Narcissa Malfoy: Character Analysis

[lupislune]

Originally Posted by BluEyedGrl105

I don't think she cared about loyalties at that point, she just cared about getting her son back.

I think the question is if she would have lied if Harry told her Draco was dead? I think maybe. The Malfoys were very disenchanted by Voldy at that point.

I agree. I think if Draco was indeed dead, it could have done either way at that point. I think, as you say, she was fed up with Voldemort's antics and saw the events that transpired as chance to vanquish him.

[Discordia]

She unlike her sister, Bellatrix, Narsissa had a key characteristic that was unbecoming of a death eater. This I mean, the ability to love. In the end she cared not whether she would be killed for lying about Harry being dead. Her one and only concern was for her son, who she truely loved. This in no way redeems her for her past actions, but to say she's evil does not fit.

Bellatrix was probably the most unhinged character in all seven books not to mention out of all her sisters. I think that back in the day when Voldemort first came to power the Malfoys were more than ready to do Voldemort's bidding. But then they had a son things became complicated. This is there only child and Voldemort could kill them all at any moment. Narcissa may have been a willing follower of Voldemort in the beginning but towards the end she was more concerned with keeping her son alive. I don't think Narcissa was ever DeathEater like her husband. I think she my have supported Voldemort at first but than as time wore on she only pretended to support him as a way to keep her family together and alive. Everything Narcissa did she did it for Draco. Forget Lucius. When you have kids you put your love for them first and your husband is nothing more than the sperm donor.

It was interesting to see how she handled everything. Draco took his cues from his mother. She kept cool and nonchalant. She was good at not betraying her emotions. I think Narcissa was all for the pureblood mania but not when it came to massacreing everyone, causing a giant bloodbath, and having her home turned into Voldermort's own sadistic playboy mansion where muggles were tortured for fun. I think the las straw was when her child's life was being threatened. She was a supporter of Voldemort until her son's life was on the line.

I also don't think Narcissa was some weakling. Like she was too weak to stand up to people or let her opinions known. She comes from a family that seems to have a long line of strong women. Bellatrix was insane but she could hold her own and it took mega cajones for Andromeda to live her life the way she thought was right. No, Draco may have been afraid of his father, he may have revered him but it was his mother he worshipped. His mother did have influence and power. Mind you it was she who saw to it that Draco went to Hogwarts and NOT Durmstrang. She was the one that had to protect her son in whatever way she thought was necessary since her husband couldn't. She was the one that kept her head on straight.

I think that everyone believed that if there was anyone who had a chance in hell of destroying Voldemort once and for all it would be Harry. I think that Narcissa had lost the naivete of her youth and realized that Voldemort's plan was just insane. I think that that Narcissa didn't tell Voldemort the truth was because she wanted Voldemort gone just as much as everyone else and if Harry could find a way then by all means let him.

I don't think Narcissa was evil just prejudiced but Belltrix....now that woman was jut plain EVIL. She is one of those people who deserves to stuffer for all eternity in the innermost circle of hell.

[Lir]

I agree that Narcissa was prejudiced, but was never fanatical about it. I don't think she was ever a Death Eater, or supported Voldemort for his own sake, like Bella.

In the first war, I'd say she supported, or at the very least, didn't object to Lucius becoming a Death Eater because, at the time, it was the winning side. It was probably more of a strategic move for her, to bring their family more power or status. I expect she wasn't too happy Lucius was putting himself in so much danger, though. Plus it was in support of all that she was raised to believe in.

But the second time around, her family had already turned their backs on Voldemort. They weren't expecting him to come back, when he fell they were scrambling to get back into the ministry's good graces. And Voldemort is definitely not the most forgiving of masters.

I think the most important thing for Narcissa was the preservation of her family. She was doing everything in her power to get them all out of that mess alive.

[Fleur du mal]

about Narcissa knowing or not knowing that Sirius wasn't the traitor of the Potters...

