Here is your one-stop resource for Oxford University’s Beatrice Groves’ work posted online! This page is posted under ‘Keys for Interpretation‘ in the Pillar Posts left side-bar on the HogwartsProfessor.com homepage; it was last updated on 10 May 2023.
Cormoran Strike
November 2, 2022 Rowling’s Process- Insights from a 2015 Interview – Insights from an interview J. K. Rowling gave seven years ago, to publicise Career of Evil.
March 1, 2023: Strike Series Ranking – Beatrice shares her reasoning and ranking of the six Strike novels so far.
The Running Grave
January 17, 2023: The Running Grave: Strike 7, the I Ching and the Yarrow Stalks – Clues to Strike 7 revealed by Rowling on Twitter.
February 8, 2023: Round Tower Churches and Rowling’s New Twitter Header – The history and myth of the distinctive Round Tower Churches of East Anglia, and that of Aylmerton in particular.
April 2, 2023: The Lion’s Mouth – Rowling’s new header and the Norfolk location of The Running Grave. A look at the historic and literary parallels in this quiet corner of Norfolk.
Cuckoo’s Calling
September 9, 2017:Literary Allusion in “The Cuckoo’s Calling” – Part 1: Christina Rossetti’s “A Dirge” – Rowling’s choices are always deliberate. So why did she choose the poems at the beginning and end of “Cuckoo’s Calling”? And what do they tell us about the book series?
September 17, 2017:Literary Allusion in “The Cuckoo’s Calling” – Part 2: Tennyson’s “Ulysses” – What type of hero is Cormoran Strike? Dr. Beatrice Groves examines how literary allusions in “The Cuckoo’s Calling” may provide some insight.
August 29, 2020: Handfasting in “The Cuckoo’s Calling” and “Harry Potter”: A Discovery of a Walt Whitman Poem? – Dr. Beatrice Groves argues that the unnamed poem Lula Landry recites in “The Cuckoo’s Calling” is Walt Whitman’s “Of the Terrible Doubt of Appearances” – a poem that connects to the theme of handfasting in both “The Cuckoo’s Calling” and “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince”.
The Silkworm
February 24, 2018:“Didst Thou Not Mark the Jest of the Silkworm?”: Literary Clues in “The Silkworm” – Dr. Beatrice Groves again dives into literary allusion in Rowling’s work: This time, find out the significance of the epigraphs and literary parallels in “The Silkworm”.
February 25, 2018:“Does the Silkworm Expend Her Yellow Labours/ For Thee?”: Literary Clues in “The Silkworm” – Part 2 – Dr. Beatrice Groves explores how “Hamlet” and other early modern dramas are embedded in “The Silkworm”, and you didn’t even know it!
Lethal White
October 9, 2018: Lethal White: Beatrice Groves on ‘Galbraith Meets Graham Norton’ – The Robert Galbraith interview with Graham Norton on a BBC2 radio show.
August 2, 2018:Odi et amo: Rowling, Strike, and Roman Poetry – Expert literary sleuth Dr. Beatrice Groves examines what Rowling’s recent Latin tweet tells us about the upcoming “Lethal White”.
September 16, 2018:Lethal White Horses – What if the white horse clues Rowling has been dropping about “Lethal White” aren’t about animals… but about places?
January 7, 2020: Rowling and Catullus – A Nativity Guest Post post about distinguishing an artist from her artwork and a pointer to a BBC program which Serious Strikers will want to attend.
After Publication:
August 30, 2020: The Epigraphs of “Lethal White”: Shipping Strike & Robin – Dr. Beatrice Groves explores how the “Rosmersholm” epigraphs in “Lethal White” reveal not only the importance of the white horse motif but also the passionate partnership at the forefront of both stories.
September 7, 2020: Striking Epigraphs: Literary Allusion in Career of Evil and Lethal White – ‘Literary Allusion in Cormoran Strike,’ with special emphasis on Rowling-Galbraith’s use of epigraphs in Lethal White and Career of Evil.
Troubled Blood
March 22, 2020: “The Faerie Queene” and the Fifth “Strike” Novel: “Troubled Blood” On March 20, 2020, J.K. Rowling changed her Twitter header to an image taken from “The Faerie Queene“, an epic poem containing the phrase “troubled blood,” the title of the forthcoming “Cormoran Strike” novel. What relevance, beyond inspiring its title, will “The Faerie Queene” have on “Troubled Blood“?
