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Harry Potter Marxist Analysis

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In this essay I will discuss Marxism in relation to the book series Harry Potter written by J.K Rowling. Even though The Harry Potter series is a children’s book series, when they are read carefully, the readers can see aspects of Marxism in it. One of the aspects that I will be focusing on in this essay is the idea of the proletariat and the bourgeoisie.
For the purpose of this essay I will be looking at the Harry Potter series but focusing on the last book, The Deathly Hallows as there are more examples of the ideas Marxism.
When looking at the Marxist aspects in Harry Potter, it is important to look at the context that the series was written in. When Rowling was writing that Harry Potter series she was a full time single mother and she …show more content…

J.K Rowling adapts Marx’s ideas to fit into modern society. Within the Harry Potter world the proletariat class is able to move up in society. One of the main examples of this is Severus Snape. He was a Half Blood wizard but he was sorted into Slytherin at Hogwarts, which is seen as a Pure Blood house. He did join Voldamort in the first Wizarding War. After the love of his life, Lily, died, he join the good side and became a double agent. When Harry is Hogwarts, he does everything within his power to protect him even though he hates him. An example of this is in the first book during Harry’s first Quidditch match where he mutters protective spells when Harry nearly falls off his broom. Even though he is seen as evil in the last two books, after killing the much loved Dumbledore, he is seen as a loyal and good wizard and is respected by all those who knew him. Though Snapes actions he was able to move up in society and become part of the bourgeoisie class.
As mentioned above I will be discussing the idea of the proletariat and the bourgeoisie within Harry Potter. This is seen in the discrimination against Muggle borns, or Mudbloods, as they are called, who are the proletariat class and the Pure Bloods/Half Bloods being the bourgeoisie class. According to Marx the discrimination that occurs between the Purebloods and the Muggle Born is due to the fact of the existence of ‘conditional labour’. An example of …show more content…

He wanted the proletariat class to go against their positions in society and become free from the bourgeoisie ruling class. Voldamorts defeat by Harry can be seen as a proletariat rebellion succeeding. In saying that, though, when we flash forward everything seems to be the same. Ron, Harry and Hermione all have jobs in the Ministry and their children are attending Hogwarts. Even though Voldamort was defeated, everything still seems to be the same.
Even though J.K Rowling’s Harry Potter series is seen as a children’s book series, there is evidence of Karl Marx’s ideas of society. She shows her readers of how bad the Marxist society is in the Wizarding world through the intense dislike of Voldemort and pity for the Muggle Borns. The Marxism aspects that appear in the Harry Potter series aren’t as bad as it was by Karl Marx. The proletariat class are able to over through the bourgeoisie class, but we are not sure if anything has really changed.
Karl Marx had the idea that the proletariat class are alienated and being repressed. These ideas are themes that continue throughout the book series, in particular the last book, The Deathly

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