purgatory, “baptism” by fire -- John Granger, The Five Keys to Unlocking Harry Potter, 2005, USA.

  26. Conclusion of stage changes • Deathly Hallows concludes series through baptisms in the four elements, solidifying their Christian mastery of the physical elements: • Baptism of earth: Trio rise out of the ministry with the Locket Horcrux • Baptism of water: Harry is brought out of the water by Ron, Sword destroys Locket • Baptism of air: Harry, Ron, and Hermione rise out of Gringotts on the dragon with the Cup • Baptism of fire: Harry, Ron, and Hermione emerge from Fiendfyre, Tiara is destroyed • Baptism of astral plane: Harry meets with Dumbledore, returns with LV’s soul destroyed

  27. How HP affects Christianity • Understanding the four elements exist in church: • Birth = creation of God, earth • Baptism = covenant with water • Confirmation = covenant with air • Death/ purgatory, etc = baptism by fire • Philosopher’s Stone = Christ, who gives us his body and blood, the elixir of life = immortality • Transformation is a Quest, not a Destination

  28. Philosopher’s Stone • As people are transformed, they transform others as well: • Harry helps change Ron and Hermione, as they change him • Harry transforms Draco with sectumsempra – Draco never hurts anyone afterwards • Helps transform Neville through his example, Neville then helps transform others

  29. Philosopher’s Stone, from a Christian Perspective • Christ is the ultimate Philosopher’s Stone – shows his mastery of the four elements to become the Stone, gave his body and blood for us (communion/ Eucharist) • Eucharist grants immortality • Albus Dumbledore is the Philosopher’s Stone • Others create or become Philosopher’s Stones because of Albus Dumbledore • Helps Nicholas Flamel create stone (600 years ago?) • Helps Harry understand his progression through his mastery at every level – Harry becomes a “stone”

  30. Christian symbols in hp • Owls – wisdom of God • Raven – hidden knowledge • Many others: see John Granger’s books for list • Four houses = four Songs of Isaiah that foretell the coming of Christ: • the pure of heart that will shine as an example to the world • The wise teacher that will instruct the world • The suffering servant • The conquering king

  31. Conclusions • What do you take from this?

  32. Leslie Barnhart, barnharts4@hotmail.com For more information, read the book “The Christian's guide to Harry Potter”

More Related