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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:

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Alchemy: A Rose by Any Other Name…

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  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”

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