《哈利波特》中的文化原型分析

密级学号111655毕业设计（论文）2015年6月26日·北京An Analysis of CulturalArchetypes in Harry Potter院（系、部）：外语系姓名：董杨年级：11级专业：英语（国际商务）指导教师：董丽哲教师职称：讲师北京石油化工学院学位论文电子版授权使用协议论文《An Analysis of Cultural Archetypes in Harry Potter》系本人在北京石油化工学院学习期间创作完成的作品，并已通过论文答辩。

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现本人同意将本作品收录于“北京石油化工学院学位论文全文数据库”。

本人承诺：已提交的学位论文电子版与印刷版论文的内容一致，如因不同而引起学术声誉上的损失由本人自负。

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注：本协议书对于“非公开学位论文”在保密期限过后同样适用。

院系名称：外语系作者签名：董杨学号：1116552015年6月24日AbstractThe world famous novel Harry Potter written by J.K Rowling has gained great popularity among the readers around the world since it was firstly published in1997. It contains a great variety of mythological factors and cultural factors.It is the use of cultural archetypes that gives Harry Potter its own spiritual and cultural significance.Over the past few years,the research of Harry Potter is endless,but mostly from the perspective of translation or literary study.This thesis uses Carl Gustav Jung and Northrop Frye’s archetypal theories to analyze the cultural archetypes in Harry Potter. In both of their archetypal theory,Jung and Frye believed that the structures of all literary works are composed of myths.Archetype is the literary form of myth,and myth is actually a"cultural model"which specifies itself in a literary work.This thesis will analyze some characters and their names and some kinds of magical creatures depicted in the book and analyze the relationship between the aforesaid factors and the cultural origins in the mythological area.The characters analyzed in this thesis include Hermione Granger,Minerva Mcgonagall and Sibyll Trelawney.And the magical creatures include Phoenix,Basilisk,Dragon,Fluffy,Werewolf,Veela and the House-elf.The cultural origins of the archetypes in Harry Potter can be traced back to Greek and Roman mythology and Celtic mythology.It’s obvious that all these cultures have a great impact on Harry Potter.The use of archetype is one of the factors that made Harry Potter so successful,because it can build a bond between the character and the reader.Hopefully,analyzing Harry Potter from the archetypal point of view will provide a new perspective for the research of Harry Potter.Key Words:Harry Potter,Archetypes,cultural origins摘要英国女作家J.K罗琳的《哈利波特》小说系列自问世以来，受到全世界读者的追捧。

