J. K. Rowling’s Imaginary Realm of Faërie – a Collection of Myths and Folktales from Eastern and Western Cultures

Abstract

Storytellers, especially fantasy writers, have always relied on the power of a willing reader’s imagination that can surpass any word or image conveyed through literary texts. Our research is fuelled by the possibility to explore the memorable collection of creatures and the symbolic depth that they add to one of the most popular book series of modern times. The analysis is centred on three categories of magical animals that inhabit J. K. Rowling’s wizarding world, as they have either been popular in different mythologies, illustrated the man-beast archetype or can be characterised as magical beings with dark counterparts.