Archetypes In Harry Potter

In many mythological stories and writings, there are various archetypal characters that interact with the hero. One of the most influential of these archetypes is the mentor. The mentor serves as a source of wisdom and guidance, helping the hero arlong their journey and providing support. In J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, the character Remus Lupin serves as Harry Potter’s mentor in various situations. Lupin embodies many of the roles and characteristics of the classic mentor throughout the series. In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban especially, Lupin serves as Harry’s teacher; as Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, he not only teaches Harry in a classroom setting, but also gives him individual lessons on the Patronus Charm.

While Harry struggles with hearing his mother’s death and coming to terms with his godfather’s betrayal, Lupin helps him understand more about these dynamics and provides context for this information. He is personally invested and knowledgeable, and willingly offers up what he knows in order to help Harry cope with these troubling situations. He serves as a trusted source of both information and comfort, both of which Harry has lacked previously; Lupin’s actions as a mentor closely parallel those in classic Greek mythology. Athena serves as a mentor to Odysseus in The Odyssey; she uses her own wisdom and helps the hero make wise choices and succeed, as Lupin does with Harry. They are also both regarded well by many of their colleagues; though Lupin faces discrimination due to his werewolf status by many, most of his fellow teaches respect him, similar to how Athena is respected by her fellow gods. Another mentor that Lupin resembles is Chiron, the centaur who guides many heroes in his life through their journey. In various situations across the series, Remus Lupin represents the classic character of the Mentor in relation to Harry Potter. He is most often presented as the wise, kind teacher who is willing to help and support the hero in whatever way is required of him. Similar to characters such as Athena and Chiron, Lupin is a modern interpretation of the age-old