[HPforGrownups] Re: Merope (wasLily the popular girl)

[Magpie]

No: HPFGUIDX 168050

> Niikkalmati
>
> I have always thought it unfair, even appalling, to blame Merope for  her 
> own
> death or to conclude (as DD says LV has done) that she didn't love  her 
> son.
> Yes, she did die in childbirth - or so shortly thereafter as to  make no
> difference.  It happens even today in the RW to young and healthy  women. 
> I can't
> imagine she didn't want to live.

Magpie:
I couldn't believe that either. What Dumbledore says is that Merope "lacked 
Harry's mother's courage" which is just...obnoxious. Maybe you could say 
someone died from lack of courage if they were afraid to take a risk that 
would have saved their life, but judging Merope's death after having her 
baby as a lack of courage comes uncomfortably close to saying that a) dying 
is a character flaw and b) depression is a lack of courage.

I'm sure JKR believes neither of those things, but it's not one of 
Dumbledore's better moments.

-m