Harry Potter and Oxford - a Mirror to British Culture

Joanne K. Rowling’s ‘Harry Potter’ series defined an era of young adult literature, both in Britain and the world. With half a billion books sold, eleven movies filmed, and a stage play produced, it is no doubt one of the most successful fantasy franchises to have ever been written. To many, it spoke about the experience of life growing up in the British schooling system, with the addition of a wonderful world of fantasy. This is reflected in the filming locations of the movies – many were at Oxford University. From Christ Church College to Duke Humphrey’s Library, the Divinity School to New College, parts of Hogwarts can be found in the very real City of Oxford. This talk will go through these locations, how they are presented in the series, and the real and exciting history behind them....