In my thesis, I will analyse the two contrasted fictional worlds that Rowling has created in the first four Harry Potter novels: the mundane Muggle world in which Harry first grows up and the fantasy world he enters once he has learned that he is a wizard.
At first, I will establish a theoretical background, dealing with fantasy literature in general. I will give an idea of what constitutes a fantasy world and present several definitions of "fantasy" or "the fantastic". I continue with an attempt to define and locate the two worlds in the Harry Potter novels and to find out how they relate to one another. Inspired by Rosemary Jackson's theory about the fantastic as subversion, I would like to find out whether the wizarding world has any subversive potential. I will analyse why it initially appears subversive and whether or not it lives up to this impression.
This will involve an examination of the educational and political system of the wizarding world. I will have a look at the concept of family that the novels promote, and questions of gender will be raised.
The central question is: what does it mean to be different in the wizarding world? Is the wizarding world more open to otherness than the Muggle world seems to be?
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In meiner Magisterarbeit analysiere ich die beiden gegensätzlichen fiktionalen Welten, die Rowling in ihren Harry-Potter-Romanen geschaffen hat. Dabei bezieht sich die Arbeit auf die bis zum Erscheinungsdatum der Arbeit veröffentlichten Bände 1-4.
Zunächst gebe ich einen sehr kurzen theoretischen Überblick über Fantasy-Literatur im Allgemeinen und und stelle verschiedene Definitionen des Fantastischen vor. Ich beschäftige mich mit der Lokalisierung und Beschaffenheit der beiden kontrastierten Welten in HP und erläutere, in welcher Beziehung sie zueinander stehen.
Anknüpfend an Rosemary Jackson's Theory vom Fantastischen als Subversion, untersuche ich, ob Rowlings Zauberwelt tatsächlich subversives Potential besitzt. Dabei unterziehe ich das Schulsystem und das politische System der Zauberwelt einem kritischen Blick. Ich analysiere außerdem das Familienbild, das die Romane entwerfen und beschäftige mich mit Gender-Fragen. Die zentrale Frage ist, wie mit Anderssein in der Zauberwelt umgegangen wird.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- 1 Worlds Of Fantasy
- 1.1 Definitions of Fantasy and the Fantastic
- 1.2 Fantasy as a Response to Reality
- 1.3 Primary World and Secondary World
- 2 Two Worlds
- 2.1 A Cartographer's Work
- 2.2 Common Ground
- 2.3 The International Dimension
- 2.4 Their-story, Our-story?
- 2.5 Two Cultures
- 3 "A Whisper about the Potters" The Fantastic in the Harry Potter Novels as Subversion
- 3.1 Magic The Mysterious "Other"
- 3.2 Harry Between the Worlds
- 4 The Wizarding World Subversion or Restriction?
- 4.1 Harry Potter as Boarding School Fiction
- 4.2 Politics, Jurisdiction and the Penal System in the Wizarding World
- 4.3 Racism, Oppression and Slavery
- 4.3.1 Death Eaters and "Mud-bloods"
- 4.3.2 Anti-Muggle Security
- 4.3.3 Werewolves, Giants and House-elf Liberation
- 4.4 Otherness and Nonconformity in the Wizarding World
- 5 "Mrs Weasley alone in the kitchen" The Concept of Family in the Novels
- 6 Gender in the Wizarding World
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This thesis aims to analyze the contrasting fictional worlds created by J.K. Rowling in her Harry Potter novels. It explores the interplay between the mundane Muggle world and the fantastical wizarding world, examining how they influence each other and how characters navigate their identities within these distinct realms.
- The nature of fantasy and the fantastic in literature
- The construction and representation of different worlds in fiction
- The themes of subversion and restriction in the wizarding world
- The portrayal of social structures, including family, power, and prejudice, within the wizarding community
- The role of gender and its implications for character development and societal norms
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The introduction establishes the context of the thesis, highlighting the widespread popularity of the Harry Potter novels and the author's decision to explore this phenomenon. It lays the groundwork for analyzing the two contrasting worlds presented in the books: the Muggle world and the wizarding world.
Chapter 1 delves into the definition of fantasy and the fantastic, exploring the concept of fantasy literature as a response to reality. It introduces the idea of primary and secondary worlds and provides a theoretical framework for understanding the construction of fictional worlds.
Chapter 2 continues the discussion of the two worlds, examining their distinct characteristics, common ground, and their interconnectedness. It investigates the author's portrayal of the international dimension of the wizarding world and explores the narrative perspectives offered in the novels.
Chapter 3 focuses on the subversion of the "ordinary" in the Harry Potter novels, analyzing the role of magic as a mysterious force that challenges established realities. It examines how Harry navigates between the Muggle and wizarding worlds, creating a dynamic tension between these contrasting realms.
Chapter 4 explores the complexities of the wizarding world, analyzing its social structures, political systems, and the potential for both subversion and restriction. It delves into themes of racism, oppression, and slavery, examining how these issues are addressed in the novels.
Chapter 5 examines the concept of family in the novels, focusing on the dynamics and complexities of the Weasley family and their relationships with other characters. It explores the different family structures present in both the Muggle and wizarding worlds.
Chapter 6 investigates the portrayal of gender in the wizarding world, examining the roles and opportunities available to both men and women. It analyzes the representation of female characters, their strengths and limitations, and the impact of gender on their experiences.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The key terms and focus topics of this thesis include fantasy literature, contrasting worlds, Harry Potter novels, Muggle world, wizarding world, subversion, restriction, social structures, family, power, prejudice, gender, character development, societal norms.
- Citar trabajo
- Magistra artium Isabelle Wagner (Autor), 2001, Contrasted worlds in the fiction of J. K. Rowling, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/86858
