Hedwig and Harry

Jul 11, 2008

Posted by: John Admin

Uncategorized

In the muggle world owls are seen as a bird of prey who hunt mice and are nocturnal among other things. They are not seen as having any magical powers. Owls also don’t generally deliver mail in the muggle world either, that is done by postal workers. In the magical world, what is so important about owls? More importantly, what sort of connection does our favorite owl Hedwig have to Harry? Before I continue, I wanted to let you know that I will be integrating the discussion on Hedwig and Harry’s connections into the mythology surrounding owls.

According to The Owl Pages, in Central Africa the owl is closely tied in with wizards. We know that witches and wizards in the Potterverse interact with and use owls to deliver messages, as did Harry with Hedwig. West Africans also believed this, but they also believed that owls were used to ward off evil. In Celtic mythology, owls were a sign of the underworld. That’s ironic because by Sybil Trelawney’s predictions, Harry had a death wish, whether he wanted it or not. He also “died” in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows as well. We also know that Hedwig died in a fight and flight situation to bring Harry to safety. Because of the Celtic point of view, Hedwig was initially Harry’s death omen. But, it was she, the bringer of death, who paid the ultimate price, not Harry. Which brings me to the next mythology. In China, owls were associated with lightening, the ultimate bringer of light to the night and darkness. If I remember correctly, Harry had a lightening bolt scar on his forehead. Yes, it’s the mark of Voldemort and the piece of his soul in Harry, but Hedwig has a connection to the lightening bolt scar, being pure white; the light protecting the dark. Hedwig was the presence of death, but also the presence of good. In Sumeria, owls were attended to by Lilith or the goddess of death. The name Lilith derives from the name Lily. While J.K. Rowling did not get the name of Harry’s mother from the goddess of death, it is also the name of the flower, which does have symbolism of a motherly protector. Lilith, the goddess of death protected the underworld, like Lilly did with Harry, and what Hedwig would have done, if she had had the chance. Hedwig, like Lilly Potter, was there with Harry until her tragic end.

It’s always the first connections that tend to be the most significant.

“Harry now carried a large cage that held a beautiful snowy owl, fast asleep with her head under her wing.” (Sorcerer’s Stone, US Hardback, Page. 81)

The passage above was the very first moment Hedwig and Harry met. It was this significant day in Harry’s life, his eleventh birthday, the day he found out he was a wizard. But it was also the important day for this tiny owl as well because it was her first day of great adventures with the boy who lived. Now already these two beings share the same importance. If we take a look at the passage it says that Hedwig was “fast asleep”. Could this be her new beginnings? Her birth into this new world? In a lot of ways Harry is similar. At this point he had no knowledge of anything magical let alone there was a whole new world out there, he was too “fast asleep” tucked under his wings of safety. Ironic enough this is also how Hedwig was at the beginning of Deathly Hallows:

“The owl was asleep or else faking…” (Deathly Hallows, US Hardback, Page. 15)

Was this J.K. Rowlings’ way of communicating to fans that this would be the end of all things?

To bring you to a more somber mood, the native Inuits of Greenland sought owls out for guidance and help. Hedwig was loyal to Harry in every aspect. She was Harry’s friend when he felt he had none. She was Harry’s connection to Sirius Black, who in turn was the closest link Harry had to his parents. Through Harry’s frustrations, Hedwig was willing to pluck answers out of Harry’s two best friends Ron and Hermione. She was also the bringer of his cherished mail items; gifts from friends on holidays and birthdays, as well as brooms and other fond items. Though it seemed like she had not been through enough, she traveled along side Harry on his last and great adventure, which inevitably was her last and great adventure as well.

It’s to this beautiful snowy owl, Hedwig, who knew Harry more than anyone else, that stood by Harry through thick and thin, to be the hero she always was.





The Leaky Cauldron is not associated with J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros., or any of the individuals or companies associated with producing and publishing Harry Potter books and films.