thoughts on the evil...

[rivendellrose]

There's been some discussion today (specifically on the journal of dphearson) about Lucius Malfoy, and why a man like him would be following Voldemort. Being that he's one of the characters I spend far too much time considering, I've got a couple ideas on this... and I ended up thinking that I wanted to expand my comment into a full post of my own.


It's always been my theory that Lucius is far too cunning to just be working out of loyalty to Voldemort, as it seems Bellatrix is. Bellatrix is a True Believer - she's a fanatic, she truly believes in what Voldemort is saying, and what's more, she truly believes, it seems, in HIM. We're talking about a woman who refused to plead innocent, who went down ranting about how her lord would win out in the end (sorry, I can't find the quote right now). Lucius is a different story entirely. He was among the first to turn around and claim that he'd been under the Imperius curse after Voldemort was defeated the first time, and, more impressively, actually pulled it off and remained a highly respected member of society, with Fudge contentedly in his back pocket.

My guess is that Lucius is riding Voldemort's rise to power, letting his supposed lord do the work of taking down the Ministry and all, and biding his time until he has a chance to grab power for himself. This is not a man who intends to play the loyal lieutenant for his whole life - I've got a feeling he wants to BE the lord of the wizarding world, not serve him. There's a BIG huge hint to this in his name - "Lucius" hints at Lucifer, the angel who aspired to rise in power above God and challenged the throne of heaven, and "Malfoy," as has often been mentioned, is French for "bad faith."

Lucius, in my mind, is the ultimate Machiavellian prince. He wants power, and he knows how to play the game to get it, in whichever way is most convenient at the time. He plays the loyal servant to Voldemort (although I get the impression often that he's irritated by it, although that might have more to do with his fellow Death Eaters than his lord), and he also butters up Fudge and the rest of the wizarding world with massive donations and the like. I have a feeling, though, that this is going to be his downfall - in the end, I suspect Voldemort may be well aware of what his arrogant right hand is plotting and may throw him down at a crucial moment. We've already seen signs, in GoF and OotP that Lucius isn't exactly Voldemort's favorite servant - that place is reserved for Bellatrix, his most faithful and the one who gave up all else in service of him. Lucius, I think, has already begun to show signs of the fall to which he is fated. However, that moment of conflict from within may well be the exact chance the Order (and Harry) need to strike the death-blow for Voldemort.


I will restrain my trained-in desire to go support this argument with quotes from GoF, OotP, and Paradise Lost. ...Although I might still run off and read my favorite Lucifer bits out of that last one.

Why yes, I am a crazy literature freak. Thanks for asking. XP

Comments

[theladyfeylene.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that's pretty much how I see him. He's a clever man, he's a cunning man, and he's a power hungry man. Voldemort is his ticket to power. He's biding his time until he sees his chance.

But we love you for being a literature freak. *snuggles*

[rivendellrose.livejournal.com]

Yup, exactly.

Wheeee, thanks. *snuggles* Good thing, or nobody would be able to put up with me.

[bluerose16.livejournal.com]

"The Devil, as Reverend Hale said, is a wily one, and, until an hour before he fell, even God thought him beautiful in Heaven."

~The Crucible, Act One. Arthur Miller, I love you.

Literature freaks unite! XD I have always been fascinated by the character of Lucius Malfoy. I have roleplayed him for long periods of time, and tried to understand his motivations. When you really think about it, his methods of control are far more efficient and harder to counter than Voldemort's. Lucius controlls others (Fudge, etc.) by using pleasure (not like that you sicko). He gives money, and flatters, etc. Voldemort controls his Death Eaters with pain and fear, which leaves them discontent. Who is more likely to fight back - the discontent, or the satisfied and grateful?

OK, rant over. I don't dare let myself get into comparing "Brave New World" and "1984" to Lucius and Voldemort's different methods; if I got started, I wouldn't be done for a long, long time.

[rivendellrose.livejournal.com]

Ooo... it's been too long since I read that play. It's sooo good.

He is fascinating, isn't he? There's so many ways to interpret him, so many possible wrinkles to his character. He does rule by flattery and money, but only those he needs to. With Dobby, with Harry, even with Dumbledore, he's still a vicious brute. It's interesting.

[bluerose16.livejournal.com]

Hmn ... good point, I'd forgotten entirely about them.

Yes, he is fascinating. Damn, but you're giving me the urge to write Snucius know! ::wanders off, grumbling something about a flaky muse::

[kleio-the-muse.livejournal.com]

I entirely agree! And don't you just adore Milton's Lucifer - I know I'd preferred to spent forever in damnation with him and his posse;)

But, considering the allusions in Lucius's name (Lucius - Lucifer; Malfoy - mala fide), wouldn't it all imply that he, too, is sort of a fallen angel, who has strayed from good to bad? We don't know much of his past, do we? But the name would imply, that he's once been good, or at least the family has, but "in bad faith" he has wandered to the dark side (and evidently enjoys himself tremendously;).

I think JKR feels quite strongly about the fact, that people are basically good, deep inside. And I guess it's just nice if kids actually adopt that. Sadly, I think I'm already too old to believe in the goodness of men.

[rivendellrose.livejournal.com]

Lucifer was my favorite part of that book; I performed one of his monologues in front of a class, and have ever since been totally in love with it.

Oh, mala fide would be the Latin version, wouldn't it? That's so fun... the French (mal foi) is the only one I've seen. *jealous of people with skill in Latin*

That's a really interesting theory... I'd always taken him to have been on the 'dark side' from the beginning, but it would certainly be an interesting twist if he'd fallen from grace on the good side, so to speak. I'm not so sure about JKR thinking that people are inherently good, though - she seems to portray many characters as pretty much unabashedly, unredeemably nasty, without much good in them at all. The Dursleys, Draco, Umbridge, Fudge, Skeeter... Even Snape, the redeemed man of the books, seems by her hints to have a much darker and nastier future than many of us in fandom would prefer. I love him dearly, warts and all, but JKR seems to have other things in mind.

[kleio-the-muse.livejournal.com]

Yes, I know a total of two whole words in Latin...and that's about it;)

And yes, I guess you're right. There does appear to be quite a lot of true-born baddies in HP. It was just that name that got me thinking whether there might be something more to it.

But, in the books, there are a few examples of baddies turning "less" bad, such as aunt Petunia, whom I used to classify as a total bitch, but who gave a glimpse of her more decent side at the beginning of OotP, and I guess the same goes for that giant half-brother of Hagrid's, who likewise showed some "goodness" in the end. And there's wide support in the fandom for Snape's double nature, too.

Then there are, of course, those beyond anything good and decent (Voldemort - duh! -, Umbridge, Crouch, Mr. Dursley etc.). I'd place Snape in this category, as well, even though I know a lot of people out there are convinced that he should belong to the "reformers" category.

Oh, and I love Snape to bits precisely because he's still so dark and nasty, and wouldn't be at all disappointed if he did turn out to be even bigger baddie than the rest of the lot;)

[rivendellrose.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm very much interested to see what she's doing with Petunia... something's up there, and I'm looking forward to seeing what it is. Grawp... yeah. Grawp's another case where I wonder what will come of him in future books.

The fandom support for Snape's double nature is definitely a camp that I am somewhat in. I know the guy is an ass, and I certainly don't expect him to be warm-fuzzy-sweetsy inside or something ridiculous like that. But I love him, and I'd like to see him have some peace. I like to believe that there is goodness still in him, even if it's of a bitter, grudging variety. I am a sucker for the snarky, nasty, but still somewhat redeemed 'villain.' The dark and nasty bits are entirely appealing though. (... oh dear, unintentional double entendres...)