The Plot Thickens Discussion ~ View topic

What other mythology links were left out? What did you find? How does it relate?

I’m definitely not the one to bring this up – I know only what has been reported in New Clues; but someone needs to start talking about Horcruxes.

I’m sure bagotrix, for example, has written at length about Celtic stories of mythic heroes who stored their souls away for safekeeping while they went off to battle (and maybe something about an undying head in a cauldron also). Anyway, this really sounds like something JKR took up and went running with.

Not only that, there is JKR’s oft repeated statement that strikes a curious chord now; since in BK 6 we have come to realize that such items have always been integral to the plot; it was a piece of wisdom begun in CoS and repeated elsewhere:

Joined: 19 Mar 2005 Posts: 241 Location: Waiting for snow

What I find strange is that Voldemort doesn't seem to be greatly weakened by having his soul torn apart six times. Since he has a mortal body again shouldn't he still be just a shadow of his former, whole self? I wonder if certain parts of his soul were more powerful than others? You might think for instance that a 15 year old Tom Riddle would be far less powerful than say a 30 year old Riddle?

It would be interesting to know how the Marauders Map was made. Why hasn't Harry or especially Hermoine ever asked Lupin? I don't see the souls of the makers being put into the map because if Peter's was in the map it would proabably not be accurate.

I have to admit, when I read the chapter Horcruxes, I did do a little lap of honour around my flat in smug celebration of one of my theories coming true!!! (Of course, I must point out, I wasn't alone in my 'soul' theory, I just introduced the Celtic connection.)

The information about the Celtic belief in transferring a soul into an object or animal was from Frazer's Golden Bough, which can be found on Bartleby: I did a search through the book for "soul" here. It's very interesting stuff!

greyniffler on NC pointed out that according to Hagrid, the safest places to store something are Gringotts and Hogwarts. We have already seen Voldemort infiltrating Hogwarts - and it seems likely that he may have left a Horcrux there under the protection of one of its magical rooms or objects (I like the Mirror of Erised idea, myself, or the Chamber of Secrets). But what about Gringotts as well? Valuables such as an old goblet of Ravenclaw's would be prefectly looked after in a bank vault.

I must say, considering the black-white-red stages of alchemy, I still find the idea that Hagrid (the oak) is involved particulalry intriguing! (See links above for an explanation).

Joined: 17 Feb 2005 Posts: 110 Location: Flying on Buckbeak

I think we have evidence to suggest that one of the horcruxes is in the CoS in the mouth of the statue of Salazar.

The color black is juxtaposed to all the horcruxes we know about: the stone on Salazar's ring is black. The cover of TR's diary is black. Salazar's Locket is stolen by Regulus Black and may be hiding at the house of the Black's. Also the water in the lake where LV had hidden the locket is often described as black.

given that the Horcruxes seem to be found in “black” places I found this part of CoS (pg 317) very interesting: “Slytherin’s gigantic stone face was moving. Horrorstruck, Harry saw his mouth opening, wider and wider, to make a huge black hole”. This may be why Harry revisits the CoS, to find and destroy the Horcrux guarded by the statue of Salazar.