Abstract of Paper to be Presented at Accio 2005

Getting Stoned at Hogwarts - The Gorgon Threat in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Kimberly Lesk, Rutgers University, NJ, USA

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is a fascinating story that relies heavily on ancient Greek mythology. Throughout the book, Harry Potter encounters several terrifying monsters, including a giant basilisk, which can trace their roots back millennia. To the casual reader, the basilisk is the most threatening thing that stalks the halls of the school. But this is not true. There is a far greater and more ancient threat - adolescent girls, namely Hermione Granger, Moaning Myrtle, and Ginny Weasley. Together, the three characters make up the triple Gorgon threat that jeopardizes the entirety of Hogwarts. My main evidence for this claim lies in the Medusa myth. Though there are other myths at work in this story (Rowling is a much too complex writer to rely solely on one myth), the Medusa myth is by far the most important. By interpreting Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets through the Medusa lens, we can see that, even though J.K. Rowling is a female author, the story is full of blatant fear, hatred, and punishment of the female.

My presentation will deal with how the Medusa myth works in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, as well as how Hermione, Moaning Myrtle, and Ginny Weasley are first threats to Hogwarts, and then how they are punished.

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