Galloping Gorgons

Hagrid, the gamekeeper of Hogwarts, comes to pick up Harry from his aunt Petunia and uncle Vernon Dursley. He is the first one to inform Harry about the fate of his parents and his magical powers. The Dursleys who had always withheld this particular information from Harry and had tried to raise him like an ordinary boy belong to the non-magical world and are, therefore, called muggles. In their capacity as muggles they are proud to have no knowledge of the wizarding world which is why they do not use proverbs or expressions used within this world.

However, Hagrid being the first one from this world whom Harry meets is quick to use such a phrase as soon as he realizes that he was supposed to write a letter to Dumbledore, the headmaster of Hogwarts: “‘Gallopin’ Gorgons, that reminds me,’ said Hagrid, clapping a hand to his forehead with enough force to knock over a cart horse, and from yet another pocket inside his overcoat he pulled an owl – a real, live, rather ruffled-looking owl – a long quill and a roll of parchment.”[1] According to an Interview of Rowling with the newspaper Scotland on Sunday Hagrid is described as character drawn from the area of Chepstow, Wales where word-endings are being dropped [2] which leads to the conclusion that he must be referring to galloping gorgons.  In this context it is an exclamation of shock and abruptness due to a sudden memory.

The term gorgons dates back to Greek mythology firstly used in Homer’s Illiad. These creatures were described as three daemons one of them known as Medusa. “The three Gorgones were depicted in ancient Greek […] as winged women with broad round heads, serpentine locks of hair, large staring eyes, wide mouths, the tusks of swine, lolling tongues, flared nostrils, and sometimes short coarse beards.”[3] Hooves are not part of this description. The verb galloping can, however, only be ascribed to hoofed animals. It is, therefore, inaccurate of Hagrid do combine galloping and gorgons.

There is one exception that would justify this combination of words. Hagrid might refer to the hoofed animal with which Medusa was pregnant at the time of her decapitation – Pegasos. According to one of the myths Pegasos sprang from Medusa’s neck the moment she was beheaded. This exclamation might, therefore, refer to the galloping child of a gorgon. It is, nonetheless, inaccurate. Hagrid might also refer to the phrase time is running. In this case time is galloping, so it is passing even more quickly. It is, therefore, high time to write a letter to Dumbledore. However, there is no clear connection between the rapidity of passing time and gorgons.

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[1] Rowling, J. K. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. London: Bloomsbury, 1997, p.43.

[2] Goring, Rosemary. "Harry's Fame," Scotland on Sunday, 17 January 1999. Web. 15.03. 2015. <http://www.accio-quote.org/articles/1999/0199-scotlandsunday-goring.html

[3] Atsma, Aaron J. "Medousa & Gorgones." Web. 16.03.2015. <http://www.theoi.com/Pontios/Gorgones.html>.

Tip of the Dungheap

The interviewer asks whether Skeeter is referring to Aberforth, Albus Dumbledore’s bother, when she is talking about his dark history. She responds: “‘Oh, Aberforth is just the tip of the dungheap’”[1] This idiom is based on the muggle phrase ‘the tip of the iceberg’. This idiom refers to the fact that only the tip of an iceberg is visible whereas the much bigger part of it is hidden in the water. The concept of the iceberg has been used to describe that it is possible to oberserve something and find evidence for a problem. However, the bigger part of this problem remains hidden under the surface.[2]

            The phrase, Rita uses, alludes to the same problem. The criminal offences of Aberforth and his father are widely known to the wizarding community. However, this implies that there are even worse crimes the family must have committed which are unknown to the public. In the wizarding world the word ‘iceberg’ has been replaced by the word ‘dungheap’. Most people avoid dungheaps due to their unpleasant scent. That way they are only seen from the distance. Due to the mountainous shape of the droppings people tend to focus on the tip of the heap which is similar to the tip of the iceberg. In contrast to the iceberg the bigger part of the dungheap is not hidden but visible to the eye. However, most people are too busy avoiding the heap and looking at it in general that they don’t pay attention to it. This means that the bigger part of the problem, once again, remains unnoticed. 

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[1] Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, p.28.

[2] http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/tip+of+the+iceberg

Something others would swap their Wand for

After this offensive remark against Elphias Doge Rita Skeeter tries to prove her reliability as she mentiones: “’I’ve access to a source most journalists would swap their wands for[…]’”[1] This idiom might be a reference to the muggle phrase ‘would die for’ as well as the phrase ‘give anything for something’. The first example means that something is extremely important and so desirable that people think it is worth dying for.[2] The second phrase is less brutal. It is “used to say that [one] would like to have or to do something very much”[3] This person is than willing to renounce something that is dear to his heart. In both cases the person has to give up on something in order to have access to something better.

            Rita Skeeter claims to have talked to a person who seems to know far more about Albus Dumbledore than anyone else. This makes this person extremely desirable and valuable. Swapping the wand for information is a life-changing act. A wizard or witch without wand is no longer able to perform magic. Thus, it creates a life-threatening situation in which this person is no longer able to protect and defend himself against jinxes and curses. The phrase ‘swapping a wand for something’, thus, has the same meaning as the muggle phrases.

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[1] Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, p. 27.

