Sharing names - Heritage

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 98752

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Wanda Sherratt"
<wsherratt3338 at r...> wrote:
> --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Geoff Bannister" 
> <gbannister10 at a...> wrote:
> > "Geoff:
> > 
> > Perhaps I should point out that your argument is not upheld by
> > evidence in canon:
> > 
> > "'You think I was going to use my filthy Muggle father's name for
> > ever? I, in whose veins runs the blood of Salazar Slytherin 
> > himself, through my mother's side? I, keep the name of a foul, 
> > common, Muggle who abandoned me even before I was born, just 
> > because he found out his /wife/ was a witch? (my emphasis)'"
> > 
> > Tom Riddle to Harry (COS UK edition p.231)"

> Wanda:
> 
> I stand corrected.  Well, in that case, it was illogical writing on 
> Rowling's part.  If a woman from a small village had married the son 
> of the rich family who lived in the big house, it would have been 
> common knowledge to everyone in town.  If they'd kept it secret, she 
> could have exposed him when he deserted her.  A wife has power, a 
> mistress has none.  And there's no reason for the state to take care 
> of an "orphan" if he has a legal father or other relatives to do so, 
> so Tom could not have ended up in an orphanage the way she 
> describes.
> 
> Wanda


bboy_mn:

Keep in mind that this all occurred in roughly 1930 in a very small
village presumably in England. A time when a men had much more power,
and could easily take the common male attitude that an unwanted
pregnancy is 'the woman's problem'. Today we have laws that force
every father to assume responsibility for any offspring they create
regardless of the circumstance. In that era, I have no trouble seeing
Tom Sr take the attitude that he didn't want anything to do with this
child. If he ordered the child sent to an orphanage, then I have every
reason to believe that's exactly where the child would go.

Also, it's not that uncommon in a country like England where the first
born son has the priority position in inheritance of a families
estate. I suspect that an illegitimate first born son would be able to
challenge the distribution of an estate and actually prevail over a
younger son from the widow of the deceased. I seem to recall many
movies and novels based on the very theme. I seem to remember
challenges to the ruling throne of various European countries based on
that theme (at least in movie and novels). True, you are correct, a
wife takes precedence over a mistress, but a first born son is a first
born son.

In closing, I still stand by my claim that Tom Jr's mother gave him a
name that tied him to his heritage. Being estrange from her
husband/lover, Tom Jr's mother would have wanted to make sure young
Tom did not lose his connection to his father no matter to what extent
the father tried to deny it. 

Just one man's opinion.

bboy_mn