此小说包含了多种多样的神话和文化因子。

正是这些原型特征的运用，使得《哈利波特》具备了超越自身的精神内涵和文化意义。

近几年来，对于《哈利波特》的研究也是层出不穷，但是大多是从文学或者文本翻译的角度对文章进行研究。

本篇论文运用荣格和弗莱的原型理论，研究《哈利波特》中的文化原型。

荣格和弗莱认为神话是文学作品结构的一个组成部分,神话的文学体现形式是原型,神话实际上是文学作品中的一种文化模型。

本论文将对书中的人物和魔法生物进行研究，并分析与其相对应的神话中的文化原型的。

本论文中着重分析的人物及其文化原型有赫敏、麦格教授和特里劳尼。

着重分析的魔法生物有凤凰、蛇怪、龙、路威、狼人、媚娃、小精灵和巨人。

通过对这些文化原型的分析和进一步的深层次探究，其文化根源可以追溯到，古希腊罗马文化和凯尔特文化中的神话方面，这些文化都对《哈利波特》的创作产生了极大的影响。

《哈利波特》能够风靡全球，如此成功的原因之一，就是这些文化原型的运用以及文化背景的继承。

引起了读者的心灵共鸣。

因此，从文化原型的角度对《哈利波特》进行分析，为《哈利波特》的研究提供了一个新的角度。

关键词：哈利波特，原型，文化渊源ContentsChapter1Introduction (1)Chapter2Theoretical Framwork (3)1.1Carl Gustav Jung’s Archetypal Theory (3)1.2Northrop Frye’s Archetypal Theory (4)Chapter3Cultural Origins (6)3.1The Embodiment of Greek and Roman Culture on Harry Potter (6)3.2The Embodiment of Celtic Culture on Harry Potter (7)3.2The Role of Mythology in Harry Potter (9)Chapter4Archetypes of Characters (11)4.1The Archetype of Hermione Granger is Hermes in Greek and Roman Mythology..114.2The Archetype of Minerva Mcgonagall is Athena in Greek and Roman Mythology124.3The Archetype of Sibyll Trelawney is the Prophet in Greek and Roman Mythology13 Chapter5Archetypes of Magical Creatures (15)5.1Phoenix in Harry Potter and its Archetype in Greek and Roman Mythology (15)5.2Basilisk in Harry Potter and its Archetype in Greek and Roman Mythology (16)5.3Dragon in Harry potter and its Archetype in Greek and Roman Mythology (17)5.4Fluffy in Harry Potter and Cerberus in Greek and Roman Mythology (17)5.5Werewolf in Harry Potter and Lycaon in Greek and Roman Mythology (18)5.6Veela in Harry Potter and Eastern Europe Mythology (19)5.7House-elf in Harry Potter and Brownie in Celtic Mythology (19)Chapter6Conclusion (21)Acknowledgments (24)Chapter1IntroductionHarry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by the British author J.K. Rowling.Each of the seven books in the series chronicles one year in Harry’s adventures at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and his battle against Lord Voldemort who looks down upon non-human magical creatures and fears his own death more than anything,aiming to conquer the wizarding world and destroy all those who stand in his way,especially Harry Potter.Harry makes two marvelous best friends named Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger.The three of them united together and solved many challenges.Since the release of the first novel,Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone,on30th June1997,the seven books have been translated into sixty-eight languages,selling over four hundred million copies in more than two hundred countries.In each book,Harry studies magics like Transfiguration and Potions under wise headmaster Albus Dumbledore and the malevolent Severus Snape.He becomes expert at a game called Quidditch;encounters incredible creatures like phoenixes and dragons;and discovers an entire Wizarding universe hidden just out of sight,as prone to the darker aspects of human experience as our own,but brightened by a quirky original magic.However,the stories reach their climax in the seventh book Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,in which Voldemort and the Death Eaters are gathering their forces to eliminate Harry once and for all and to control the magical world.Meanwhile,their enemies,the Order of the Phoenix and Harry himself is making plans for his mission to destroy Voldemort.In the final novel,Harry and his friends spend most of their time away from Hogwarts,and only return there at the Battle of Hogwarts to face Voldemort and destroy him forever.In Harry Potter series,the influence of culture and ancient mythology can be experienced everywhere.From character names to magical creatures,Rowling has weaved both culture and history into her novels,which possess not only entertainment value but also educational merit.So this thesis will mainly discuss about the use of cultural archetypes.Although there’re numerous studies on Harry Potter,mostly were from the literary or translation point of view and some discussed its value as a part of children literature.This thesis will make an archetypal analysis from the cultural point of viewand explore its cultural origins in the mythological area.This thesis will analyze some characters and magical creatures mentioned in the book and find out its archetypes and cultural origins in ancient myths.As a cultural background of the book,the cultural origins in the area of mythology have a great impact on Harry Potter.The use of archetype is one of the factors that made Harry Potter so successful.The Harry Potter series has inspired millions of children and adults to rediscover their love of literature,but the books do much more than feed the imagination.To read Harry Potter from the cultural point of view is an attempt to arouse the reader to re-recognize the value and power of literature.It also helps the reader to understand Harry Potter better,not only as children fantasy but also as literature.Chapter2Theoretical FramworkAccording to Oxford English Dictionary,the word“archetype”is defined as follows:(1)The original pattern or model from which copies are made;a prototype;(2)Psychoanalysis(In Jungian theory)a primitive mental image inherited from the earliest human ancestors,and