[2] http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/to+die+for

[3] http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/i-would-give-anything-a-lot

Get off one’s high Hippogriff

Rita Skeeter responds to this accusation saying: “’[…]old Dodge Doge can get off his high Hippogriff’”[1] This phrase has been taken from the muggle proverb ‘get off one’s high horse’ which is supposed to be “[a] request to someone to stop behaving in a haughty and self-righteous manner.”[2] The height of the horse used to show the power of his rider and the distance between him and the common people. They were often working in powerful positions and were, thus, meant to demonstrate their power by riding tall horses. By the time of the 18^th century this imagery started to acquire a figurative sense. A person who mounted or sat on a high horse was no longer a strong and admirable man but a person who behaved in a way that suggested that he believed to be superior to the common man.[3]

            Hippogriffs are often admired for their majestic appearance. They are proud animals which makes it much more difficult for a witch or wizard to get the permission to sit on their back. In order to get the permission the person in question has to show his respect and bow in front of the Hippogriff while keeping eye-contact with it. If the Hippogriff reciprocates this gesture it is safe to touch him and get on his back. A person who has successfully passed this process can be proud to sit on the Hippogriff’s back and can look down upon all those who are too scared to do it.[4]

            It can be concluded from the context of the interview that the phrase ‘get off your high horse’ must have acquired the same negative connotation as the muggle phrase. Skeeter, therefore, tells Elphias Doge to stop behaving like he knew more about Dumbledore than anyone else and accuses him of an inability to judge the reliability of the content of her book.

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[1] Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, p. 27.

[2] Martin, Gary. The Phrase Finder: Get off your high horse, http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/get-off-your-high-horse.html

[3] ibid.

[4] Harry Potter and the Prosoner of Azkaban, p.126-127.

Less Fact than a Chocolate Frog Card

After the death of Albus Dumbledore at the end of the sixth novel the annoying journalist Rita Skeeter has decided to publish a biography about him. At the beginning of the seventh book Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows she gives an interview in the wizarding newspaper the Daily Prophet. The interviewer confronts her with the statement of Elphias Doge, a longtime friend of Dumbledore, “that Skeeter’s book contains less fact than a Chocolate Frog Card.”[1]

            This comparison can only be used by members of the wizarding community. Doge refers to boxes filled with tiny frogs made of chocolate. They contain cards which summarize the most important achievements of the witch or wizard who is depicted on the front of the card. Most people in the wizarding world collect these cards.[2] Due to the limited space on the card only a small amount of information can be included. Rita Skeeter’s book on the other hand will be a voluminous book filled with a lot of information. Due to the long life of Dumbledore it can be assumed that the biography must be at least 300 pages long. According to Elphias Doge the information given on 299 and three-quarters of these pages must, therefore, be made up.

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[1] Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, p. 27.

[2] Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, p.77.

Like a Sack of Dragon Dung

After their Quidditch practice Ron is disappointed in his performance as keeper of the team. He says: “‘I played like a sack of dragon dung’”[1] after having failed to protect the hoops through which the others were scoring. He ended the game by punching one of his team mates in the face.

            This phrase could be a play on the informal muggle phrase ‘like a wet rag’ which means that someone is feel disappointed about himself.[2] In the wizarding world dragon dung is usually used to brew a fertilizer which can be used during Herbology lessons. A sack of dragon dung must, however, be very heavy which makes it a burden to be carried and should be avoided due to its smell. It can, therefore, be concluded that Ron considers his role in the team as a burden for his team members and is frustrated about his inability to help the team succeed.

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[1] Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, p.267.

[2] Schemann, Hans; Knight, Paul. English/ German Dictionary of Idioms,Routledge, New York 1997, p.386.

Don’t count your Owls before they are delivered

At the beginning of the sixth novel Dumbledore takes Harry on a journey to meet Professor Slughorn, a former teacher at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. They convince him to return back to school in order to teach once again. On their way the home of the Weasley family Dumbledore asks Harry about the subjects he would like to take during his next year at school and Harry is afraid that he won’t be able to continue his Potions class due to his weak marks. Thereupon, Dumbledore answers: “‘Don’t count your owls before they are delivered’”[1]

            This phrase is based on the proverb ‘don’t count your chickens before they are hatched’. It suggests that a person should “not assume [that he] will have a thing, or [should] not make plans about it, before the conditions are realized, or the event has happened.”[2] This phrase is based on ᴁsop's fable The Milkmaid and Her Pail  which describes the story of a girl carrying a pail of milk to the market. She thinks about the chickens she could buy with the money and how she could sell their eggs and make money with which she can buy an expensive dress and make another girl jealous. She ends up spilling the milk whereupon her mother tells her to not count her chicken before they are hatched.[3]

            Just like the milk maid Harry is already thinking about his plans for the future basing his decisions on predictions of his past performance. He expects to receive his O.W.L. results in a letter. O.W.L. is an abbreviation for Ordinary Wizarding Level. In addition to that these letters are always delivered by real owls. The suggestion to not count his owls before they are delivered is, therefore, a very clever, ambiguous play on words.

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[1] Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, p.79.

[2] Collins, V.H. A Book of English Proverbs with Origins and Explanations, Longmans, London 1959 p.30.

[3] ᴁsop, The Milkmaid and Her Pail, http://www.aesopfables.com/cgi/aesop1.cgi?3&TheMilkmaidandHerPail&&milkpail2.ram