Professor G weighs in on the Hallows

Merry Christmas everyone! I looked out on the Feast of Stephen this morning, but unlike the good King W, I saw no snow where I'm currently staying with my family which is Grove City, PA, erstwhile stomping grounds of Merlinus et Paulius. John Granger's site is now a blog. I was reading this post where he provides some more material for the ponderings and then notes: So what does Deathly Hallows mean? Let's be clear. I have no definite idea. It could be a new magical creature, a place like a graveyard or sanctuary, or a reference to the four Founder Horcruxes Harry must destroy before vanquishing the Dark Lord. We’ll know for sure after reading the book, right? But then he throws some more light on word meanings. 3. Deathly Hallows also has an alchemical and Christian meaning of greater depth. The Hallows are a quaternary from the Arthurian tradition that echo the four elements of alchemy we see in the several quaternaries of the Harry Potter books (Hogwarts Founders, Houses, Magical Brethren remaining Horcruxes, etc.). To hallow, that is 'to make whole' and 'to make holy' simultaneously from Old English 'hal', is the alchemical action of transcending the contrary polarities of creation and returning to the transcendent origin of existence, in Christian tradition, the Logos or God's creative Word. In alchemy, again echoing Christian tradition, this requires a death to the world ('renunciation') and to the self ('humility' for a start). Deathly Hallows may have the specific meaning of "deadly graveyard" or "dangerous Horcrux relics"; it certainly points to the life-laden power, the hallowing effect, of dying to the world. Harry Potter's main task in book seven is to "get Voldemort," but this will probably take the form not only of destroying Horcrux-Hallows, but also of his transcending his most closely held beliefs. I like the way Granger ends, reminding us that destroying evil, i.e., killing Voldemort, does not complete the full mission of the good side because the work or restoration is still to be accomplished, i.e., uniting the Hogwarts houses. John G. never lets us lose site of the Great Alchemical Work which is the framework in which he casts his interpretations. Given the richness and superb quality of the Professor's writing, I have no doubt we'll be reading his future posts voraciously.