culture25

How we wish to be cited:
Norberg B. Rowling got off – law and love of Harry Potter [culture]. Rondel 2005; 25. URL: http://www.rondellen.net

Editorial orientation

Mrs J K Rowling has proved herself a successful author of fantasy books by her series about Harry Potter. The 6^th book in a planned series of seven has now been published – “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince”. Its tone is darker than its predecessors. The objective of the book is to set the stage for the grand finale in the last book (Figure, “J.K. Rowling”, photo of an aquarelle interpretation by Bodil Norberg 2004).

The previous books in the Potter series were as good as to raise an anxiety that Rowling should not be able to proceed at this level of quality – humor, thrill, psychology (cf 1). The fear was unfounded. “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” shows that Rowling got off. The book is in essence an analysis of the structure of evil (cf 2). Like evil, good is not an absolute entity. To some extent, good and evil overlap.

The Half-Blood Prince dominates the book. He knows the social games, “how to act” (cf 3). The actor personifies the law. At the end of the book, the double agent still has the full confidence of both Voldemort and Dumbledore. “I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death” (Rom 7:10).

The story of the Dark Lord starts with the tramp´s daughter, who was besotted about the son of the squire of the village. She bewitched him with the Imperius Curse or, more likely, with a love potion. But love run away with her. She abandoned her games of power. She even refused to lift her wand in order to save her own life. The result was that her newborn son became both fatherless and motherless and grew up in an orphanage, a self-centered and callous child with an appetite for power and immortality.

The rape of man by woman has never been described with more tact since Jacob awoke in the bed of Leah (Gen 29:25). In contrast to Merope, Leah fought for her marital success and eventually gained the respect and love of her husband. However, the present Potter book also contains streaks of a more healthy love with mutual understanding, loyalty, support, and respect (cf 4, 5).

One core message through the previous books was that choice, not the hereditary predisposition, makes up a person; the message is repeated in the present book. Each choice excludes some future choices. However, a career may take unexpected turns. Draco Malfoy, hitherto a truely black character, falters on his path towards evil.

One feat of Rowling is her finding of common structures in different traditions and schools (cf 6). This talent is combined with psychology, humor, and thrill. New surprising turns are expected in the final book.