supposed to be present in the collective unconscious;(3) A recurrent symbol or motif in literature,art,or mythology.Although these three definitions show us the meaning of the word“archetype”,it is still mysterious. Because the existence of“archetype”can only be inferred by examining behavior, images,art,myths,religions,or dreams.It is a collective unconsciousness which can not be explained easily.1.1Carl Gustav Jung’s Archetypal TheoryCarl Gustav Jung is a Swiss psychiatrist and psychotherapist.Jungian archetypes theory is one of his famous theories.According to Jess Feist and Gregory J.Feist’s book Theories of Personality,they said that Carl Jung understood archetypes as universal,archaic patterns and images that derive from the collective unconscious and are the psychic counterpart of instinct.They are inherited potentials which are actualized when they enter consciousness as images or manifest in behavior on interaction with the outside world.Jung believed that:The archetype is the introspectively recognizable form of a priori psychic orderedness.These images must be thought of as lacking in solid content,hence as unconscious.They only acquire solidity,influence,and eventual consciousness in the encounter with empirical facts(1985:140).When it comes to literature,Jung’s theory is rather practical than theoretical. Jung described archetypal events as birth,death,separation from parents,initiation, marriage,the union of opposites;and the archetypal figures are great mother,father, child,devil,god,wise old man,wise old woman,the trickster,the hero;and archetypal motifs like the apocalypse,the deluge,the creation.There are numerous archetypes but the recurring archetypal images are more notable,such as the chief among them being,the shadow,the wise old man,the child,the mother...and hercounterpart,the maiden,and lastly the anima in man and the animus in woman.(Jung 1959:114)However,any attempts to give a comprehensive list of archetypes are useless. Since the archetypes are combined with each other and can universally exist in the myths,religion,arts,philosophy,and cultures,it can be interpreted and changed into lots of different forms.But the important point is that the archetypes have been reflected in many literary works and these archetypes are the embodiment of the culture background.1.2Northrop Frye’s Archetypal TheoryHerman Northrop Frye,was a Canadian literary critic and literary theorist.His lasting reputation rests principally on the theory of literary criticism that he developed in Anatomy of Criticism,one of the most important works of literary theory published in the twentieth century.Frye’s work helped displace New Criticism as the major mode of analyzing literary texts,before giving way to structuralism and semiotics.Archetypal literary criticism is a type of critical theory that interprets a text by focusing on recurring myths and archetypes in the narrative,symbols,images,and character types in literary work.Frye’s work breaks from Jung’s archetypal theory.For Frye,it is through the lens of mythological framework,which is essentially a centrifugal movement of backing up from the text towards the archetype,that the social function of literary criticism becomes apparent.Essentially according to Frye,what criticism can do,is awaken students to successive levels of awareness of the mythology that lies behind the ideology in which their society indoctrinates them.That is,the study of recurring structural patterns grants students an emancipatory distance from their own society, and gives them a vision of a higher human state—the Longinian sublime—that is not accessible directly through their own experience,but ultimately transforms and expands their experience,so that the poetic model becomes a model to live by (1957:18).In Frye's theory,myths and archetypes are inseparable with respective functions:"myths are the stimulating forces,which attach the rituals with archetypal significance and oracles with narrative archetypes.In fact,myths are archetypes" (Frye1997:197).However,Frye made two explanations to myths.In a broad sense, myths are the primitive cultural forms,which are recognized as the cultural root foreach nation.The story forms of myths disappeared with the time,and were absorbed by culture.In this way,archetypes can be extracted from myths and became representatives of people's desire and unconscious.In a narrow sense,myths still refer to the stories and images which have been spread for ages(Yi2009:85).Frye(1980)stated that"culture is the whole construction of human beings outside of nature.Culture cannot be discussed in an isolated context,but can be discussed in a literary or social context.It cannot be separated from myth and nguage links culture and myth up,and culture contains myth."Therefore, myth is a part of the culture,is a‘cultural model’,not the specific stories we think. Myth is a concept system which belongs to art instead of nature;it is not a description of the outside world,not a simple form of philosophy or science,but a‘cultural model’,to express how human beings want to construct and reconstruct their own civilizations(Frye1997:253).Chapter3Cultural OriginsCulture is,in the words of E.B.Tylor,"that complex whole which includes knowledge,belief,art,morals,law,custom,and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society."