Severus Snape does NOT know it before the end of PoA. He knew, and told DD, that someone close to the Potters was a traitor, but not who it was exactly. Sirius was the one known to going and take the position of Secret Keeper. The rest was a logical deduction on ANYONE's part, in my opinion.

The way Draco taunts Harry at the beginning of PoA shows (to me) that he is truly persuaded that it was Sirius who was responsible for the death of Harry's parents, and Draco is usually well informed by his parents (at the beginning of OotP, he is aware that Sirius is a dog Animagus, too). I think the Malfoys were always on the same level of information as Severus, more or less - apparently, the main Order source of infos on LV for some time indeed was Severus talking to Malfoy sr and passing on the material.

So - no, Narcissa didn't know that Sirius had been in prison being innocent. But note - if she had truly been anykind of devoted to Voldemort, she SHOULD have regarded him as some kind of hero for serving Voldemort so faithfully, a family member to be proud of. From what we see, she wasn't. Draco doesn't boast - did you know, that's my mum's cousin. Just like he's clearly never been told why on earth auntie Bella was in prison - when Neville attacks him after making a remark about mental asylums, he is genuinely mystified. I'd say Narcissa was embarrassed by all of her family, Andromeda as much as Bella, or she would have talked more about them to her son.

[DBear]

Narcissa managed to do something that I thought impossible in DH, keeping the entire Malfoy family alive. I would've put money down that the Malfoys would be killed.

[Discordia]

Narcissa managed to do something that I thought impossible in DH, keeping the entire Malfoy family alive. I would've put money down that the Malfoys would be killed.

Me too! I was so sure that atleast one of the Malfoy's would die. Narcissa was a lot stronger than people gave her credit for. Keeping the entire family alive was no east fete. I find it sort of ironic now looking back on everyything that they are perhaps one of the few if not only family in the book to have completely survived both wizarding wars with their heads still screwed on.

[Fleur du mal]

Originally Posted by Discordia

Me too! I was so sure that atleast one of the Malfoy's would die. Narcissa was a lot stronger than people gave her credit for. Keeping the entire family alive was no east fete. I find it sort of ironic now looking back on everyything that they are perhaps one of the few if not only family in the book to have completely survived both wizarding wars with their heads still screwed on.

Yes. And although I had bet my money on Lucius to bite it, I think the 'message' (if you can call it like that) is that people like him - the opportunists - will always come through this way or that.

What you say about Narcissa being a lot stronger than expected - I was so glad that she was shown like this. Bella was strong, Andromeda I believed to be strong long before actually seeing her because of the strength she proved when abandoning her family for the sake of Ted Tonks - I would have found it strange if Narcissa was the 'black sheep' of that family, weak and clueless.

I very much liked to read how she points Lucius what to do underneath the table in 'The Dark Lord Ascending'. It appeared SO the Narcissa that I had in my head. Visibly over the table the 'impassive' and 'deadpan', but underneath the surface she keeps her head and cold blood and prompts her two boys what the heck they're supposed to do.

[hufflepina]

Narcissa is a strong woman he protected her family and the she was the only one who is not afraid to voldemort and bellatrix

[crowheart]

I've always thought that Narcissa was a much better character than she's been shown to be. My thoughts on the nature of marriage in the wizarding world, and the sense I get from the books, is that she married Lucius not from love, but simply because he was the most acceptable pureblood she was offered at the time. Her family didn't seem the type to accept any other sort of marriage, especially as Sirius says the 'old wizarding families' are dying out. It would almost be Narcissa's duty to 'marry well'.

That said, she was the warmest-hearted of the ones we see. I think there's a reason she went to Severus for help with Draco in the end, and a reason he responds well to her. They both have warm hearts on the inside, and must have connected at some point growing up together. Narcissa seems to love everyone she is allowed to, and even to a certain extent those she is not. She focuses her frustrated love on her son, but she does genuinely care that Lucius is locked up, and she is gentle with him, even though I don't get the sense she is his complete romantic partner.

