Two Theories on the Black Sisters
Jan. 30th, 2006 08:18 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
meddowI was reading a poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge called "Fire, Famine and Slaughter" I which fire, famine and slaughter are represented by three sisters and it occured to me that three sisters seem to show up quite a bit in literature and mythology. So with this in mind I decided to take a look at the role of the three sisters in the Harry Potter universe, what they may represent and what that may mean for both them, the war and Harry. I came up with two possibilities though I am sure there are more out there.
The Black Sisters as Harpies
In Greek mythology harpies were beautiful women with wings. One of the roles they took was to steal food from Phineas, a prophet who revealed too much and thus was punished by Zeus. He was placed on an island with a buffet of food, however he could eat none of it because the harpies would steal it away from his hands. In some stories that have talons and were hags, but these are later ones. They are supposedly fierce and ill tempered, and combined with beauty are all characteristics that have been found in both Bellatrix and Narcissa, and here is the clincher for me, there is usually mention of three Harpy sisters (given various names including Aello, Celaeno, Ocypete and Podarge)
What Harry may be witnessing through the books is the three Black sisters punishing their Great-great-Grandfather, the former headmaster of Hogwarts, Phineas Nigellus. He certainly shares the name with their mythological victim. I feel we may need to know more about the past of Phineas Nigellus to discover why. It may have something to do with why a person who dislikes children so much ended up being headmaster of Hogwarts. Alternatively he may be suffering for Remus Lupin syndrome, whereby his affliction matches his name despite their being no wrong doing on his part.
This leads to the question of how the three sisters may be punishing Phineas. Bellatrix’s punishment is rather obvious. Phineas is a Black, a pureblood and a Slytherin and would most likely be very interested in the continuation of his family line. Bellatrix by killing Sirius (and she may have been the Death Eater who killed Regulus) has eliminated the Black line by killing off the last person to be able to pass down the family name.
Andromeda may not have acted yet, or she may have done so over twenty years ago when she married Ted Tonks. If purity of wizarding blood is important to Phineas, which is a possibility considering the family he came from, the fact that all her child and all possible children she could have are half-blood. If this is not the case it may be that Andromeda has a role to play yet in book seven to fulfil her duties. On a side note it would be interesting to see how Phineas Nigellus would treat Tonks, as a member of his family or a disgrace.
Narcissa, like Andromeda, may have acted already, or had a role to play. Narcissa, in Spinners End is an integral part of the events leading up to Dumbledore’s demise, whether you believe Snape is evil or not. Phineas Nigellus was Headmaster of Hogwarts, and if the events at the end of HBP lead to the closure of Hogwarts, or if the death of Dumbledore leads to the complete destruction of the school in book seven, then Narcissa may have played her hand. If this is not so, her actions in book seven may have some particular importance.
If the Black sisters are, whether consciously or unconsciously, punishing Phineas Nigellus alone, it still affects Harry. He and Phineas are very different people; it does not mean they do not have interests in the same things, whether it is in the life of Sirius or the continuation of Hogwarts.
The Black Sisters as the Fates.
An alternative approach to the one of the Black sisters as tormentors is the Black sisters as the fates.
Three women that represent fate are found in both Greek and Norse Mythology. In Greek mythology they are Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos. They control the fates of man using weaving. Clotho weaves the thread of life; it is then measured by Lachesis and cut (and a person dies) by Atropos.
In Norse mythology the three fates are Urd (or Urth), the goddess of the past, Verandi (or Verthandi), goddess of the present and Skuld, goddess of the future.
Bellatrix, The Past – Can be seen a representing the past, certainly her glory days, when she was young and beautify were before the first fall of Voldemort. Now suffering from the effects of years in Azkaban, she certainly does seem to be past her prime so she does seem to personify the past. She also has a tendency to use a baby voice; childhood is in everyone’s past.
Andromeda, The Present – Has yet to be seen in the books, though this lack of an appearance could mean that she does represent the present, time seems less solid when it is slipping by, the future and the past seem to be more solid. It would be interesting to meet her character in the series to find out.
Narcissa, The Future – The youngest can be seen to represent the future. While we know that Bellatrix is on the side of Voldemort and has little chance of redemption, and Andromeda by the marriage to a muggle born is not very likely to ever support him, the position of Narcissa is not so certain. In Spinners End, I got the impression that Narcissa loves her son more than she does Voldemort’s cause, and being the Slytherin she may turn if she believes it would protect her son to do so. The future is uncertain, and so is the position of Narcissa.
