Arthur and Lucius (Was Re: Weasleys on the Tapestry)

[ghinghapuss]

No: HPFGUIDX 90380

> > John wrote:
 > I want to know why it is that Arthur Weasley and and Lucius Malfoy
> hate each other so much, even before the Chamber of Secrets 
incident. Obviously their views clash, but there seems to be a deep 
personal animosity over and above that.


Mandy here:
We don't yet know of their history, and most likely won't find out 
unless it involved Harry, unfortunately, as Arthur and Lucius are 
two of my favorites.

But I think it is simply, status and class.  It is difficult for a 
non Brit to truly understand the ramifications of class and status 
and the importance of blood. (I don't know if either of you are 
British or not, so forgive me if I'm talking basics to you both.)  
But I will attempt to summarize what I believe to be the case. ;-)

Lucius and Arthur both live in two different classes, they may both 
may be pure blooded, but that makes no difference.  It is like 
saying to a member of a white supremacist group that a non-white 
person is still a human being, they can't accept it, it is beyond 
their comprehension.  Lucius is part of the social elite, rich and 
powerfully connected to all the right people and not only that, his 
family have been for generations.  He was born that way.  He did 
nothing to deserve it; it is his right of birth.  Or birth right.  
Arthur is the opposite.  He is poor and much lower down on the 
social scale; he has no power and is most defiantly not connected at 
all. But Arthur too believes that that is his birth right.  And 
unfortunately there is no social movement.  It is impossible for 
Arthur to rise up, no matter how rich he may become, and just as 
impossible for Lucius to move down no matter how poor he may 
become.  So in that restrictive society the belief that supremacy 
exist in the genes and blood becomes the norm.  Lucius and Arthur 
both believe that their position in the world is the result of their 
birth, parents and class.

The question of education, personality, kindness, niceness, 
generosity have no baring in this fact of life.  Remember the story 
is set in a country that believes that a man or woman is King/Queen 
simply because they were born that way.  No other qualification is 
necessary.  And the rest of the nation is to bow to that other human 
being. Somehow I'm am less than the Queen, my status is lower.  I 
could be a more intelegent, pretter, nicer, more generous, kind, 
productive, creative and useful member of society, but that dosen't 
matter if I stand before the queen I'm expected to lower my head in 
subserviance. And you know what I actually agree with that. Weird 
isn't it?  

So Lucius' hate stems from the fact the Arthur is simply, in his 
opinion and words a disgrace to the wizarding world.  So is Arthur's 
wife and the idea that those two people can be allowed to breed so 
many children is abhorrent to him.  Excuse the harsh language, but I 
it effectively sums up Lucius' point of view.  He needs no other 
excuse.  Arthur is a good man and also far more tolerant than Mr. 
Malfoy.  His hatred seems to come from the fact the Lucius is an 
arrogant bastard and treats his family with disrespect and disregard.
Discusting isn't it?


> Iggy here:
> It seems that they are close enough in age that their animosity 
would have started back in school.  
> Also, while we may have seen the Black family tree, we haven't 
seen the one for the Malfoy family.  For all we know, Arthur and 
Lucius are first cousins or something, and we all know their 
respective feelings towards Muggles. (And then there's the really 
fun one... Like Snape possibly having been in love with Lilly, 
Lucius may have been in love with Molly.  *grin*)

Mandy here:
OK how about this for a theory: Perhaps Molly and Lucius are brother 
and sister?  Lucius would hate Arthur for bringing his sister down 
into the gutter, and keeping her there. And in turn hate his sister 
for falling for a lower class wizard.  It would seem likely that 
Sirius would have mentioned it though, when he mentioned that Arthur 
and Lucius are cousins.

Just a silly thought, Mandy