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Harry Potter and the Challenge of Titles

posted by [personal profile] owlfish at 11:10pm on 21/12/2006
With so much expectation, it's hard to title the books - but having just run across the title of the next Harry Potter book via Amazon, I find it downright funny. I'm not sure why this title strikes me as so ridiculous. Perhaps because of course the next book deals with greater risk of death than any others? Because "hallows" has such a saintly ring to it? Perhaps because it's so Gothic?
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posted by [identity profile] a-d-medievalist.livejournal.com at 11:44pm on 21/12/2006
Well, it certainly makes no earthly sense -- HP is definitely about good and evil and the grey in between, but 'hallows' has such (only?) Christian overtones. And one would think that, by definition, that which is hallowed should not be deadly (well, except, I suppose if you're a Nazi drinking from the ... no wait, he drank from the wrong Grail, didn't he? Never mind.)


I suppose it could be things consecrated to Voldemort ... garhhg. It's like those damned horcruXes.
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posted by [personal profile] owlfish at 11:50pm on 21/12/2006
A "deathly pallor" means the person looks as if they're dead. I don't see why "deathly hallows" can't be hallowed things which look like they're dead.
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posted by [identity profile] a-d-medievalist.livejournal.com at 12:09am on 22/12/2006
Aren't most hallowed things dead? or inanimate?
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posted by [personal profile] owlfish at 12:16am on 22/12/2006
Point - but being dead has rarely stopped ex-living saints from accomlishing things. I wonder - do dead saints who appear in visions usually look dead or alive?

It's harder with the inanimate, I'll grant.
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posted by [identity profile] a-d-medievalist.livejournal.com at 12:52am on 22/12/2006
I think it rather depends on the saint. Well, rather, it requires a different way of looking at things. Frex, I think that St. Denis would likely appear alive, but headless (I think headless). Barnabas (is it Barnabas?) would likely be messy (if he's the one who was flayed), but again, alive. I think that Ste. Foi definitely appears alive and in her childish form, when she asks the monks to steal her relics. But then, Jesus appears alive and is clearly corporeal in order for Thomas to stick his hand in that gaping wound in his side...

Which makes one wonder -- would St. Laurence also smell like roasting meat?

Perhaps there's a line between animate and alive that should be explored?
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posted by [identity profile] moon-custafer.livejournal.com at 02:46am on 22/12/2006
Most of the legends I've heard about St Lawrence suggest he had a somewaht zany sense of humour, so - you never know.


"Well-done, thou good and faithful servant."
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posted by [identity profile] mirrorshard.livejournal.com at 02:17pm on 22/12/2006
Zombie saints.

Sooouuuullllllssssss....
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posted by [identity profile] littleowl.livejournal.com at 06:20am on 22/12/2006
Yeah, the thing that occurred to me almost right away and has been discussed elsewhere is that this probably refers to the horcruxes being the death of Voldemort.

Since Harry's been set up to chase horcruxes throughout this book by the last book I think it makes a lot of sense.
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posted by [identity profile] hairyears.livejournal.com at 12:49am on 22/12/2006
Gothic harry Potter, oh my... That's crying out for someone with a warped sense of humour and a talent for pastiche.

The only problem is, it's been done: the Sarf London Goths started writing HP slashfic, using each other as bit-part characters. Some of it was lurid and disturbing.
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posted by [identity profile] curtana.livejournal.com at 01:25am on 22/12/2006
I interpreted it as being a reference to the horcruxes, playing off the Grail Hallows (cup, sword, spear, and dish or stone) in Arthurian legend. Godric's sword, Helga's cup, and two other items as yet unnamed. Also, as someone on my FL pointed out, the Potters were killed on All Hallow's Eve, at Godric's Hollow... Anyway, I don't find it entirely silly as a title, with those thoughts in mind.
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posted by [identity profile] purpletigron.livejournal.com at 07:48am on 22/12/2006
Good points. Is it going to be renamed, like Philosopher's Stone was (and License Revoked, for that matter)?
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posted by [identity profile] a-d-medievalist.livejournal.com at 01:44pm on 22/12/2006
But you're smarter than the average bear when it comes to things Arthurian (no pun intended!)
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posted by [identity profile] jennybeast.livejournal.com at 04:47am on 22/12/2006
Ummm....I am afraid that I must side with the ludicrous title senitment. I'm extrememly impressed with the grail hallows theory, and I think you're probably right...but it really doesn't have ring to it. Goofy. It certainly repels me as a title I would desire to pick up out of context. Perhaps even in context?
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posted by [identity profile] darktouch.livejournal.com at 03:29pm on 22/12/2006
I get 'Hallow' and 'Barrow' mixed up in my head.
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posted by [identity profile] a-d-medievalist.livejournal.com at 03:28am on 23/12/2006
I believe barrows can be hallowed
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