Voldemort as an Anti-Philosopher (Plato) and as the Whole (Plutarch): On Harry Potter and its Philosophy of Freemasonry and Ancient Mystery Cults

by George Cebadal

J. K. Rowling has studied Classics (/Greek and Roman Studies) and this is a short essay on two ancient motifs of "Harry Potter" The motif of the anti-philosopher - referring to Plato's "Phaedo" (the body-loving soul and the fear of death) - and the motif of the whole - referring to Plutarch's "On the Soul" -, that are also two well-known motifs in the Freemasonry of Albert Pike (called Plato "the greatest of human Revealers") and Albert Mackey (treats Plutarch's text as "too interesting to Freemasons to be omitted"). Note that the author is a non-native English speaker and the priority of the essay is the conveying of ideas - not proper English.

24 pages, Paperback

Published May 21, 2021

Reviews

[Théo d'Or]

Normally I should have read this after the Potter series. But a certain conjuncture " infected" my chronological system, so to speak.. Cebadal argues that Voldemort represents the antithesis of a philosopher, as he embodies the negation and destruction of intellectual thought and inquiry. In doing so, Voldemort transcends the typical villain archetype and becomes a more complex and nuanced character, his fear- inducing qualities being what makes him such a compelling character. Even his negation of philosophy is what sets him apart from other fictional villains, and as Cebadal argues, Voldemort's desire to eliminate the " gray areas " of philosophical discourse and substitute it with an absolutist view of the world is what makes him the epitome of an anti-philosopher. I think Cebadal's analysis helps us also understand another world, transforming our perception of what makes a great character in literature. Thanks to my good friend Hachi, who instilled my interest in this character, throughout its many updates.

[Paulaa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ich muss es wahrscheinlich noch ein paar mal lesen, um den vollen Sinn zu erfassen, aber die Theorien an sich scheinen Sinn zu ergeben und es ist beeindruckend wie viel Kontext aus einem einzelnen Satz gezogen werden kann.