Bad characters

[marinafrants]

No: HPFGUIDX 38339

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "jferer" <jferer at y...> wrote:
> Cygnus, replying to Barb:"Very interesting, and I agree with your 
> basic premise that JKR's 'good' characters are more rounded and real 
> than her bad ones."
> 
> I don't agree. JKR gives us a number of evil's faces, and exemplars
of 
> what she clearly sees as the great evils and sicknesses:
> 
> Out-and-out sociopathy: Voldemort, Lucius Malfoy
> Prejudice and self-righteousness: the Dursleys
> Gluttony: Dudley Dursley
> Cowardice and self-absorption: Gilderoy Lockhart
> Moral cowardice: Fudge
> Coldness: Crouch Sr.
> Schizophrenia: Crouch Jr.
> Conflict/Redemption/Jealousy/Rage: Snape

But with the exception of Snape and, to a lesser degree, Crouch Sr.,
how many of these are really complex characters?  How many of them
engage in any moral conflict, or show significant good traits to
balance out the bad? The Dursleys, Lockhart and Fudge are basically
caricatures.  Voldemort is your standard Evil Overlord, and Lucius is
your standard Snotty Aristocrat archetype.  And Crouch Jr. is a couple
of monkeys short of a barrel.  Now, I find all these characters to be
great fun to read about; but not necessarily because of their
complexity.

Marina
rusalka at ix.netcom.com