August 26, 2020: Blood Relations and Troubled Blood — A Hint from Tom Burke Drawing on a snippet from an interview given by Tom Burke, Beatrice Groves delves into the works of Burkes grandfather, and how this may give hints to Troubled Blood.
September 9, 2020: Troubled Blood in Cornwall — In anticipation of the imminent release of “Troubled Blood”, Dr. Beatrice Groves predicts that the upcoming novel will include Cornish myths, occult presences, and a mysterious place known as the Doom Bar.
September 10, 2020: Troubled Blood in London — Dr. Beatrice Groves predicts that “Troubled Blood” will take us from St. John’s Gate to the Hampton Court astronomical clock, all while weaving in elements of tarot and the occult.
September 11, 2020: Catullus, Clodia, and Charlotte Campbell-Ross — Clues for Troubled Blood? – Thoughts in the run-up to publication of Troubled Blood on the importance of the poet Catullus and his love for Lesbia in understanding Strike’s relationship with Charlotte Campbell-Ross.
September 12, 2020: Liminal Women — Mermaids and Swan Maidens in Galbraith’s Strike Novels – Thoughts in the run-up to publication of Troubled Blood on the Mermaids and Swan Maidens in the Cormoran Strike novels.
September 29, 2020: Trouble in Faerie Land (Part 1): Spenserian Clues in Troubled Blood Epigraphs— Dr. Beatrice Groves explores how “The Faerie Queen” epigraphs in “Troubled Blood” impart clues about the story and characters as well as illuminate the book’s central themes.
October 6, 2020: Trouble in Faerie Land (Part 2): Shipping Robin and Strike in the Epigraphs of Troubled Blood — By pairing Robin and Strike with characters from “The Faerie Queene”, Dr. Beatrice Groves reveals how “Troubled Blood” foreshadows what’s to come in the detectives’ relationship.
October 13, 2020: Trouble in Faerie Land (Part 3): Searching for Duessa in Troubled Blood — Were you surprised by the murderer in “Troubled Blood”? A closer look at “The Faerie Queene” epigraphs reveals extra clues that lead you in the direction of the proper suspect…
After Publication:
November 20, 2020: Dwelling on Dreams in Strike and Harry Potter (Part One) – Reflections on the many dreams in Harry Potter and the Cormoran Strike mysteries.
November 21, 2020: Dwelling on Dreams in Strike and Harry Potter (Part Two) or
‘What is So Special About Charing Cross Road?’– Concluding reflections on the many dreams in Harry Potter and the Cormoran Strike mysteries with the revelation of a stunning link — the centrality of Charing Cross Road and its bookstores to both series.
November 5, 2020: **Harry Potter and the Mysteries of Cormoran Strike: Part 1 (Introductory Ideas) – unpacking the mysteries of Rowling’s Cormoran Strike series, and its narrative’s similarities to the Harry Potter series.
November 6, 2020: **Harry Potter and the Mysteries of Cormoran Strike: Part 2 (Cratylic Names) – exploration of names in each series, and even some similarities to Rowling’s newest publication, The Ickabog.
The Ink Black Heart
June 21, 2021: John Donne, The Beast Within, and Who Killed Leda Strike – In it she discusses what Nick Jeffery’s discovery of a possible future Strike novel title and ‘The Beast Within’ theme of Rowling’s recent work tells us about who is the most likely suspect in the “Who Killed Leda Strike?” sweepstakes.
July 29, 2021: Leda and the Swan Mural at the Ritz: A Clue to the Opening of Strike 6? Part 1 – Here is the first instalment of a wonderful analysis of the murals that adorn Strike settings and may provide complex and captivating clues for what is to come!
July 30, 2021: The Beast Within: Shakespearean Clues in Strike, Part 2 – Part two of Bea Groves’ brilliant look at the clues hidden in the very walls of the watering holes visited by our favourite Denmark Street detective!
December 11, 2021: The Mystery of the Ink Black Heart (with Kurt Schreyer) – Beatrice Groves and Kurt Schreyer offers peak at a the story scaffold via Shakespearian epigraphs to the mystery of The Ink Black Heart.
June 18, 2022: Highgate Cemetery and The Ink Black Heart – Prof. Groves’ quick look at what J. K. Rowling’s new Twitter Header can mean for The Ink Black Heart.