(Tylor1871:1)The concept material culture covers the area of technology,architecture and art. However the immaterial aspects of culture are the principles and practices of social organization,mythology,philosophy and literature(both written and oral).The cultural origins discussed in this thesis are mainly in the mythological area.Generally speaking,the roots of western culture are mostly ancient Greek culture and Hebrew culture.But there’s another cultural root besides the two cultures which is the Celtic culture.The world famous novel series Harry Potter is based on these three cultural origins.The success of Harry Potter is not only literary and artistic success, but also an important signal to the new century’s cultural direction.3.1The Embodiment of Greek and Roman Culture on Harry PotterAncient Greece Culture was the birthplace of Western civilization about4000 years ago.Ancient Greek produced many magnificent achievements in areas of government,science,philosophy and the arts that still influence our lives.Among these cultures,the mythology has the most influential impact on literature.The term"myth"refers to a story that attempts in more or less symbolic form to explain the mystery of the origins of the cosmos,the earth,and humanity;the theme of life and death;and the causes and meanings of natural phenomena.All of these have bewildered humanity since ancient times.Human kind uses myth as an attempt to express its relation to nature.Greek mythology is the body of myths and teachings that belong to the ancient Greeks,concerning their gods and heroes,the nature of the world,and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices.It is a part of the religion in ancient Greece.Mythology was at the heart of everyday life in Ancient Greece.Greeks regarded mythology as a part of their history.They used myth to explain natural phenomena, cultural variations,traditional enmities and friendships.It was pride to be able to trace one’s descent from a mythological hero or a god.Few ever doubted that there wastruth behind the account of the Trojan War in the Iliad and Odyssey.According to Victor Davis Hanson,a military historian,columnist,political essayist and former Classics professor,and John Heath,associate professor of Classics at Santa Clara University,the profound knowledge of the Homeric epos was deemed by the Greeks the basis of their acculturation.Homer was the"education of Greece",and his poetry "the Book".(Heath1998:37)In northern Europe,Greek mythology never took the same hold of the visual arts, but its effect was very obvious on literature.Both Latin and Greek classical texts were translated,so that stories of mythology became available.In England,Chaucer,the Elizabethans and John Milton were among those influenced by Greek myths;nearly all the major English poets from Shakespeare to Robert Bridges took Greek mythology as inspiration to the literature.Jean Racine in France and Goethe in Germany revived Greek drama.In Harry Potter series,the impact of Greek and Roman mythology is reflected everywhere.For example,quite a lot of the names have Latin or Greek origins,most of them are from mythology.Albus Dumbledore,for instance,has the name‘albus’meaning white in Latin,which is a color that is often associated with goodness, knowledge and truth.Severus Snape,obviously,has the Latin word for severe,which suits his personality.Minerva McGonagall has the name of the Roman goddess of wisdom,which suits her own knowledgeable and intelligent disposition.Sybil Trelawney has the name of the mythical human beings known as sybils,which are oracles in the temple of Apollo who have been granted the incredible gift of foresight. Other examples include Regulus Black,Lucius Malfoy,Draco Malfoy(dragon), Narcissa Malfoy(Narcissus)etc.Rowling matched the name of a character with his or her personality,and then subtly hide this allusion within a mythological or linguistic reference.3.2The Embodiment of Celtic Culture on Harry PotterCeltic culture is one of the three ancient western cultures besides Greek and Roman Culture,and it is still one of the most important factors constituting the contemporary western cultures.Generally speaking,the Celtic mythology can be divided into three main parts: the Goidelic,including Ireland,the Isle of Man,and the western highlands of Scotland;The Insular Brythonic,including Wales and Cornwall,and the Continental Brythonic, including Brittany.And the Irish mythology is represented mainly by its four major cycles:The Ulster Cycle,formerly the Red Branch Cycle,the Mythological Cycle,the Fenian Cycle and the Historical Cycle.Welsh myths were originated from The four branches of the Mabinogi,the most mythological stories that come from The Mabinogion,a collection of prose stories from Welsh medieval manuscripts.Magic is one of the most crucial facts in life of the Celts and their myths.At first, it is important to realize the fact that Celts were in their religion and beliefs which were deeply and spiritually connected with the supernatural powers of nature and they worshiped a pantheon of deities whom they not only respect but use to make their everyday life