[HPforGrownups] Umbridge: Sadist and Stereotype

[Barb Roberts]

No: HPFGUIDX 127634


On Apr 16, 2005, at 1:01 AM, elfundeb wrote:
>  bboyminn:
>
>  > Another part of her deep insecurity is her fear that she is a 
> mediocre
>  > witch with mediocre magical powers, and again, she is right. So, 
> like
>  > many, she compensates for her deep sense of personal and magical
>  > powerlessness by seeking power. It's s form of self-validation.
>
>  That's one possible interpretation, but we don't really know about her
>  magical ability...Unlike Lockhart, who really was a mediocre wizard, 
> we
>  aren't shown examples of her botching any spells.
>

I think we see some strong hints that Umbridge is a rather mediocre 
wizard. Remember the swamp? The swamp that Umbridge couldn't remove and 
that existed when the educational examiners arrived.  Very embarrassing 
for her. I'm sure that Umbridge did everything, except ask for help, to 
get rid of it. At one point, Harry muses that either Prof. Flickwick or 
Prof. McGonagall  could have undone any of the twins' mayhem in short 
order.    According to Ginny at the end of OotP,  Prof. F. took no time 
at all (minutes?) to get rid of it.  If Umbridge simply lacked a little 
bit of knowledge, rather than the ability, to get rid of the swamp with 
a little bit of research I'm sure that she would have gotten rid of it 
too.

Barbara Roberts

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