June 30, 2022: The Ink Black Heart – Uncovering the synopsis clues – Prof. Groves’ look at what the cover and publisher’s blurb can mean for The Ink Black Heart.
August 26, 2022: Ink-Bottles, Anodos and Anomie – Mary Elizabeth Coleridge and the epigraphs of Ink Black Heart.
August 27, 2022: Ink Black Corvids: Magpies, Alchemy and Ink Black Heart – Prof. Groves’ delve into all things crow and Cormoran.
August 29, 2022: Ink Black Heart Predictions – The best guesses based on both close reading of the previous books and other revelations, for The Ink Black Heart.
After Publication:
September 14, 2022: THE INK BLACK PRINCE Connections between The Ink Black Heart and Harry Potter – Article about The Ink Black Heart connections with Harry Potter, in The Rowling Library #69
September 26, 2022: Ink Black Heart: Hits and Misses – Prof. Groves round up of her prediction hits, misses and expectations yet to come!
October 01, 2022: The Warlock’s Ink Black Heart – A look at the heart as metaphor in Rowling’s writings – past, present and, enticingly, works yet to come.
October 26, 2022: Scaramouche’s Fandango in Ink Black Heart – A look at music as metaphor, scaffold and clue in Rowling’s Ink Black Heart.
November 26, 2022 Silkworm and Ink Black Heart – Parallels and links between the second and sixth Strike novels.
December 12, 2022 Potter’s Progress – The Christmas Pig and Harry’s quest – An exploration of how Harry Potter, The Christmas Pig and indeed Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women all use Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress as story scaffold and Christian message.
February 14, 2023: Valentine’s Alchemy – Love, both sacred and profane, in Ink Black Heart.
Harry Potter
June 26, 2017: Literary Allusion in “Harry Potter”: Links Between “Philosopher’s Stone” and “Deathly Hallows” – “I open at the close.” How do the connections between the first and last “Harry Potter” novels form a circle that guides readers through the series, and how do the other novels connect with their “partner” novels? Dr. Beatrice Groves of Oxford University is on the case!
June 27, 2017:Literary Allusion in “Harry Potter”: “Prisoner of Azkaban”, “Order of the Phoenix”, and Sherlock Holmes – Dr. Beatrice Grove is back today with the connections between “Harry Potter” and “Sherlock Holmes”. How do Sirius Black, the Grim, and “Hound of the Baskervilles” all fit together? Read on for more!
June 28, 2017:Literary Allusion in “Harry Potter”: Shakespeare and “Harry Potter” – Part 1 – Today, Dr. Beatrice Groves continues her MuggleNet series “Literary Allusion in Harry Potter” with a discussion of the relationship between “Harry Potter” and Shakespeare – the first of three posts on the subject!
June 29, 2017:Literary Allusion in “Harry Potter”: Shakespeare and “Harry Potter” – Part 2 – Today, Dr. Beatrice Groves continues her discussion of Shakespeare and “Harry Potter” by looking at one of the Bard’s most famous plays – “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”.
June 30, 2017:Literary Allusion in “Harry Potter”: Shakespeare and “Harry Potter” – Part 3 – Today, Dr. Beatrice Groves explores how both J.K. Rowling and Shakespeare use ghosts to embody the past throughout their works.
June 27, 2017: Guest Post – ‘Mirrors, Paper, Stone:’ Literary Links and Riddles in Philosopher’s Stone, Goblet of Fire and Deathly Hallows (Part 1) Three posts in celebration of her new book Literary Allusion in Harry Potter
July 4, 2017: ‘Stone, Goblet, Hallows:’ The Series Axis in Philosopher’s Stone, Goblet of Fire and Deathly Hallows (Part 2)
July 11, 2017: The ‘Harrying of Hell:’ The Harrowing in Philosopher’s Stone and Deathly Hallows (Part 3)
February 5, 2018: A Potter Expert’s Account of the ‘Harry Potter: A History of Magic’ British Library Exhibition – An in-depth account (complete with Potter quotes, literary and artistic references, past J.K. Rowling interviews and more!) of the Harry Potter: A History of Magic exhibition, currently residing at The British Library until February 28th
April 23, 2018: A Shakespearean Source for the Four-Point Character Conflict in “Harry Potter”? – In honour of William Shakespeare’s birthday, Dr. Beatrice Groves explores the parallels between the characters in “Harry Potter” and “Henry IV, Part 1”.
