Nicholas Flamel and Harry Potter

[Watson, John]

The Spanish translator would have used the English book (HP and the
Philosopher's Stone) rather than the US version (HP and the Sorcerer's
Stone). Why do some US publishers/film makers make that sort of change? It
seems unnecessary to me.
John Watson

-----Original Message-----
From: Elin Fowler [mailto:efowleraMINDSPRING.COM]
Sent: Sunday, 6 January 2002 4:24 AM
To: GOCAMINOaPETE.URI.EDU
Subject: Re: Nicholas Flamel and Harry Potter


I've been enjoying the discussion on the connection of Nicholas Flamel and
Harry Potter. Just for your information,
the title of  the first Harry Potter book/film in Spanish IS "Harry Potter
y la piedra  filosófica" . So there is no doubt in the Spaniard's mind that
the mysterious stone is the Philosopher's Stone. I had wondered why the
translators had used that word instead of "brujo" (sorcerer or wizard).

Incidentally: I'm a high school teacher in a semi-rural county in
Georgia.  I took a movie review about Harry Potter in Spanish  to school
for translation practice, thinking they would love it.  Not so.  I found
out that  there is strong objection to anything about Harry Potter among
some of my students. I was told to "offer an alternate assignment" to the
students who objected.(I might say they were coming from a religious bias. )

There have been other objections to things on the "fantasy" level.  What a
pity.  I grew up with,  and raised my children with,  healthy imagination.
And my grandchildren are reading about and delighting in Harry Potter, as
well as the Chronicles of Narnia and The Lord of the Rings.

Elin Fowler
Marietta, Georgia


At 02:56 PM 1/4/02 -0500, you wrote:
>Kathryn, as you probably know, since you mention the Harry Potter movie,
>Nicolas Flamel was an exceptionally renowned alchemist who was active in
the
>late 1300s and early 1400s.  I think he died sometime around 1410 -
however,
>the legend is that he discovered the secret for which all alchemists were
>searching - the Philosopher's Stone - which gave him eternal life - as long
>as he had possession of the "stone".  He made the pilgrimage to Santiago
>from Paris - I believe sometime in the 1390s.  When he returned to Paris he
>began living in a style beyond his former means and began publishing occult
>books that became very popular with a certain crowd.  He proclaimed that
>while traveling the Camino he had met a master of the Kabbalah (referred to
>as Abraham the Jew) who had taught him the secret of the Philosopher's
>Stone.  At that time, Leon was an important center for Kabbalistic study.
>This is another fascinating aspect of the Camino.  Possibly because it was
a
>widely traveled route in the middle ages - with some million pilgrims per
>year (: - it became an important transmitter of ideas and cultural
>interchange.  Historically, one finds many mystical schools of
Christianity,
>Judaism, and Islam along the Camino.  And today, of course, we get Opus Dei
>and self-styled Templars...
>
>Nicolas Flamel had a house in the Marais - the old part of Paris on the
>right bank.  His house is still standing and marked with a plack.  (I was
>there a few years ago).  A restaurant is in the street level of the house
>today.
>
>I took a quick look and found some sites related to Nicolas Flamel on the
>internet:
>http://www.levity.com/alchemy/flamel.html
>http://www.alchemylab.com/flamel.htm
>http://paranormal.about.com/library/weekly/aa111901a.htm
>
>
>>From: Kathryn Thompson <kathrynethompsonaHOTMAIL.COM>
>>Reply-To: Road to Santiago Pilgrimage <GOCAMINOaPETE.URI.EDU>
>>To: GOCAMINOaPETE.URI.EDU
>>Subject: Nicholas Flamel
>>Date: Fri, 4 Jan 2002 14:32:07 -0500
>>
>>I thought it was interesting that in the Harry Potter movie (and book),
the
>>medieval alchemist, Nicolas Flamel plays an important role.
>>
>>While most of the movie audience of kids probably thought he was a
>>"made-up"
>>character, I've long been interested in Flamel and seem to remember
hearing
>>or reading that he was supposed to have discovered the secret of the
>>Philosopher's Stone while on the pilgrimage to Santiago.  Does anyone know
>>anything about this?
>>
>>Best wishes for the New Year!
>>
>>Kathryn
>>
>>
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