Well what could this possibly mean for book Seven? The past is fixed, nothing can change Bella and as a result she will be an obstacle for Harry and the Order to overcome but her stance will never change, her loyalty will never waiver. The present continues on regardless and while I would much like to meet Andromeda, she will have little influence in the outcome of the book. I believe if this approach is taken by JKR, the way the war will turn will be represented by the decision of Narcissa Malfoy. Whether she remains a Death Eater of aids the Order. She represents the future of the Wizarding world, whether she likes it or not.
So when combined with yesterdays look at the Black sisters as mythological tormentors, there are some conclusions one can draw. Narcissa Malfoy is an important character in the Harry Potter universe, and is a character to watch. Bellatrix’s importance should not be overestimated. She has played her hand, and her role in book seven may be limited to meeting her demise. Andromeda remains a character little is known off and is most likely not going to have a major role in book seven, though an action she may have an influence of the eventual outcome.
For reference sake, I got most of my info from wikipiedia and the Harry Potter books and Lexicon
The Black Sisters as Harpies
In Greek mythology harpies were beautiful women with wings. One of the roles they took was to steal food from Phineas, a prophet who revealed too much and thus was punished by Zeus. He was placed on an island with a buffet of food, however he could eat none of it because the harpies would steal it away from his hands. In some stories that have talons and were hags, but these are later ones. They are supposedly fierce and ill tempered, and combined with beauty are all characteristics that have been found in both Bellatrix and Narcissa, and here is the clincher for me, there is usually mention of three Harpy sisters (given various names including Aello, Celaeno, Ocypete and Podarge)
What Harry may be witnessing through the books is the three Black sisters punishing their Great-great-Grandfather, the former headmaster of Hogwarts, Phineas Nigellus. He certainly shares the name with their mythological victim. I feel we may need to know more about the past of Phineas Nigellus to discover why. It may have something to do with why a person who dislikes children so much ended up being headmaster of Hogwarts. Alternatively he may be suffering for Remus Lupin syndrome, whereby his affliction matches his name despite their being no wrong doing on his part.
This leads to the question of how the three sisters may be punishing Phineas. Bellatrix’s punishment is rather obvious. Phineas is a Black, a pureblood and a Slytherin and would most likely be very interested in the continuation of his family line. Bellatrix by killing Sirius (and she may have been the Death Eater who killed Regulus) has eliminated the Black line by killing off the last person to be able to pass down the family name.
Andromeda may not have acted yet, or she may have done so over twenty years ago when she married Ted Tonks. If purity of wizarding blood is important to Phineas, which is a possibility considering the family he came from, the fact that all her child and all possible children she could have are half-blood. If this is not the case it may be that Andromeda has a role to play yet in book seven to fulfil her duties. On a side note it would be interesting to see how Phineas Nigellus would treat Tonks, as a member of his family or a disgrace.
Narcissa, like Andromeda, may have acted already, or had a role to play. Narcissa, in Spinners End is an integral part of the events leading up to Dumbledore’s demise, whether you believe Snape is evil or not. Phineas Nigellus was Headmaster of Hogwarts, and if the events at the end of HBP lead to the closure of Hogwarts, or if the death of Dumbledore leads to the complete destruction of the school in book seven, then Narcissa may have played her hand. If this is not so, her actions in book seven may have some particular importance.
If the Black sisters are, whether consciously or unconsciously, punishing Phineas Nigellus alone, it still affects Harry. He and Phineas are very different people; it does not mean they do not have interests in the same things, whether it is in the life of Sirius or the continuation of Hogwarts.
The Black Sisters as the Fates.
An alternative approach to the one of the Black sisters as tormentors is the Black sisters as the fates.
Three women that represent fate are found in both Greek and Norse Mythology. In Greek mythology they are Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos. They control the fates of man using weaving. Clotho weaves the thread of life; it is then measured by Lachesis and cut (and a person dies) by Atropos.
In Norse mythology the three fates are Urd (or Urth), the goddess of the past, Verandi (or Verthandi), goddess of the present and Skuld, goddess of the future.
Bellatrix, The Past – Can be seen a representing the past, certainly her glory days, when she was young and beautify were before the first fall of Voldemort. Now suffering from the effects of years in Azkaban, she certainly does seem to be past her prime so she does seem to personify the past. She also has a tendency to use a baby voice; childhood is in everyone’s past.
