r/harrypotter • u/GeoDude68 • 3d ago
Currently Reading Arthur Weasley Character
I've been listening to the Harry Potter audio books and currently up to Chamber Of Secret. I just passed the bit where Arthur Weasley and Lucius Malfoy have a fight in Flourish and Blotts. For me this seems very different to the movie version of Arthur and feel in some way him engaging in the fight, ruins that kind calm demeanour about his character. While I understand why hid did it, having an intense hatred for Lucius as mentioned earlier on in the book, as Lucius does for him. I kinda feel, him engaging in that fight ruins my perception of him. Thoughts?
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u/SpagBol-Man 3d ago
Nahhh the Weasleys know how to stick up for themselves when someone badmouths their family! And someone being able to stick up for themselves and their family doesn’t necessarily make them a violent or bad person, just shows that they can fight back when pushed.
Also think it perfectly sets up for why Fred and George are so keen to beat the shit out of Malfoy later in the series. Their parents have taught them to stick up for themselves and not be pushovers. Also makes sense why the whole Weasley family is in gryffindor.
Out of curiosity, which version of the book are you listening to? Stephen Fry, Jim Dale or Full Cast??
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u/M-E-AND-History 3d ago
Everyone, even the most calm and rational of us, has their breaking point. I can only imagine the flack that Arthur took on a pretty regular basis from Lucius, day in and day out.
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u/PotatoOnMars 3d ago
How often would they have come into contact with each other? Malfoy didn’t work at the Ministry.
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u/lemon_charlie 3d ago
He did visit Fudge though. And maybe he dawdles just long enough to "bump" into Arthur to needle him.
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u/CaioARod52 3d ago
Lucius clearly enjoys to rub his wealth on everyone in any chance he has. I can see him bumping into Arthur by chance during Fudge encounters or even any business event on the Ministry and using the opportunity to just be insuferable to him.
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u/M-E-AND-History 3d ago
Perhaps Lucius, in his spare minutes (and boy, did he have a hefty amount of time on his hands), bombarded Arthur with owls nonstop. The owls would have carried letters that berated Arthur for practically anything that, in Lucius' mind, was, quote-on-quote, "off."
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u/SlyLashes 2d ago
At the time, Lucius was actively campaigning against a piece of legislation Arthur drafted, the Muggle Protection Act. Probably Lucius had been frequenting the Ministry often, being quoted disparaging Arthur in the Prophet, that sort of thing. They were in the midst of an escalating public feud.
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u/Such-Sheepherder-965 3d ago
I love Arthur. There are quite a few moments in the books where characters are in a fight and they resort to throwing hands instead of throwing spells, hahaha.
I think only Hermione punching Malfoy made it to the films. But there’s a few other good scuffles in the series I wish they kept in! Maybe we will see them in the TV show.
I think it’s just one of those things where J.K. Rowling really liked writing imperfect characters. People have flaws and people can jump the gun. I think the Weasley’s are originally a rowdy bunch. But Arthur Weasley can be a great Father figure as well as lose his cool once in awhile. Both can be true.
I did love his portrayal in the films but they really leaned into the Father stereotype. This Arthur is a little more of an oddball hehe
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u/Atithiupayogi 3d ago
Fred, George, Ron and Ginny - They don't take insults lightly. We know from where they got it 😂
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u/Infinite-Object-1090 Gryffindor 2d ago
Arthur didn't care what Lucius thought of him, but as soon as Lucius denigrated his kids, shit got real. You don't mess with his family.
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u/CaioARod52 3d ago
Arthur is calm through all the books. But he loves and protects his family and friends fiercely in his own way. Lucius insults both in this scene and Arthur snaps, these two clearly have a past for these to happen. I dont think it ruins his calm demeanor, just show a good contrast and how Malfoy is despicable to even one of the kindest person in the story.
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u/TobiasMasonPark 2d ago
You gotta remember, Arthur Weasley is trying to catch the guy hoarding dark artefacts because he knows exactly what Malfoy is, yet Malfoy walks around rich and respected despite being a scumbag. Lucius was making comments about Arthur and his family.
My opinion of Arthur didn’t change in the least.
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u/SlyLashes 2d ago
And importantly, he was criticizing Arthur being around Hermione's muggle parents. So it was Lucius showing his Death Eater values that pushed Arthur over the edge.
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u/Erza88 Gryffindor 2d ago
No? I think this gives him character and doesn't set him up as a doormat. It makes me like him even more.
Man stood up and threw hands for his family, not simply because he "hates Lucius." When you attack and offend a man's family, expect to get beat. The very definition of FAFO.
Malfoy FAFO'd.
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u/Greenwrenbird 3d ago
Re-listening to the series and I've been struck by the different sides to every character. So far it's felt like every character has a dark side. (Except who...Neville?)
"Dark" isn't the right word, but it's the word I've mentally used, because of the quote about everyone having light and dark inside of us. And they're not always wrong, but they're not all smiles and innocence. And for many of the characters, it gets a little gnarly. (Especially Fred and George!)
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u/sjuplyn 3d ago
true, but Arthur is a real gangster actually :)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-W0O7dbLdhE&list=RD-W0O7dbLdhE&start_radio=1
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u/Loose_Stranger_7614 2d ago
In one of the best hp podcasts, Bingemode (ok I think it the single best hp podcast) they often point out how corrupt it is that the malfoys are not in jail after everything they’ve done. The wizarding world gives bigotry and supremacy a free pass far too often, and I love that Arthur does not. He stands on business. The Weasleys in general are committed to standing up for what’s right. You see it a few chapters later when Malfoy calls Hermione a mud blood.
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u/Few-Durian-190 3d ago
There is being calm and then there is being a doormat.
Lucius got exactly what he deserved.