We're reading Chapter Eight, The Potions Master this week and thinking about the themes addressed in Prospero's speech in Act V, Scene I of William Shakespeare's "The Tempest". Honestly, this episode could also be known as "A Study in Snape", as we attempt a thorough analysis of his character. We discuss Snape's great ambition and unfulfilled potential. We pose the question: what makes a good teacher, and compare Snape and McGonagall's approaches to their subjects. We also debate whether respect can be demanded, or must it essentially be earned?

This week we consider Chapter 7, The Sorting Hat, in parallel with The Crowning of King Arthur from Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur. We talk about the importance of ritual and rights of passage. We consider whether these issues necessitate hard work and sacrifice. We also think about the function of Houses at Hogwarts, reflecting on the positive and negative aspects of such a system

We're diving back into the Dickensian world this week, looking at Chapter 6: The Journey from Platform Nine and Three-Quarters in parallel with Chapter 22 of Great Expectations. This week we consider what it means to have "great expectations". We also take a look at Ron and Harry's budding friendship and talk about the importance of kindness and compassion. Paul is affronted by the idea that Scabbers is "not what he seems", and also makes a compelling case for why Harry doesn't belong in Slytherin.

Join us as we read Chapter Five "Diagon Alley" alongside Chapter Ten of "Oliver Twist", by Charles Dickens. We consider how both Oliver and Harry are introduced to new societies. We analyse Harry's first interaction with a peer, Draco Malfoy. Ella takes issue with how creepy Ollivander is and we discuss how magic can be both terrible and great.

Apologies for the audio quality this week! The first few minutes are particularly rough, but it improves a bit after that. If you do manage to stick with us, you will find our discussion this week compares Chapter Four "The Keeper of the Keys" with John McCrae's war poem "In Flanders Fields". We talk about the casualties of war and the importance of remembrance - particularly when it comes to Petunia's resentment and jealousy of Lily. And after being quite sympathetic towards the Dursleys in the last episode, Claire has far more grievances with their behaviour this week.

What role does "fate" play in getting Harry to Hogwarts? How are witches and wizards comparable to the Greek gods? And who is more like Odysseus - Harry or Vernon? All this and more as we relate Chapter 3 of "Philosopher's Stone" to Book 10 of Homer's "The Odyssey"

This week we examine “Chapter Two: The Vanishing Glass” in parallel with the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. In both these stories, we get an introduction to a new world, but we also come across two very different types of snakes. We also think about how the snake in this chapter compares to the other snakes we meet in the rest of the Harry Potter series.

For our first week, we will discuss the events of “Chapter One: The Boy Who Lived” alongside the Biblical story of Cain and Abel. We examine themes of murder, banishment and, just as Dumbledore says, we consider the idea that scars can be useful. We also ask the question: is it ever possible to “celebrate” a murder?

A very warm welcome to the Ravenclaw Readers podcast! We’re embarking on a Harry Potter re-read with a literary twist. If you want to know what we’re all about, give this quick episode a listen. Claire gets embarrassingly sincere about her love for Harry Potter, while Ella and Paul talk about what they hope to gain from the project. Happy listening!