July 15, 2018: Time-travelling back to 2005: New J.K. Rowling interview material (Part 1) (Part 2) (Part 3) – On July 13th 2005 Lev Grossman had an extensive, two-hour interview with Rowling but, as he has documented, only a small percentage of what Rowling said in that interview made it into print. What this means for us is that there is a mine of undiscovered gems which can take us time-travelling back to a moment when the ending of Harry Potter was still unknown.
October 4, 2018: “Harry Potter: A History of Magic” and Plant Lore Part One: J.K. Rowling and Culpeper’s Complete Herbal
October 6, 2018: “Harry Potter: A History of Magic” and Plant Lore Part Two: Bubotuber Pus and the Doctrine of Signatures
October 17, 2018: “Harry Potter: A History of Magic” and Plant Lore Part Three: Plants and J.K. Rowling’s Cratylic naming
October 18, 2018: “Harry Potter: A History of Magic” and Plant Lore Part Four: ‘We can talk, if there is anyone worth talking to:’ The Language of Flowers
October 20, 2018: “Harry Potter: A History of Magic” and Plant Lore Part Five: Apothecaries, Alchemists and the Hogwarts houses
December 23, 2018: Carols in Harry Potter And The Myth Of The Christmas Rose (Part 1) (Part 2)
March 19, 2019: Rowling’s Goblin Problem? – With the opening of an exhibition, “Jews, Money, Myth”, at the Jewish Museum London, Dr. Beatrice Groves ponders whether the depiction of goblins in “Harry Potter” is anti-Semitic.
March 20, 2019:The Sword Until Recently Known as Gryffindor’s – Dr. Beatrice Groves dissects the moral challenge of the goblin perspective on the ownership of Gryffindor’s sword, which is strongly linked to our popular understanding of Marxism.
October 7, 2019: Harry Potter Meets Monty Python – In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Monty Python Flying Circus television program, Dr Beatrice Groves writes two posts about the evident relationship and possible literary allusions to Python in the works of J. K. Rowling.
December 23, 2019: Christmas in ‘Chamber of Secrets’: or, why is the crowing of the rooster fatal to the Basilisk? (Part 2) – The connections between the roosters and Basilisk, and connections to Christmas in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
May 25, 2021: “Hitchhiker” and “Harry Potter:” Part 1 – Celebrating Towel Day 2021 – A closer look at “Harry Potter” shows that it may have been inspired by aspects of Douglas Adams’s work.
May 26, 2021: “Hitchhiker” and “Harry Potter:” Part 2 – “Mostly Harmless” – Dr. Beatrice Groves argues that Douglas Adams’s book “Mostly Harmless” may have inspired an overarching theme in “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.”
June 23, 2021: Celebrating the Seventh Annual Harry Potter Book Night: Diagon Alley – Part 1 — From puns to literary references to magical ley lines, there’s more to Diagon Alley than meets the eye.
June 24, 2021: Diagon Alley in Oxford? The Seventh Annual Harry Potter Book Night – Part 2 — Through literary clues, Dr. Beatrice Groves reveals how Diagon Alley may have been inspired by Oxford’s High Street.
December 22, 2021: Christmas in the Forest of Dean: The Silver Doe – Part 1 From Dennis Potter to Harry Potter, the Forest of Dean may pull its significance from screenwriters, Arthurian legend, and the author’s own childhood.
December 23, 2021: Christmas in the Forest of Dean: The Silver Doe – Part 2 From white deer to references to the Forest of Dean, early Arthurian texts can shine a light on the doe Patronus scene in “Deathly Hallows.”
December 24, 2021: The Silver Doe at Christmas – Tracing the imagery and symbolism of the Silver Doe via one of J. K. Rowling’s favourite authors.
June 8, 2022: ‘Harry Potter Dreaming’ Unseen Footage of Rowling from 1998 – Prof. Groves’ fascinating look at Rowling’s candid thoughts at the very beginning of her professional career.
January 28, 2023: Colette in the Wizarding World – One of Rowling’s favourite authors and her reflections in the wider Potter universe.
Fantastic Beasts
December 1, 2017: Beatrice Groves: ‘Nagini Maledictus’ Literary Allusion in Fantastic Beasts – A look at the fan theory that Claudia Kim’s character will turn into Nagini via a blood curse.
