Hogwarts: Biblical Allegory Of The Bible

2.3.1. The lion

In Hogwarts, the emblematic animal of the house of Gryffindor, whose members possess character traits such as courage, bravery and determination, is a lion. In the Bible and Christian belief, Jesus is referred to as the “Lion of Judah” and is frequently identified as a lion. The lion is also a symbol of goodness, divinity, virtue, courage and the victory of good over evil (cf. Granger, 2008, 106; Murphy, 2011, 34-35).

2.3.2. The snake:

Harry Potter’s enemies are repeatedly identified with snakes and serpents: Draco (the Latin word for “dragon” or “serpent”) Malfoy, member of the Hogwarts house of Slytherin (whose symbol is a snake) Lord Voldemort, whose pet is an enormous, threatening snake and Salazar Slytherin’s basilisk,

In the Bible, the Holy Spirit is depicted as the comforter or helper, in the sense of fortifying someone and encouraging one to take stand and do what needs to be done, which is exactly the role that Fawkes plays for Harry. As the Hogwarts textbook “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” states, the songs of phoenixes are “reputed to increase the courage of the pure of heart” (FB 32). Fawkes’ presence comforts Harry and imparts courage to him when it is needed most. This happens most clearly in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, when Voldemort and Harry are locked in combat and Harry suddenly hears the singing of the phoenix: “Für Harry war er die reine Hoffnung… das Schönste, das Willkommenste, das er je gehört hatte […] and it was almost as though a friend was speaking in [Harry’s] ear” (GoF 576). Here, fawkes is clearly acting as the comforter. Later, as Harry begins to tell the story of Voldemort’s return to Dumbledore and Sirius, still shaken from the events, Fawkes sings again and “Harry felt as though a drop of hot liquid had slipped down his throat into his stomach, warming him, and strengthening him” (GoF 603). Here, Fawkes acts as the helper, who supports Harry in finding the courage to do what needs to be done, which is evocative of the Holy Spirit. Incidentally, Fawkes is associated with fire, which is a biblical symbol of the Holy Spirit (Cherrett, [no