better.Myths are based on dreams and fantastic imaginations which,in concrete terms,represent unconscious process of mind and thus become powerful tools of our deep inner changes and development.It’s important in human life and it is the key for understanding why the magic has such a cardinal status in Celtic myths,as well as in Harry Potter series.According to Jung,the deities and heroes of the myths are the archetypes in our minds.Magical rituals are used to bring to the synergy energies of which each comes from a different dimension,one representing the human being,the other particular deity whose power or ability one wishes to posses for fulfilling their aim.This core principle is demonstrated also in Harry Potter books which contain a great deal of various rituals,spells and magical objects.Magic plays a fundamental role both in Harry Potter series and Celtic myths. Because Celtic culture is famous for its witchcraft and magic.In Celtic culture,people show great respect to nature as well as the witchcraft derived from nature.For example,in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire,Voldemort reborn from the cauldron. The cauldron plays an important role in several Celtic legends.One instance is the story of Bran's cauldron of regeneration,possibly represented on the silver Gundestrup cauldron,bringing warriors killed in battle back to life with their sacrificed blood collected in it.The warriors approach on foot led by a dog symbolizing death,is immersed head first into the cauldron,and leave on horseback led by a snake.Another legend tells us about Ceridwen's cauldron and the potion of inspiration she brewed for a year and a day,in order to make her unappealing,dark and ugly son Afaggdu excel in wisdom and knowledge instead.She ordered a servant boy named Gwion Bach to stir it in her absence,but when a bit of the hot potionsplashed onto his hand and he licked it off,the wisdom meant for Afaggdu was transferred to him.Ceridwen in her rage swallowed him,and after nine months he was reborn as Taliesin,the wisest of all bards.Take Halloween as another example.Halloween is an important date throughout the Harry Potter series.It was the date when Harry's parents were killed.Quirrell created the troll diversion on Halloween to get to the stone;the Chamber of Secrets was opened on Halloween;and it was the date when Sirius slashed the portrait of the Fat Lady to get into Gryffindor Tower.Halloween is known to the Celts as Samhain,a holiday and feast dedicated to the dead.On Samhain the barriers between the world of the living and the world of the dead are believed to be open,so the dead could visit the living and bring them good or bad visions or warnings.In order to keep the dead well inclined towards the living,they are offered a share of the feast.Sometimes certain mortals are allowed to enter the realm of the dead on Samhain.The impact of Celtic culture is reflected throughout the Harry Potter series the magic world of Harry Potter originated from the Celtic culture,and was reconstructed based on Celtic culture.3.2The Role of Mythology in Harry PotterMythology plays an important role not only in Harry Potter but also in other literature works.The importance of mythology in literature is listed as follows.Myths grant continuity and stability to a culture.They foster a shared set of perspectives,values,history--and literature,in the stories themselves.Through these communal tales,the readers are connected to one another,to our ancestors,to the natural world surrounding us,and to society;and,in the myths which have archetypal themes,the readers are connected to other cultures.Myths present guidelines for living.When myths tell about the activities and attitudes of deities,the moral tone implies society's expectations for people’s own behaviors and standards.In myths,archetypal situations and some of the options which can be selected in those situations;the readers also perceive the rewards and other consequences which resulted from those selections.Myths justify a culture's activities.Through their authoritativeness and the respected characters within them,myths establish a culture's customs,rituals, religious tenets,laws,social structures,power hierarchies,territorial claims,arts andcrafts,holidays and other recurring events,and technical tips for hunting,warfare,and other endeavors.Myths give meaning to life.People transcend their common life into a world in which deities interact with humans,and people can believe that our daily actions are part of the deities'grand schemes.In their difficulties,the pain is more bearable because people believe that the trials have meaning;people are suffering for a bigger cause rather than being battered randomly.And when people read that a particular deity experienced something which they are now enduring--perhaps a struggle against"evil forces"--they can feel that their own struggle might have a similar cosmic or archetypal significance,though on a smaller scale.Myths explain the unexplainable.They reveal people’s fate after death and the reasons for crises or miracles,and other puzzles--and yet they retain and even encourage an aura of mystery.Myths also satisfy people’s need to understand the natural world;for example,they