June 18, 2018: Guest Post: Crimes of Grindelwald, Locks of Love, and Nicolas Flamel – An exploration of the lock with Nicolas Flamel’s initials that can be found on the Crimes of Grindelwald screenplay cover.
November 12, 2018: “It’s Just Like Waking Up, Right?”: “Crimes of Grindelwald”, Kipling, and Shakespeare’s Midsummer Dreaming – Dr. Beatrice Groves explores the links between Rowling’s wizarding world and the “Green World” in Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and examines how Kipling’s works influenced “Harry Potter”.
November 13, 2018: “The Crimes of Grindelwald”, Kipling, and the Origins of the Deathly Hallows Symbol – The Deathly Hallows symbol has been at the center of most of the promotional content for “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald”. Dr. Beatrice Groves looks at how the Deathly Hallows was influenced by Masonic symbolism.
November 14, 2018: The Alchemical Symbolism of the Deathly Hallows in “Crimes of Grindelwald” – How do alchemical and Masonic symbolism overlap? Dr. Beatrice Groves explores this connection, links it to the quest for the Hallows, and finds an astonishingly vivid parallel between “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” and “The Man Who Would Be King.”
December 20, 2021: The Qilin in The Secrets of Dumbledore?
August, 2021: Fantastic Beasts and How to Save Them: Ice Age Dragons, Shakespeare, and More from the London Natural History Museum’s “Wonder of Nature” Exhibit How do Mooncalves get their names? What’s a kakapo? How is a marine iguana like an Occamy? Read this article to answer all those questions and more.
February 20, 2022: Secrets of Dumbledore: Dumbledore’s Wand and Wulfric of Haselbury We know that Dumbledore eventually owned the Elder Wand, but what was his wand made out of before then? His namesake Wulfric may give us some clues.
March 21, 2022: “Because I Was in Love With You:” The Blood Troth in “Secrets of Dumbledore” An analysis of the term “blood troth” reveals how Dumbledore’s love for Grindelwald was foreshadowed in the previous movie.
April 01, 2022: The King of Beasts: Fantastic Beasts and the Beast Within After the excitement of the new trailer for Fantastic Beasts the Secrets of Dumbledore Dr Groves has identified what may be the new Chinese beast in the latest instalment.
April 02, 2022: Literary Allusion in Secrets of Dumbledore: Fantastic Beasts 3 – Beatrice leads us from ancient Chinese bestiaries to the poetry of Alexander Pope, by way of disapparating dodos and totalitarian lingerie.
April 5, 2022: “Secrets of Dumbledore” and “The Book of Beasts”: Fantastic Bestiaries and Where to Find Them – Part 1 – Dr. Beatrice Groves reveals how the inspiration and symbolism of the creatures in the wizarding world originated from T.H. White’s “Book of Beasts.”
April 6, 2022: An Ancient Chinese Bestiary in “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore”: Fantastic Bestiaries and Where to Find Them – Part 2 – Dr. Beatrice Groves reveals how an ancient Chinese bestiary, the “Shan Hai Jing,” heavily influenced the creatures of the “Fantastic Beasts” films.
April 7, 2022: The Phoenix and the Qilin in “Secrets of Dumbledore”: Fantastic Bestiaries and Where to Find Them – Part 3 – The qilin and the phoenix are more alike than they may seem – and both will likely play an important role in “Secrets of Dumbledore.”
April 16, 2022: Secrets of Dumbledore: First Thoughts – In the wake of the UK theatrical release of Fantastic Beasts: the Secrets of Dumbledore and the (long awaited) US release on 15th April, Beatrice Groves has posted her first thoughts.
August 9, 2022: EXIT PURSUED BY QILIN The Stage Direction of the Secrets of Dumbledore – An analysis and comparison with the previous film screenplays by Rowling, and trying to identify which parts were written by Steve Kloves.
The Ickabog
July 22, 2020: **The Names of “The Ickabog” – Part 1 – Dr. Beatrice Groves reveals the meaning behind the names of “The Ickabog” and explains how this newest fairy tale connects not only to the “Harry Potter” series and “Casual Vacancy” but also to such diverse artists as Shakespeare, Keats, and Monty Python.