Andromeda, The Present – Has yet to be seen in the books, though this lack of an appearance could mean that she does represent the present, time seems less solid when it is slipping by, the future and the past seem to be more solid. It would be interesting to meet her character in the series to find out.
Narcissa, The Future – The youngest can be seen to represent the future. While we know that Bellatrix is on the side of Voldemort and has little chance of redemption, and Andromeda by the marriage to a muggle born is not very likely to ever support him, the position of Narcissa is not so certain. In Spinners End, I got the impression that Narcissa loves her son more than she does Voldemort’s cause, and being the Slytherin she may turn if she believes it would protect her son to do so. The future is uncertain, and so is the position of Narcissa.
Well what could this possibly mean for book Seven? The past is fixed, nothing can change Bella and as a result she will be an obstacle for Harry and the Order to overcome but her stance will never change, her loyalty will never waiver. The present continues on regardless and while I would much like to meet Andromeda, she will have little influence in the outcome of the book. I believe if this approach is taken by JKR, the way the war will turn will be represented by the decision of Narcissa Malfoy. Whether she remains a Death Eater of aids the Order. She represents the future of the Wizarding world, whether she likes it or not.
So when combined with yesterdays look at the Black sisters as mythological tormentors, there are some conclusions one can draw. Narcissa Malfoy is an important character in the Harry Potter universe, and is a character to watch. Bellatrix’s importance should not be overestimated. She has played her hand, and her role in book seven may be limited to meeting her demise. Andromeda remains a character little is known off and is most likely not going to have a major role in book seven, though an action she may have an influence of the eventual outcome.
For reference sake, I got most of my info from wikipiedia and the Harry Potter books and Lexicon
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no subject
Date: 2006-01-31 12:53 pm (UTC)There's a Brothers Girmm Hausmarchen called "The Three Sisters", also "One Eye, Two Eyes Three Eye," three witches who spin for a heroine, and a slew of other tripled sisisters, three and seven being just as tied up with their vocabulary of narrative as Jo's; the Grimm Boys are full of three sisters. Then there are the three Gorgons of Greek mythology, only whom two are Immortal; the Greeks also give us the sororal triumverate of Hera, Aphrodite, and Athene, bound most famously in their competition for Eris' golden apple, as well as the three Graces, the three Horae, and the three Furies all groupings of sisters; then there are the Morrigan from Celtic myths: three sisters Badb, Macha, and Morrigu (Madness, Violence, and War), who were literary precursors for, and collapsed into, Morgan le Fey. there are Dario Argento's three sisters, all witches: Mater Suspiriorum (The Mother of Sighs), Mater Tenebrarum (The Mother of Shadows), and Mater Lachrymarum (The Mother of Tears). Three sisters is common. Let's not forget the three witches of Macbeth, referenced in Harry Potter by their alias, the Wyrd Sisters.
The Phinneas connection is nifty, but maybe some other cites are also worth exploring; gah, and I haven't even had coffee yet.
no subject
Date: 2006-01-31 01:00 pm (UTC)The Furies might be very interesting, although they're kind of interchangable, also called the Eumenides, got a play named after them, starring my fav Klytemnestra. Christianity has three Graces, as well, and also three cardinal virtues, although these might just be confined to Catholicism. Again, big on 3s and 7s, in any case.
Actually, there are FIVE cardinal virtues.
Date: 2006-01-31 09:01 pm (UTC)Re: Actually, there are FIVE cardinal virtues.
Date: 2006-01-31 09:31 pm (UTC)Plus, I'm a very bad Catholic.
no subject
Date: 2006-02-02 01:49 am (UTC)This is hard to say. One would think he would disklike Sirius more (he was disowned), but he is genuinely concerned after he dies. Now, his motives for this are not known at the moment (he could have been worried about what would happen to the Black house, etc. and not so much concerned with Sirius as a person). I would guess that he would not like Tonks, but considering his reaction to Sirius, it makes it harder to guess.
I agree with the conclusion you drew about the Black sisters's roles in Book 7. Even without this lovely analysis I get that feeling.
;P
no subject
Date: 2006-02-10 02:06 am (UTC)I like the stuff about Phineas too! And I would definately say that Andromeda's marrying a muggleborn would not be approved by him. interesting interesting.. cool essay :D
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Date: 2007-08-08 03:24 am (UTC)Post this on FictionAlley
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