death to capslock

The Saints of Hogwarts

Wed, 20 Feb 2019 23:12:00 GMT

Posted by: mary-j-59.livejournal.com

I know I was not the first person to notice this, but I think it's worth mentioning again. Here are a couple of saints:

http://www.el-greco-foundation.org/thumbnail/70000/70227/mini_normal/Saints-Peter-And-Paul-1605-08.jpg?ts=1459229076

And I just wonder what on earth Rowling was doing with these guys.

Saint Peter, the first Pope, was a simple fisherman. He tended to blurt things out without thinking, and he was made the keeper of the keys of the kingdom. He denied Christ on at least two occasions in the Gospels, once after Jesus was arrested, and again whent the early Christians were being persecuted in Rome. Peter fled the city. The story goes that he met Jesus on the road. Saint Peter asked him, "Where are you going, Lord?"

"I seek Rome," Jesus answered. So Peter turned around and went back. He was arrested, and (eventually) crucified, but he chose to be crucified upside down.

Then there was the young man called Saul of Tarsus. He was zealous for the Jewish faith, such that he persecuted the followers of Christ. When the first martyr, Stephen, was stoned to death, his attackers laid their cloaks at Saul's feet.

Saul, who is to the right in the El Greco painting, was a freeborn Roman citizen. He was converted on the road to Damascus and afterward became as zealous for Christ as he had once been against him. He, too, suffered death. But, as a freeborn Roman, he had a right to be killed by the sword. He was beheaded.

As to their appearance, what's been handed down is that Peter was big and burly, while Paul was a rather slender, wiry type.

So what WAS Rowling doing with these guys?

Hagrid is quite obviously modelled on Saint Peter, while Severus Snape is modelled on Saint Paul. But--

The real men were of different classes. Both were Jewish; both belonged to a subject, occcupied people. But Peter was a commoner while Paul was patrician. Not so with Severus and Hagrid. Hagrid is a commoner, certainly, but so is Severus. Both are half-bloods.

The real men were both saints, both teachers, and both founders of the faith. But the characters in the Potter books? They and their fates are very different.

Hagrid is beloved by Harry. When the Acromantulas carry him off upside down, he somehow survives. He's not crucified, after all.

Severus, on the other hand, is hated by Harry. And he is very nearly beheaded. However, there is no suggestion that he is redeemed.

It's all very frustrating to me, somehow. I can't make out why on earth Rowling so obviously harks back to these two saints when the characters she bases them on are so different in their fates and characters.

Just one more thing. Also during the Passion, when Christ was arrested, one of his followers took a sword and struck out with it. He chopped off the ear of one of the assailants. When the man who picked up the sword is named, his name isn't Paul (as you'd expect, since it was Severus who chopped off the twin's ear during the flight of the seven Potters.). It's Peter.

What on earth do you think Rowling meant by all this? Did she mean nothing at all except, yes, Severus is a good guy? Thoughts?

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PS Chapter Four: "The Keeper of the Keys"

Wed, 18 Nov 2015 22:44:00 GMT

Posted by: for-diddled.livejournal.com

* I remember how in the good old days before DH came out this chapter title spurred much interesting speculation regarding potential Hagrid-St. Peter parallels.

( Read more... )

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Covering for Hagrid

Tue, 06 Oct 2015 19:10:00 GMT

Posted by: sunnyskywalker

In my re-read of PS/SS, specifically looking for instances when the adults ought to know more than the kids about what’s going on, a penny finally dropped. Apologies to everyone who probably figured this out years ago.( Read more... )

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Harry Potter Abridged! DH Chapter 5

Sat, 27 Jun 2015 10:50:00 GMT

Posted by: sweettalkeress.livejournal.com

( Read Chapter 5 )

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Harry Potter Abridged! DH Chapter 4

Fri, 26 Jun 2015 17:58:00 GMT

Posted by: sweettalkeress.livejournal.com

( Read Chapter 4 )

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Harry Potter Abridged! HBP Chapter 28

Thu, 18 Jun 2015 16:45:00 GMT

Posted by: sweettalkeress.livejournal.com

( Read Chapter 28 )

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Harry Potter Abridged! HBP Chapter 22

Fri, 12 Jun 2015 23:33:00 GMT

Posted by: sweettalkeress.livejournal.com

( Read Chapter 22 )

( Bonus Scene )

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Harry Potter Abridged! OotP Chapter 31

Thu, 19 Feb 2015 23:18:00 GMT

Posted by: sweettalkeress.livejournal.com

[Ron is still ecstatic about his victory days later]

( Read Chapter 31 )

*A/N: This could have been a fairly nice segue into the consequences that result when people try to flout tyrannical leaders too openly and recklessly. Sigh for the road not taken.