July 23, 2020: **The Names of “The Ickabog” – Part 2: Ichabod – Dr. Beatrice Groves uncovers how “The Ickabog” alludes to not just the name “Ichabod” but also the themes, plot, and narration of Washington Irving’s “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.”
November 14, 2020: The J. K. Rowling – Graham Norton Interview about The Ickabog and Solve et Coagula – understanding of what The Rowling revealed about The Ickabog and about herself.
J.K. Rowling
January 26, 2018:“Books Are Not Absolutely Dead Things”: “Harry Potter”, Milton, and Censorship – On the one-year anniversary of J.K. Rowling receiving the PEN/Allen Foundation Literary Service Award, Dr. Beatrice Groves discusses how Rowling’s themes of censorship in “Potter” have roots all the way back to Milton.
January 27, 2018: “Books Are Not Absolutely Dead Things”: “Harry Potter”, Evelyn Waugh, and Censorship – J.K. Rowling celebrates literacy in both her writing and her interviews. Dr. Beatrice Groves explores how other authors may have influenced Rowling’s thoughts.
September 2019: Four Part Series on Rowling and the Importance of Scotland in her Work
- Beatrice Groves: Rowling and Scotland
- Beatrice Groves: Edinburgh’s Dark Side
- Beatrice Groves: Rowling and Heraldry
- Beatrice Groves: Rowling Family Mottos
May 23, 2020: Solve et Coagula: Part 1 – Rowling’s Alchemical Tattoo – Last year, J.K. Rowling got a tattoo of the alchemical Latin phrase “solve et coagula.” Read about how the phrase has an intimate connection with everything she writes.
May 24, 2020: Solve et Coagula: Part 2 – The Ripley Scrolls, Nicolas Flamel, and Ben Jonson’s Alchemist – Dr. Beatrice Groves looks further into the origins of the phrase “solve et coagula” and the way in which it encapsulates Rowling’s own metaphors for her “process.”
May 25, 2020: Solve et Coagula: Part 3 – Literary Alchemy – In Part 3 of her “solve et coagula” analysis, Dr. Beatrice Groves explains how literary alchemy influences J.K. Rowling’s writing process.
September 17, 2021: Easter Eggs on J.K. Rowling’s New Website – Part 1 – The Easter Eggs on the new J. K. Rowling Stories website and what they tell us about the author and her influences.
September 18, 2021: Easter Eggs on J.K. Rowling’s New Website – Part 2 – One of J. K. Rowling’s favourite authors – E. Nesbit.
December 21, 2022: The Winter Solstice and Beira, Queen of Winter – The Scots myth of Beira the name chosen for Rowling’s charity en Edinburgh.
The Christmas Pig
October 10, 2021: Unlocking Clues to The Christmas Pig – What can link The Christmas Pig, Harry Potter, Nigel Molesworth and French butchers? As we wait for the publication day of The Christmas Pig, follow the trail of breadcrumbs Dr Groves has found.
December 2021: Christmas Miracles in A Christmas Carol and The Christmas Pig – The Christmas miracles in The Christmas Pig
and A Christmas Carol.
Podcasts
September 11, 2017 “Reading, Writing, Rowling” Episode 2: “Beatrice Groves and Literary Allusion in Harry Potter”— In this episode of “Reading, Writing, Rowling”, guest Beatrice Groves discusses her latest book, which explores references to other literary works within the “Harry Potter” books.
December 11, 2017 “Reading, Writing, Rowling” Episode 5: “Writing Magic: New Insights from Lev Grossman’s Interview with J.K. Rowling in 2005” — In this episode, we talk with special guest Lev Grossman, a book critic and fantasy writer, about his interview with Rowling just before “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” hit the bookstores.
May 14, 2018 “Reading, Writing, Rowling” Episode 10: “Adeel Amini Discusses His Interview with J.K. Rowling in 2008” — What happens when a student journalist sees their favorite author in a coffee shop? They land an interview. On this episode of “Reading, Writing, Rowling”, special guest Adeel Amini talks about that interview from 2008.
August 11, 2018 “Reading, Writing, Rowling” Episode 13: “Harry Potter Fan Pilgrimages” — Are you a Harry Potter Pilgrim? If you’ve journeyed to Platform 9 ¾, to a coffee shop in which J.K. Rowling wrote parts of the series, or to sites used in the Harry Potter…
January 18, 2019 “Reading, Writing, Rowling” Episode 18: “Lethal White Under the Magnifying Glass (with Spoilers!)”— There’s a lot to unpack in “Lethal White”, the newest book in the “Cormoran Strike” series by Robert Galbraith, better known as J.K. Rowling. Expect spoilers, analyses, predictions, and ties to “Harry Potter” and “Fantastic Beasts”.
