(no subject)

[heidi]

zsenya, Age 30, headmistress of the Sugar Quill and archivist in Baltimore, Maryland "I am scared to death that a Weasley will die, and of them all, I'm most scared for Percy Weasley, who has shown signs of splitting from his family in favor of the Ministry of Magic. We'll find out something cool about Ginny Weasleys. I'm convinced she's meant for Harry, but I don't know how much time Harry is going to have for romance in the next few books. He's going to be too busy fighting evil."

heidi8 Tandy, thirtysomething editor, co-founder of FictionAlley.org and an attorney in Miami, Florida "I do think that Draco [Malfoy] will be a prefect, that Ron will pursue Hermione in a romantic fashion (although I think it will never last) and that Peter Pettigrew's insider knowledge of the Weasley household--and both Ron and Percy's personalities--will prove dangerously detrimental to the Weasleys. I think we might learn that Harry's parents were Unspeakables with the Ministry. Hopefully, we'll learn more about why Snape turned from the Death Eaters--many people think it had something to do with love (unrequited or mutual) for Lily [Potter], but me? I'm just not sure. "

melissa_tlc Anelli, managing editor of The Leaky Cauldron and a freelance writer in New York "A very popular theory is that Harry is the heir of Gryffindor, as Voldemort is the heir of Slytherin. I think this is true, as it fits with the idea that Voldemort killed all of Harry's family on his father's side in an attempt to rid the world of Gryffindors. In book one, we see in the Mirror of Erised that Harry has lot of family--yet his only living relatives are the Dursleys, and that speaks volumes. Also, we are told the attack on the Potters took place in Godric's Hollow, and that seems to tie to Godric Gryffindor. Something is going on with his eyes--everyone comments that he has his mother's eyes--and I think that will be hugely important in the future. I also think Ron will make the Quidditch team, as the new Keeper."

Comments

[perceval.livejournal.com]

*g* cool - and good point about Pettigrew.

percival

[rachet.livejournal.com]

How FUN!

Some great thoughts, too.

[hermorrine.livejournal.com]

W00t! Go you all!

[themorningstarr.livejournal.com]

Oh, cool! Great theories. Still mad that I bought that Ultimate Guide to Harry Potter or whatever it was called. I find better, more sound theories on the net!
The Morning Starr

[heidi8.livejournal.com]

here be theories

[themorningstarr.livejournal.com]

Thanks... I just bookmarked the site! ---Kellie

[skg.livejournal.com]

I have a theory that Rowling has pervasive themes from Shakespeare's King Henry IV in the Harry Potter series. If I had thought of this before the Nimbus deadline, I would have done a paper on it.

Henry IV is very popular in the UK, even amongst Shakespeare's other plays, so undoubtedly JKR has read it.

A few interesting parallels:

Harry is a nickname for Henry.
Prince Henry (called Hal in HenryIV) is somewhat of a rule-breaker before he steps up to his role as hero and king
Falstaff is his trouble-making fat friend (which can be drawn as an interesting parallel to both Pettigrew and Neville)

I could go on...anyone read Henry IV?

[shakespearechic.livejournal.com]

Oooooh! Very, very cool!!

[angelofthenorth.livejournal.com]

This makes sense.

There's also the sense of Hal playing, albeit in serious ways, before taking up his crown and being a good king, much as Harry has had minor, albeit important, challenges before taking up the sword of Gryffindor.
Most of the Hal plays (IVi IVii and V) are about his younger life, but then he has to turn his back on Falstaff *that* speech in Henry IV part I and that reminds me of right/easy, and how Hagrid is a giant, and for all his buffoonery, he has a nastier side underneath, and Harry is going to have to turn his back on Hagrid.
You also then have the Hotspur parallels, with the Percys as the Malfoys.

I hear ya...

[longtimegone]

I was floored by the thoughtful theories I found once I started looking around. Why did I spend $$ on that book when I can get TBAY for free on HP4GU? I'm such a newbie sometimes.

Kristen

[malsperanza.livejournal.com]

I think there's a lot that's Shakespearean in HP, but I don't see the parallels between Henry IV and Harry Potter. I mean, "Hal" and "Harry" may both be versions of "Henry," but in Henry IV, Pt I there is a perfectly good Harry already, and he's not Hal, he's Hotspur, who is Hal's foil (and perhaps in some sense his double). Also, doesn't HP canon say that Harry is not short for Henry?

But I like the Hagrid/Falstaff connection. That works for me.

[ashavah]

Thanks for posting that, Heidi! I'd heard about it and wanted to see what it said!

Peace and fanfiction,

JK

[lizbee.livejournal.com]

::dances::

Go you! Now have lovely image of espionage!Potters, with leather dusters and funky boots. Will keep me childishly amused all day, along with the gratuitous Snape/Lily reference.

theirloveissodoomed...

Not that I'm obsessed or anything.

[angelofthenorth.livejournal.com]

The other place I took the analogy was that Hal's father was a usurper, taking out the ineffectual? king before him, which is making me wonder about James/Snape.

The other analogy I was thinking of was Dumbledore/Lear...

[heidi8.livejournal.com]

and NOW you know why I tried to YM you, don't you?

points to theirloveissodoomed icon ;)

[lizbee.livejournal.com]

I figured it out, yeah. ^_^

::admires shiny Hr/D icon::

[skg.livejournal.com]

Also, doesn't HP canon say that Harry is not short for Henry?

Well, yes, and I thought about pointing this out, but it isn't the crux of the argument.

I think there are some interesting parallels, as angelofthenorth pointed out with the development of Hal's character and the development of Harry's. Also, Hotspur (IMO) is not a perfectly good Harry--he is of the old school as opposed to the new, nobility and morality and honor above all whereas Hal walks the line between the antics of Falstaff and the piety of Hotspur, finding a balance that makes him a good leader. I think this is somewhat true of Harry.

But the thing that I am most interested to see is how JKR unfolds the development of Neville and Pettigrew. Neither character has been fully developed, and I will be interested to see what direction she takes and if there are elements of Falstaff there.

[mmichelle.livejournal.com]

Awesome for you, Heidi!