I think it is certainly her influence that Draco expresses himself as even capable of hesitation or good thoughts in the end, and perhaps even the cause of Lucius' softening to go chase after Draco in the end.

[Pigleto972001]

narcissa is definitely one of the most interesting characters in the book! she's kind of in the middle of her two sisters, but all three are strong-willed, as you've said. i think she may have been a little sad that andromeda is now estranged from them due to her marriage...as when LV taunted bellatrix about her niece marrying a werewolf and bellatrix said she'd get rid of that part of the family, narcissa didn't join in...and she subtly told draco to stay out of it.

however the self-serving malfoys definitely came out strong when bellatrix was torturing hermione and none of them really helped her. they were just seeing her and ron and harry as a way to get back into the good graces of voldy, i'm not sure loyalty was the first thing on their minds, probably just self-preservation.

[crowheart]

I think it was simply that the times were so desperate that they really had to focus on their own family. I think in less trying times Narcissa would not have joined in on any torture of a student.

[Fleur du mal]

My thoughts on the nature of marriage in the wizarding world, and the sense I get from the books, is that she married Lucius not from love, but simply because he was the most acceptable pureblood she was offered at the time. Her family didn't seem the type to accept any other sort of marriage, especially as Sirius says the 'old wizarding families' are dying out. It would almost be Narcissa's duty to 'marry well'.

Once again, I'm mystified. As long as I'm a member of this board, we've been discussing if Lucius and Narcissa had an arranged (or otherwise not conceived by love) marriage. I never understood that. After HBP, the debate toned down, because sentences like "before I am reunited with Lucius" and her defense of him when Bellatrix criticised him didn't fit to the 'poor Narcissa forced to marriage that awful man'. And I was rather staunchly convinced that the last remaining doubts about the nature of Narcissa's and Lucius' marriage couldn't but have dissolved in thin air with DH released.

[Pigleto972001]

jk mentioned in her web chat that bellatrix married rodolphus (i think) lestrange because it was expected that she marry a pureblood. the same for andromeda and narcissa, i would bet. i think narcissa and lucius had more of an equal footing than bellatrix and rodolphus (who pretty much was nonexistent in the books compared to his wife...i guess he would have to willingly take a backseat to her obssession with LV)...i think there was love there and certainly having draco strengthened the bond. narcissa did take more of an active role in DH, lucius didn't seem to mind it when she signaled him to give LV his wand or for draco to keep quiet.

[crowheart]

Originally Posted by Fleur du mal

Once again, I'm mystified. As long as I'm a member of this board, we've been discussing if Lucius and Narcissa had an arranged (or otherwise not conceived by love) marriage. I never understood that. After HBP, the debate toned down, because sentences like "before I am reunited with Lucius" and her defense of him when Bellatrix criticised him didn't fit to the 'poor Narcissa forced to marriage that awful man'. And I was rather staunchly convinced that the last remaining doubts about the nature of Narcissa's and Lucius' marriage couldn't but have dissolved in thin air with DH released.

I don't think that she was /forced/ to marry him, precisely, I think she just grew into knowing that her family would only accept a pureblood. That they would accept any pureblood she chose, but really, she should choose a marriage from one of the 'right' families. I think she chose the man most likely to make marriage okay-one she saw, perhaps, having a little bit of kindness to him. We see that Lucius is kinder than his cronies in many ways, and that he certainly did not really want Voldemort to return, which marks him as slightly less dark than many, at least. I think that she chose her best choice, and grew to love him as much as she could within that framework, but it was not a 'love match' as we would necessarily understand it.

[Fleur du mal]

I see where you're coming from, yes, but still. When you look at the real world, you'll see that the majority of marriages takes place between people of equal standing. Rockstars will marry top models, the count of LaLaLand will marry Lady Whatshername, why, even the number of teachers and doctors married to other teachers and doctors is way above the average.

