25 Similarities between “Harry Potter” and “Lord of the Rings”
Because Harry can go there and back again, too…
- Evil sorcerer referred to as “Dark Lord” who desires to regain physical shape (Voldemort; Sauron)
- Wise old mentor with a long gray beard and a wizard hat (Dumbledore; Gandalf)
- A birthday sets off events (Harry’s 11th; Frodo’s 33rd and Bilbo’s 111th)
- Inherited invisibility device (Cloak; Ring – although the Ring takes you to a different ‘world’)
- Dog named Fang (owned by Hagrid; owned by Farmer Maggot)
- Evil, creepy hooded creatures (Dementors; Nazgul)
- Deceased parents (Harry’s parents were murdered; Frodo’s parents drowned)
- Taken to live with uncle (Harry lives with his Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia; Frodo lives with his Uncle Bilbo in the film – his second cousin once removed in the book)
- Giant Spider (Aragog; Shelob)
- Bad guy with a “wormy” name (Peter Pettigrew/Wormtail; Grima Wormtongue)
- Longbottom (Neville Longbottom who excels at Herbology; Tobold Hornblower from Longbottom who knows much about herbs and pipe-weed)
- Fight with a troll (Harry, Ron and Hermione fight a troll on Halloween; The Fellowship of the Ring fight a troll)
- Dark forest (Forbidden Forest; old forest just outside of the Shire)
- “Elves” describing a race of people (House-elves act as servants; elves are a race of peoples from Middle Earth)
- Small, pitiable creature who talks in third-person (Dobby; Gollum)
- Holder of the keys (Hagrid, Keeper of the Keys; Hurin, Warden of the Keys)
- Mischievous pair (Fred and George Weasley; Merry and Pippin)
- Forbidden language (Saying “Voldemort”; Black Speech of Mordor)
- Dangerous willow tree (Whomping Willow; Old Man Willow)
- Basin of seeing (Pensieve; Galadriel’s Mirror)
- Powerful, life-saving swords (Godric Gryffindor’s sword; Anduril)
- Scar on forehead (Harry; Merry)
- Do not disturb water because of… (the giant squid; Watcher in the Water)
- Longed-for safe haven (during the summer Harry wishes he was back at Hogwarts; on their quest, the hobbits long to be back in the safety of the Shire.)
- Scar from Evil forces (Harry’s scar on forehead; Frodo’s scar from the Morgul Blade)
Submitted by: Joshua, Oriey, Nancy, Maddy, SnowRose, Odile, and Bria