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Harry Potter Abridged! OotP Chapter 30

Thu, 12 Feb 2015 22:39:00 GMT

Posted by: sweettalkeress.livejournal.com

[Following the departure of Fred and George, all the other students start thinking up new ways to make Umbridge miserable]

( Warning: abuse )

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Harry Potter Abridged! OotP Chapter 21

Thu, 20 Nov 2014 18:26:00 GMT

Posted by: sweettalkeress.livejournal.com

( Read Chapter 21 )

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Harry Potter Abridged! OotP Chapter 20

Sun, 16 Nov 2014 07:05:00 GMT

Posted by: sweettalkeress.livejournal.com

( I had fun with this one! >:D )

*A/N: You know, for someone who's half-giant Hagrid is remarkably contemptuous of that part of his heritage. I get that internalized prejudice is a thing, but we're never meant to see him as being WRONG for thinking this way!

**A/N: I exaggerate but only slightly--this too was in the text!

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Harry Potter Abridged! GOF Chapter 37

Fri, 18 Jan 2013 23:36:00 GMT

Posted by: sweettalkeress.livejournal.com

The home stretch!

( Read Chapter 37 )

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Snape’s Reputation among his Colleagues: Shattering Trust

Fri, 13 Jul 2012 10:19:00 GMT

Posted by: terri-testing.livejournal.com

“My reputation, Iago! My reputation!” Shakespeare, “Othello.”

*

Years ago on Snapedom we had a discussion about Snape’s relationships with his Hogwarts colleagues. It occurred to me recently to wonder anew about the changes in those relationships over time.

( ”When” )

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Snape’s Reputation among his Colleagues

Thu, 12 Jul 2012 22:15:00 GMT

Philosopher's Stone Chapter Fourteen

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 22:07:00 GMT

Posted by: urbanman1984.livejournal.com

( Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback )

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Excuses for Hagrid’s Brutality

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 08:49:00 GMT

Posted by: terri-testing.livejournal.com

Sigh. I just realized we may have to give Hagrid a partial miss for his crimes. It might not be the case that Rita’s simply right about the nature of half-giants, or at least of this half-giant: that they are naturally as brutal as they are stupid.

( I’m )

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The Keeper of the Keys, Take Two

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:33:00 GMT

Posted by: terri-testing.livejournal.com

There’s something I entirely overlooked when I first considered Dumbledore’s choice of Hagrid as the WW’s emissary to Harry.

Hagrid told us that part of his happiness in accepting Dumbledore’s commission was that he had permission to use magic openly until he’d secured custody of Harry. And that he wasn’t supposed to use his (broken) wand after he’d done so.

( ”Um.” )

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How Jo Proves Stereotypes to be Dead Wrong

Thu, 04 Nov 2010 20:24:00 GMT

Posted by: terri-testing.livejournal.com

Or, Hagrid the Gentle (half-)Giant

( We )

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OotP Chapter Twenty-One

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 09:33:00 GMT

Posted by: sistermagpie.livejournal.com

( The Eye of the Snake )

( Jabootu Scores )

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OotP Chapter Twenty

Fri, 07 Mar 2008 09:49:00 GMT

Posted by: sistermagpie.livejournal.com

( Hagrid’s Tale—bum bum BUUUUUM!!!! )

( Jabootu scores )

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GoF Chapter Twenty-Three

Fri, 27 Jul 2007 11:23:00 GMT

Posted by: sistermagpie.livejournal.com

( Rita Skeeter's Scoop )

( Jabootu Scores )

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POA - Chapter 6

Sat, 03 Feb 2007 14:50:00 GMT

Posted by: kaskait.livejournal.com

( Talons and Tea Leaves )

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Chapter Four

Fri, 03 Nov 2006 10:55:00 GMT

Posted by: sassafras-root.livejournal.com

( The Keeper of the Keys )

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