Fluffy Greek Mythology Analysis

The first mythological reference that provides a new perspective for the reader to look at the story from is when Dumbledore mentions in the Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone to not enter the 3rd floor because it is extremely dangerous and might lead to their deaths. But when Harry and his compatriots find themselves in the out-of-bounds corridor by mistake, they come face-to-face to a three-headed monstrous dog guarding what it seemed like a trapdoor, drooling from all his mouths. (PS, p 175) They inquire only to find out that it belongs to Hagrid and he tells them that he ‘bought him off a Greek chappie’ (PS, p 209) The dog’s name is Fluffy and the phrase ‘Greek chappie’ here works has a hint to lead readers to connect the creature to Greek mythology’s monster, the three-headed dog named Cerberus whose tail is fashioned like a dragon. It is the guard of the gates of the Kingdom of the Dead in the Underworld called Hades and its duty is to keep away all living creatures separate from the dead ones in the Underworld. (Hamilton, p) is a similar task that Fluffy performs in the novels.
Cerberus is more dangerous than Fluffy because of his toxic vomit out of which a lethal plant called ‘Aconite’ springs up. Further in Philosopher’s Stone Professor Snape makes a remark about a plant with the same name and its …show more content…
(Hamilton, ) Similarly, Harry and his friends play a flute to trick the monstrous dog and go through the trapdoor. While the entrance through Cerberus led to Underworld, it is less severe in PS but it does lead them to reach a place of trickery and dark magic. Through this scene it immediately establishes a few parallels with Greek mythology and it only further pushes the reader to read Harry Potter in a new