might state that a drought is caused by an angry deity. This purpose of mythology was especially important before the advent of modern science,which offered the Big Bang theory to replace creation myths,and it gave us the theory of evolution to supplant myths regarding the genesis of humanity.And yet, science creates its own mythology,even as its occasional secular barrenness threatens to strip us of the healthful awe which other types of mythology engender.In Harry Potter series,myths not only help the author build up characters but also offer role models.Children always pattern themselves after heroes;Adults,too, can find role models,in the stories of Harry Potter.When reading Harry Potter,the readers can feel the strength,persistence,and courage of the characters and use it as inspiration.Chapter4Archetypes of CharactersThe reason why both adults and children enjoy reading Harry Potter is that the characters in the story are fascinating.They are not purely fictional;some of them relate to ancient mythology from different cultures.When people read Harry Potter they notice something or someone they recognize from earlier in life,which they have read or heard about the myths in school or from their own reading.As illusions,Greek myths add an extra dimension to the Harry Potter series.The characters analyzed in this thesis are Hermione Granger,Minerva Mcgonagall and Sibyll Trelawney.Knowing their mythological archetype can help the reader better understands the characters therefore it will give a deeper meaning to the reading.4.1The Archetype of Hermione Granger is Hermes in Greek and Roman MythologyHermione Granger is a character in Harry Potter series.She initially appears in the first novel,Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone,as a new student on her way to Hogwarts.After Harry and Ron save her from a mountain troll in the girls'toilets, she becomes close friends with them and often uses her quick wit,deft recall,and encyclopaedic knowledge to help them.Rowling has stated that Hermione resembles her at a younger age,with her insecurity and fear of failure.Hermione's most prominent features include her prodigious intellect and cleverness.She is levelheaded,book-smart,and is very good with logic.She is often bossy yet unfailingly dutiful and loyal to her friends—a person who can be counted on.Rowling stated that Hermione is a person that never strays off the path;she always keeps her attention focused on the job that must be done.However,this character Hermione Granger can find her archetype in Greek and Roman mythology.The name Hermione is the feminine form of Hermes.The name Hermione is borne in Greek legend by the daughter of King Menelaus of Sparta and his wife,Helene of Troy.In Greek and Roman mythology,Hermes is an Olympian god in Greek religion and mythology,son of Zeus and the Pleiad Maia.He is the second youngest of the Olympian gods.Hermes is a god of transitions and boundaries.He is quick and cunning,and moves freely between the worlds of the mortal and divine,as emissary and messenger of the gods,intercessor between mortals and the divine,and conductor of souls into the afterlife.He is protector and patron of travelers, herdsmen,thieves,orators and wit,literature and poets,athletics and sports,invention and trade.In some myths he is a trickster,and outwits other gods for his own satisfaction or the sake of humankind.4.2The Archetype of Minerva Mcgonagall is Athena in Greek and Roman MythologyMinerva McGonagall is Deputy Headmistress,head of Gryffindor House, Transfiguration professor,and later Headmistress at Hogwarts,where she began teaching in December1956.Minerva almost constantly exuded magnanimity and sternness and was held in great respect(and some fear)by nearly all students and staff. Used to having her way,she tolerated neither audacity nor silliness from her pupils, and was known to turn cold towards people who said or did things that were stupid in front of her,or if she thought they were trying to be funny.True to Gryffindor,she valued bravery and loyalty highly,thinking cowardice a heavy flaw.Despite her loyalty to her house,though,and a fair-minded person, McGonagall was known for docking points from students in her own House when she saw it must be done so.Minerva was not afraid to speak her mind and showed quite a sharp tongue, especially during arguments.For the most part,though,she usually maintained great emotional composure,without being indifferent.Although she was not always particularly personable,she was a huge supporter of Harry and trusted the likes of Dumbledore,Sprout,Flitwick,Pomfrey and Hagrid.She could be very warm and supportive during times of trouble or loss and cared a great deal about her students, both personally and academically.As the devoted instructor of Transfiguration classes,Professor McGonagall highly respected the specific branch of magic,and considered it to be more complex and sophisticated than all others,though she respected most others just as much;she became an Animagus to further her study in the magic.On the other hand,she has very little patience with Divination,due to its impreciseness and rarity of true Seers.The character’s first name,Minerva,comes from the Roman goddess of wisdom.。