Cornelius Fudge: Difference between revisions
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==Role in the series== |
==Role in the series== |
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===Political Career=== |
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Fudge initially seems kind to Harry, and inadvertently provides some valuable information, namely that [[Sirius Black]] was [[James and Lily Potter|James Potter]]'s best friend and was believed to have betrayed the Potters to [[Lord Voldemort]]. |
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Fudge initially seems kind to Harry, and inadvertently provides some valuable information, namely that [[Sirius Black]] was [[James and Lily Potter|James Potter]]'s best friend and was believed to have betrayed the Potters to [[Lord Voldemort]]. During his tenure he also has [[Rubeus Hagrid]] put into [[Azkaban]], due to the belief that he is controlling [[Tom Riddle's Basilisk]]; and he allows the removal of [[Albus Dumbledore]] as Headmaster, and the near-execution of [[Buckbeak]], both times influenced by [[Lucius Malfoy]]. Nevertheless through all this he had proved to be fairly kindly and compassionate, if somewhat weak as a leader. |
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Subsequently, however, Fudge refuses to accept that Lord Voldemort has returned, and in ''[[Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix]]'' Fudge orchestrates a [[smear campaign]] to discredit Harry and [[Albus Dumbledore]], portraying Dumbledore as a senile, confused old man, and Harry as a mentally unbalanced, attention-seeking teenage liar. As Minister for Magic, Fudge is also responsible for having [[Rubeus Hagrid]] imprisoned in [[Azkaban Prison]]. His later hostility towards Harry and Dumbledore can be attributed to two reasons. He desperately wants to maintain the status of the wizarding world; if Harry is to be believed, Voldemort is back, which means that the relative peace and prosperity of the last 14 years is over. He also harbours a paranoid (and baseless) suspicion that Dumbledore is mobilizing an army of students so that he can usurp Fudge's role as Minister for Magic. |
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His relationship to the major characters changed suddenly in ''[[Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire]]'' and continuing into ''[[Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix]].'' When Harry emerges from the Triwizard Maze after having seen the rebirth of [[Voldemort]], Fudge refuses to believe it, and orchestrates a [[smear campaign]] to discredit Harry and [[Albus Dumbledore]], portraying Dumbledore as a senile, confused old man, and Harry as a mentally unbalanced, attention-seeking teenage liar. He also passes a law allowing him to place [[Delores Umbridge]], a faithful but vindictive follower, as a teacher at Hogwarts; he then appoints her "High Inquisitor," in effect giving her (and by extension, himself) primary control of how Hogwarts is run. Fudge is particularly paranoid that Dumbledore is a threat to his power, and that he is, in effect, planning to train the Hogwarts students loyalty to himself rather than the Ministry and in effect overthrow Fudge. Ultimately Fudge manages to have Dumbledore removed as Headmaster and Umbridge put in his place, but this is overturned after the [[Battle of the Ministry of Magic]], which proves Voldemort's return to power and destroys Fudge's political career. |
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When his failure to admit Voldemort's return comes to light, Fudge is forced to resign as Minister for Magic and replaced by [[Rufus Scrimgeour]] in ''[[Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince]]''. |
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When his failure to admit Voldemort's return comes to light, Fudge is forced to resign as Minister for Magic and replaced by [[Rufus Scrimgeour]] in ''[[Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince]],'' though he stays on as a powerless advisor. |
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According to Hagrid, after Millicent Bagnold (Fudge's predecessor) left office, Dumbledore was the most popular man to succeed her, but refused himself, prefering to remain at Hogwarts. Fudge thus knew for his entire tenure that he was less popular, and also apparently that he was less qualified---Dumbledore was apparently an informal advisor to Fudge, with Hagrid claiming Fudge sent numerous owls asking Dumbledore for advice. This knowledge of Dumbledore's superior popularity and skill was likely one of the reasons for his actions after Voldemort's rise; in addition, it is implied that Fudge simply did not want to believe that Voldemort could return, knowing that that would be the end of the Wizarding world's years of peace, and decided to merely ignore all of the evidence rather than accept the truth. Fudge could thus be based loosely on [[Neville Chamberlain]], the British Prime Minister who attempted to ignore [[Adolf Hitler]]'s rise to power, believing that doing so would prevent war, while Scrimgeour could be seen as [[Winston Churchill]]. |
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===Personal Life=== |
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No evidence has been given as to whether Fudge is married. At one point, [[Bartemius Crouch Sr]] refers to "Mr and Mrs Fudge", but he may be deluded (he is having that conversation with a tree as though it were [[Percy Weasley]], and also spoke of his wife and son as though all was well with them); he may also have been referring to Fudge's mother or another female relative, or it may be that Fudge's wife is deceased. |
No evidence has been given as to whether Fudge is married. At one point, [[Bartemius Crouch Sr]] refers to "Mr and Mrs Fudge", but he may be deluded (he is having that conversation with a tree as though it were [[Percy Weasley]], and also spoke of his wife and son as though all was well with them); he may also have been referring to Fudge's mother or another female relative, or it may be that Fudge's wife is deceased. |
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Revision as of 02:55, 19 July 2007
Cornelius Oswald Fudge is a fictional character in the Harry Potter book series written by J. K. Rowling. He was the Minister for Magic of Great Britain from 1990 to 1996. Fudge first appears in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, but is first mentioned in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.
