Lauren Berman is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in English Literature at the University of Haifa. She has recently completed her M.A. degree in Children's Literature at the University of Reading, UK. The topic of her dissertation is an exploration of evil in the Harry Potter series.
Description
The abundance of folkloric references in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter novels has contributed significantly to the series' success. Consequently, this presentation focuses on the manner in which traditional demonic conventions associated with the devil have influenced Rowling's formation of Lord Voldemort. It is argued that these well established themes are manipulated and combined with innovative concepts in order to construct a unique version of the ultimate personification of evil.