March 25, 2019 “Reading, Writing, Rowling” Episode 21: “Divination Class: Tarot, Astrology, and Games in Harry Potter”— Episode 21 of “Reading, Writing, Rowling” explores the future as well as fun and games, from prophecies to tarot cards to chess, and their impact on the narrative of “Harry Potter”.
June 10, 2019 “Reading, Writing, Rowling” Episode 24: “The Wand in the Stone? Harry Potter and King Arthur”— Episode 24 of “Reading, Writing, Rowling” explores how “Harry Potter” has more in common with Arthurian legend than wizards and magic swords.
February 10, 2020 “Reading, Writing, Rowling” Episode 33: “Revela Draconem: Draco Malfoy Revealed” — Episode 33 of “Reading, Writing, Rowling” takes on the complicated bad boy that is Draco Malfoy. Does he deserve scorn, pity, or some of both?
April 27, 2020 “Reading, Writing, Rowling” Episode 37: “Troubled Blood and The Faerie Queene: Strike 5” — Episode 37 of “Reading, Writing, Rowling” is another bonus minisode, with predictions for the fifth “Cormoran Strike” novel, “Troubled Blood”, and its relationship to Spenser’s “Faerie Queene”.
August 10, 2020 “Reading, Writing, Rowling” Episode 45: “Alchemical Weddings in Harry Potter and Beyond” — Episode 45 of “Reading, Writing, Rowling” uses literary alchemy to examine pairings in “Harry Potter”. What humoral symbolism exists between these couples?
December 14, 2020 Potterversity Episode 3: A Very Harry Christmas On this episode, Katy and Emily talk with Dr. Beatrice Groves (author of Literary Allusion in Harry Potter and blogger at Bathilda’s Notebook) about the Christmases at Hogwarts and how they culminate in the final book’s graveyard scene at Godric’s Hollow.
May 10, 2021 Poterversity Episode 9: Harry Meets Dracula In this episode, Katy and Emily talk with Dr. Beatrice Groves (Literary Allusions in Harry Potter, Bathilda’s Notebook) about the many parallels between Bram Stoker’s Dracula and the Harry Potter series.
March 17, 2022 The Strike & Ellacott Files: Episode 5.5: Epigraphs in Strike In this episode, we discuss all aspects of the epigraphs, including why they’re important, what they add to the text, and even a few predictions for what we might be able to expect in The Ink Black Heart.
May 23, 2022: Potterversity Episode 22: Secrets of Dumbledore and the Deathly Hallows Dr. Beatrice Groves (Trinity College, Oxford) joins Katy and Emily to decode the symbolic elements of this story and help us understand where it fits within the Harry Potter series.
June 13, 2022: Potterversity Episode 23: Secrets of Dumbledore: Outtakes and Conversation On this special episode, hear uncensored opinions and on-the-spot analysis about Secrets of Dumbledore from some of our Potterversity regulars, Beatrice Groves, Emma Nicholson, Louise Freeman, and Lana Whited.
October 10, 2022: Potterversity Episode 27: Jim Kay’s Illustrated Harry Potter Editions On this episode, Katy and Emily talk with artist and fantasy scholar Emily Austin (Signum University) and literary scholar Beatrice Groves (Trinity College, Oxford) about the rich, marvelous world depicted in Jim Kay’s gorgeous illustrations of the Potterverse.
March 23, 2023: The Strike & Ellacott Files – Episode 12.5 – delving into the epigraphs of The Ink Black Heart and how the epigraphs help us empathize with Edie Ledwell, the connections to Aurora Leigh.
March 26, 2023 Three Broomsticks Podcast – Episode 5 – Join hosts Irvin and Sophia and special guests Dr. Beatrice Groves and Nick Jeffery as they discuss the parallels between the villains in Half-Blood Prince and Ink Black Heart.
Miscellaneous Other!
University of Oxford Interview on Literary Allusion in Harry Potter
Thinking Faithfully: Coventry Carol (Slaughter of the Innocents)
Speak Your Mind