The Goddess of Wisdom Goes to Hogwarts

Her name, Hermione, is quite an interesting choice for an Athena female such as herself. Derived from the name given to the Greek god Hermes, the name given to Hermione means "messenger, earthly", most fitting for the female counterpart to Harry. Like her male namesake, Hermione is helpful and cunning, and not above using trickery, if it means assisting a higher cause, such as when she tricked Dolores Umbridge into the Dark Forest, which led to Umbridge's mysterious disappearance (and ultimate demise) via Centaurs in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Her cleverness allows Hermione to establish her independence from her male counterparts. In her essay, "Feminism and Equal Opportunity: Hermione and the Women of Hogwarts," Mimi R. Gladstein examines Hermione's conviction and strength:

Further evidence that Hermione doesn't suffer form the kind of dependence on men that [Colette] Dowling and other feminists are concerned about is that she is confident in her own intellect and ability. Hermione can take of herself. She does not wait for her male friends to defend her when Malfoy insults her. Before the ball in Goblet of Fire, he expresses disbelief that anyone would ask her: "You're telling me someone's asked that to the ball? Not the long-molared Mudblood?" (GF 404). Rather than getting her feathers ruffled and retreating, Hermione frightens Malfoy into thinking that Mad-Eye Moody, who had previously turned Malfoy into a ferret, is right behind him. Hermione is not easily intimidated. (51)

Athena is the Goddess of warfare and wisdom, and much like her Hogwarts counterpart, Hermione Granger, she values above all else knowledge. As Jean Shinoda Bolen explains, Athena is the Goddess of thought and intellect:

The martial and domestic skills associated with Athena involve planning and execution, activities that require purposeful thinking. Strategy, practicality, and tangible results are hallmarks of her particular wisdom. Athena values rational thinking over instinct and nature. (76)

The guardian of knowledge, Athena is often portrayed keeping sentry over the library, valuing the knowledge hidden behind the leather bindings of books, rather than the emotional findings her sister virgin goddesses value. It is this quality in which Hermione Granger epitomizes; she is the seeker of knowledge. Bolen further explains the quest for knowledge within the Athena archetype female:

Women who are not innately like Athena can cultivate this archetype through education or work. Education requires development of Athena qualities. When a woman takes school seriously, she develops disciplined study habits...All education stimulates the development of this archetype. Learning objective facts, thinking clearly, preparing for examinations, and taking the tests themselves are all exercises that evoke Athena. (85)

With these qualities, Hermione effectively establishes herself as the Athena archetype. Hermione prides herself on her school achievements. At one point, Hermione scolds Harry and Ron for their late night adventures, in which the three of them faced the three-headed dog Fluffy, "I hope you're pleased with yourselves. We could have been killed, or worse-expelled." (Sorcerer's Stone 200). To Hermione, being expelled from school is a fate worse than death and one on which she is not willing to compromise. Rowling successfully portrays the fine line between the sexes when it comes to rule breaking. Hermione is compelled not to break the rules; in fact, she is rather obstinate about keeping her record as clean as possible. Ruthann Mayes-Elma analyzes the Harry Potter series in her book, Harry Potter: Feminist Friend or Foe?, and debates the line Rowling has created between the sexes. "Since there were always more incidences of rule following than rule breaking on the part of female characters this sends a very powerful message to young readers. Rowling is showing by example that it is a woman's 'duty', just as out patriarchal society as claimed it, to make sure that others follow the rules" (Mayes-Elma 87). Clearly, Rowling demonstrates just how responsible to the position those females are born into, while the males are following the position in the patriarchal society, following the old adage: Boys will be boys. While Hermione begins the series as a rule follower, by the fifth book, she becomes more willing to bend the rules for the greater good. This is not a typical female trait, and allows Rowling to explore the adventurous and risk-taking behaviors that women enjoyed pre-World War Two. Her 'duty' then becomes one of political outrage, rather than one of submissive behavior.

Works Cited

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Bolen, Jean Shinoda. Goddess in Everywoman: Powerful Archetypes in Women's Lives. New York: HarperCollins, 1984.

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Gladstein, Mimi R. "Feminism and Equal Opportunity: Hermione and the Women of Hogwarts." Harry Potter and Philosophy: If Aristotle ran Hogwarts. Ed. David Baggett and Shawn E. Klein. Chicago, Il." Open Court Publishing, 2004

Jennings, Sue. Goddesses. Carlsbad, Ca.: Hay House Publishing, 2003.

Mayes-Elma, Ruthann. Harry Potter: Feminist Friend or Foe? Rotterdam, Netherlands: Snese Publishers, 2007.

McDaniel, Kathryn N. "The Elfin Mystique: Fantasy and Feminism in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter Series." Past the Watchful Dragons: Fantasy and Faith in the World of C.S. Lewis. Ed. Amy H. Sturgis. Altadena, California; The Mythopoeic Press, 2007.

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--Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. New York: Scholastic Publishing, 2000.

--Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. New York: Scholastic Publishing, 2001.

--Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. New York: Scholastic Publishing, 2002.

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Woolger, Jennifer Barker and Roger J. Woolger. The Goddess Within: A Guide to the Eternal Myths that Shape Women's Lives. New York: Fawcett Columbine; 1987.