His last name suggests that he "fudges" his job. His standard outfit includes a pinstriped cloak, a lime green bowler hat, and purple boots.
In the films, he is played by Robert Hardy, and appears in more conventional, and less garishly colored garb.
Role in the series
Political Career
Fudge initially seems kind to Harry, and inadvertently provides some valuable information, namely that Sirius Black was James Potter's best friend and was believed to have betrayed the Potters to Lord Voldemort. During his tenure he also has Rubeus Hagrid put into Azkaban, due to the belief that he is controlling Tom Riddle's Basilisk; and he allows the removal of Albus Dumbledore as Headmaster, and the near-execution of Buckbeak, both times influenced by Lucius Malfoy. Nevertheless through all this he had proved to be fairly kindly and compassionate, if somewhat weak as a leader.
His relationship to the major characters changed suddenly in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and continuing into Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. When Harry emerges from the Triwizard Maze after having seen the rebirth of Voldemort, Fudge refuses to believe it, and orchestrates a smear campaign to discredit Harry and Albus Dumbledore, portraying Dumbledore as a senile, confused old man, and Harry as a mentally unbalanced, attention-seeking teenage liar. He also passes a law allowing him to place Delores Umbridge, a faithful but vindictive follower, as a teacher at Hogwarts; he then appoints her "High Inquisitor," in effect giving her (and by extension, himself) primary control of how Hogwarts is run. Fudge is particularly paranoid that Dumbledore is a threat to his power, and that he is, in effect, planning to train the Hogwarts students loyalty to himself rather than the Ministry and in effect overthrow Fudge. Ultimately Fudge manages to have Dumbledore removed as Headmaster and Umbridge put in his place, but this is overturned after the Battle of the Ministry of Magic, which proves Voldemort's return to power and destroys Fudge's political career.
When his failure to admit Voldemort's return comes to light, Fudge is forced to resign as Minister for Magic and replaced by Rufus Scrimgeour in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, though he stays on as a powerless advisor.
According to Hagrid, after Millicent Bagnold (Fudge's predecessor) left office, Dumbledore was the most popular man to succeed her, but refused himself, prefering to remain at Hogwarts. Fudge thus knew for his entire tenure that he was less popular, and also apparently that he was less qualified---Dumbledore was apparently an informal advisor to Fudge, with Hagrid claiming Fudge sent numerous owls asking Dumbledore for advice. This knowledge of Dumbledore's superior popularity and skill was likely one of the reasons for his actions after Voldemort's rise; in addition, it is implied that Fudge simply did not want to believe that Voldemort could return, knowing that that would be the end of the Wizarding world's years of peace, and decided to merely ignore all of the evidence rather than accept the truth. Fudge could thus be based loosely on Neville Chamberlain, the British Prime Minister who attempted to ignore Adolf Hitler's rise to power, believing that doing so would prevent war, while Scrimgeour could be seen as Winston Churchill.
Personal Life
No evidence has been given as to whether Fudge is married. At one point, Bartemius Crouch Sr refers to "Mr and Mrs Fudge", but he may be deluded (he is having that conversation with a tree as though it were Percy Weasley, and also spoke of his wife and son as though all was well with them); he may also have been referring to Fudge's mother or another female relative, or it may be that Fudge's wife is deceased.
There is evidence to suggest that Fudge is a pure-blood as at the end of Goblet of Fire Dumbledore comments on his obsession of blood purity.
