Harry Potter: Modern Hero’s Journey

Not many would expect the newest incarnation of the classic “Hero’s Journey” to turn up in the form of an awkward 11 year old. However, J.K. Rowling’s popular series of books based on the beloved hero, Harry Potter have proved to be everything a classic journey should involve. The story is choc-full of archetypal elements that speak to the shared subconscious of today and days past. Harry’s birthright is his adventure; however he doesn’t set out on his journey until his 11th birthday. He battles his nemesis, or shadow, ultimately saving lives and sharing important information. Vladimir Propp, a Russian structuralist developed the pattern of the 31 functions of a hero tale by looking at the pattern of events rather then the characters. His theory is that any hero journey can be broken down using a combination of his functions. Harry Potter is a modern tale with mythological themes and archetypes that follows all of these functions.

Preparatory Section: 2: An interdiction (ban) is addressed to the hero.

Orphaned at one year old from his famous and talented wizard parents, Lily and James, Harry is fated for a purpose known and not yet realized. After Harry’s birth, a pro

Lord Voldemort uses magic and deception to get to Harry by putting his weak spirit into a teacher at Hogwarts named Quirrell. Voldermort takes on the archetypal shape shifter role to defeat our hero.

Harry’s constant search for his parents also is a major theme in the hero’s journey. Harry fulfills this search a fraction at a time. He sees them for the first time while looking into the magic mirror. His connection with his father is reinforced every time he puts on his fathers robe, and later in the other volumes of this epic, his father becomes a spiritual protector in the form of a stag and even helps him battle Voldemort. Yet Harry’s need for his parents is never quite filled, even by the archetypal wise old guide figure of Albus Dumbledore. "Albus means white in Latin, referring possibly to his beard or the fact that he's a good wizard and battles the dark arts”(1).

Harry returns to the upper level of the school, bringing news of Voldermort’s defeat and the stone’s destruction. Harry proves the prophecy from his birth and retains his strengths even in confrontation with his weakness.

For the myth to continue, our hero Harry must battle with his inner demons of potential dark power upon his arrival at Hogwarts. Hogwarts comes to represent the wizarding world complete with more archetypes. Ron and Hermoine quickly become Harry's allies, while Filch the lurking caretaker and later, the troll become threshold guardians, as well as the three headed dog, Fluffy, based on the mythological guardian, Cerberus. Draco Malfoy is immediately introduced as a junior shadow as a descendant of a follower of Voldermort, and a Slytherin, the house of Voldermort. With these archetypal figures come mythic trials: Harry's positive potential against the threat of his inner desire; the powerful but sinister Slytherin Hall beckons him; the theft of the magic sphere pleads for him to use his powers nobly; and the Quidditch match is a trial of his independent and team skills.

Harry learns of his “Shadow”, the evil wizard Lord Voldemort and the true secret of his past: that he was the only person Voldermort was unable of killing some an unknown reason. This proves in establishing the essential relationship between villain and hero for both the furthering of the plot and mythical aspects of the tale. In order for a villain to function effectively as the shadow archetype, it must have a personal and psychologically irreversible connection with the hero. As Carl Jung describes, “The shadow is a livi

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