Lockhart - Yuck! and the women who love him

[Indigo]

No: HPFGUIDX 19520

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Doreen Rich" <nera at r...> wrote:
> --- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Indigo" <indigo at i...> wrote:
> > --- In HPforGrownups at y..., Margaret Dean <margdean at e...> wrote:
> > > Indigo wrote:
> > > 
> > > > Actually, Mrs. Weasley also thinks that Gilderoy is the cat's
> > > > pajamas.  That bugged me a lot that she and Hermione both 
fell 
> for
> > > > his pretty face without bothering to look closer and see that 
> > there
> > > > was no gold behind all that glitter.
> > > 
> > > Well, let's remember that both Mrs. Weasley and Hermione had
> > > Lockhart's books to go on, too.  Apparently the material in them
> > > was sound, i.e. the spells and other methods worked, even if
> > > Lockhart didn't obtain them the way he said he did.
> > > 
> > 
> > This is true:
> > 
> > But you think with an entire wizarding family, Mrs. Weasley 
> would've 
> > known better.
> > 
> > Same goes for Hermione who is probably the most well-read wizard 
> > under the age of 18 in the JKR-verse. 
> > 
> > My guess is there's a glamour charm on all Gilderoy's writing so 
> that 
> > people don't too closely question the stuff they read 
> > therein...otherwise, I think neither of these otherwise bright, 
> > clever women would've bought into it.
> > 
> > After all, Harry and Ron looked briefly through the Gilderoy 
books 
> > too and thought they were trash.
> > 
> > And so did a good many of the other students.
> > 
> > Gilderoy's first test: "What's my favourite colour?" and so on 
had 
> to 
> > have been a red flag to Hermione if she hadn't been all doe-eyed 
> > because of Lockhart's pretty face.
> > 
> > Indigo
> > [who thinks they both should've know better!]
> *************************************************
> Ah ... but Molly Weasley also believed all the garbage that Rita 
> Skeeter wrote about Hermione. Remember how badly she treated 
Hermione 
> after she read Rita's column?

This is true too and I was just as shocked to see that, given that 
Mrs. Weasley has known Hermione for four years now [or at least 
peripherally through Ron].  
> 
> I think there are a lot of otherwise intelligent women who are 
under 
> the spell of certain charismatic men, such as Gilderoy Lockhart. 
> These women sneak copies of trashy tabloids into their shopping 
carts 
> and settle down to their favorite soaps in between household chores 
> or college classes. (our commons room at college would be packed to 
> overflowing during The Young & the Restless daily!)
> 
> Even his name suggests that women would be drawn to him: lock hart. 
> Well, there is also the gilderoy part ... gild a roy (wonder if roy 
> has any secret meanings such as lily? 

Probably.  It strikes me that Gilderoy is a pun of some kind. 
Something like "All that is glitter is not gold," or something to 
that effect. I'm not etymologist enough to know why it bothers me, 
though.
> 
> Anyway, I don't think intelligence has anything to do with being 
> smitten by good looks and charm. When I think of Gilderoy Lockhart, 
> Fabio instantly comes to mind. I didn't like him either, but I 
think 
> he would make a great Lockhart. Too bad he is not British ... or 
> maybe that is a good thing.

Yes, but see, the problem I have with Lockhart is that most of his 
magic, viewed close up, doesn't really work.  

Hermione actually got to see him being a clueless git with 
his "Peskipixie" spell, and still didn't see past the good looks. 

And my choice to play Gilderoy is JM J Bullock, just as an aside.
> 
> Doreen, whose favorite soap was Dark Shadows
> Only 143 days til November 16