Sure, Narcissa was surely expected to make her pick among a certain class of wizards, but Hogwarts offers plenty of young people from old families. Even Harry, modest-'I'm just Harry'-Harry is a pureblood descendant of one of the Peverell brothers. Why people think she accepted Lucius rather than truly loved him - nah, I still don't see that in the books.

This is the family willing to die for each other. Narcissa jeopardises her own life when acting against Voldemort's orders, turning to Snape. Draco, who we know to be struggling, still wants to rather try and confront Dumbledore (and expecting this one to kill him - because that's what the Death Eaters would do in such a case) than risk his parents' life. Narcissa and Lucius go into the last fight without wands, caring for nothing any more but for the life of their child. Lucius begs Voldemort for Draco's life ('The Elder Wand', p. 515), Narcissa is ready to lie to the greatest Legillimens ever in order to get to her son. And when they communicate, "beneath the table her slim fingers closed briefly on his wrist" (p.14). I found the tenderness of that touch in that gruesome scene very touching. She doesn't elbow him, she doesn't give him a little push. She must have her hand somewhere in the vicinity anyway, it's almost as if they were holding hands underneath the table for comfort and support. That's no union of convenience.

Most of all, I think it is this genuine, true love for each other that got them through the story in the end. JKR has all her major villains killed, defeated or otherwise dealt with, the Malfoys literally stick out, and they haven't done something heroic either. Why does she allow the man who was willing to have the Chamber of Secrets opened, why does she allow this man to survive? I think the message is in a way that love saved him. True love, not the 'we got used to each other in time' kind of love.

[crowheart]

Hmmm. I suspect part of our differences here is that I don't really think 'true love' is any more valuable a concept than simply love. Love is love, to me, I don't think that anyone is predestined to love only one person. Some people certainly do, but I don't think it was the case with Narcissa-if only because we see her love for Draco so much more than her love for Lucius. Still, we can see inklings of the love the two bore each other, such as when Lucius went along with Draco going to Hogwarts instead of Durmstrang. I simply don't think theirs was a union of compatibility, if only because Narcissa seems so much more 'good' than Lucius.

[Fleur du mal]

because she appears like a person capable of true, genuine feeling and care, I don't think she would have settled for less in her marriage. According to the official Black family tree Lucius and Narcissa were probably in the same year. They're very close in age in any case. Draco was born when Narcissa was 25. Now I don't think 25 is an age to become desperate for marrying. If one hasn't found the right partner yet - in Narcissa's case, 'right' would be both a rich pureblood and someone she truly loved - there's still plenty of time to continue searching.

[crowheart]

Oh, hmmm, nice on the timeline. And an interesting thought...according to what I'm thinking, that would mean that Narcissa didn't marry Lucius until after Voldemort's disappearance. Perhaps she did indeed grow to love him, but did not want to marry him until after the Death Eater aspect was removed. That would tie in with what I think we see of her character, and also why she goes along with a lot of Lucius' prejudices-he would then have already compromised his previous values greatly in order to win her love.

Or perhaps I'm reaching too far...

[Fleur du mal]

Originally Posted by crowheart

according to what I'm thinking, that would mean that Narcissa didn't marry Lucius until after Voldemort's disappearance.

no, Draco is seven or eight weeks older than Harry; Harry was 15 month old when Voldemort disappeared. And even though it is of course possible that they got married after Draco was born, I don't think it's likely

[purplehawk]

I think Narcissa did know about the diary, at least insofar as it containing instructions for opening the Chamber of Secrets. Lucius had to have talked about it at home, or how else would Dobby have known?

I don't believe she knew precisely what the "monster within" actually was, though.

We also can't forget how instrumental she was in passing Kreacher's information to Voldemort in OotP, but like most everyone else, I thought better of her in DH. She really grew on me.