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Original poster

Dumbledore

47 replies

TheEverdelightfulsamantha · 03/02/2023 15:37

I’m just watching Harry Potter and the Goblet of fire with DD - I’ve been reading the book to her so it’s front of mind but I can’t get over how horrible Dumbledore is when played by Michael Gambon - it’s a totally different character to the kindly but wise character in the books - and the way it’s narrated in the Stephen Fry audiobooks - am I wrong? Am I missing something in the book? And if I’m not, why did JKR approve it?

OP posts:
Original poster
TheEverdelightfulsamantha · 03/02/2023 16:52

@thecatsthecats thats exactly my interpretation

OP posts:
JenniferBarkley · 03/02/2023 16:53

Ultimately many of these (leaving Harry at the Dursleys, leaving Sirius in Azkaban) come down to Because Plot.

MeinKraft · 03/02/2023 16:54

TheHotdog · 03/02/2023 15:54

Dumbledore was not a good man. He was manipulative and basically raised Harry as a lamb to slaughter.

Well not really because he directed him towards where to find the deathly hallows which saved him from dying in the end?

LadyHarmby · 03/02/2023 17:02

I also think he would have quickly been able to find out if Sirius Black was or wasn’t involved in the murder of James and Lily. But for some reason the wise man that he was let Sirius rot away in Azkaban! (This irritates me no end)

But he believed Sirius was their Secret Keeper, everyone did. Voldemort could only find them if their secret keeper had given them away.

BoringLittleMe · 03/02/2023 17:04

TheHotdog · 03/02/2023 15:54

Dumbledore was not a good man. He was manipulative and basically raised Harry as a lamb to slaughter.

He was playing the long game. When Voldemort marked Harry "as his equal", Dumbledore knew that either Harry or Voldemort had to die. It became his life to find and destroy the horcruxes to give Harry the best possible chance. Some things happened along the way that were setbacks (Barty Crouch Jnr and the graveyard in GoF) but Dumbledore knew that the prophecy was coming true so he couldn't stop it.

Sprogonthetyne · 03/02/2023 17:05

There's no way he didn't know sirius was innocent. Maybe not at the time of James and lily's murder, but once Snape joined him, he will have known who was and wasn't working for Voldamont. He chose to leave sirius in askaban so that Harry would be isolated and easier to manipulate.

He chose to let Harry spend his entire childhood been neglected and abused, there's no way he didn't know that was happening.

He chose to keep Snape at the school and overlook him bullying students. He could easily have just had him as a spy and paid for him to live elsewhere. He owed a magic stone that made unlimited gold (until end of book 1)

Definitely not a nice man

Abraxan · 03/02/2023 17:55

and that section you quote - imagine if a real life headteacher did that… the Governor’s would get involved 😂

To be fair I think the headteacher shouting at a student would be fairly low down the governor's concerns if Hogwarts was your average state secondary! I think there a lot more stuff going on there that might concern governors and OFSTED!

timetorefresh · 03/02/2023 18:45

He's all about the bigger picture isn't he. Not really interested in the individuals as long as his side wins in the end

WeWereInParis · 03/02/2023 19:10

LadyHarmby · 03/02/2023 17:02

I also think he would have quickly been able to find out if Sirius Black was or wasn’t involved in the murder of James and Lily. But for some reason the wise man that he was let Sirius rot away in Azkaban! (This irritates me no end)

But he believed Sirius was their Secret Keeper, everyone did. Voldemort could only find them if their secret keeper had given them away.

What irritates me about that is that later on it's established you can be your own secret keeper (Bill was secret keeper for his house with Fleur, Mr Weasley was for The Burrow), so why would James or Lily not just do it themselves.

Allytheapple · 03/02/2023 19:11

timetorefresh · 03/02/2023 18:45

He's all about the bigger picture isn't he. Not really interested in the individuals as long as his side wins in the end

Yep this is it and spy master sums it up. He is M but for toddlers.

LadyHarmby · 03/02/2023 19:36

WeWereInParis · 03/02/2023 19:10

What irritates me about that is that later on it's established you can be your own secret keeper (Bill was secret keeper for his house with Fleur, Mr Weasley was for The Burrow), so why would James or Lily not just do it themselves.

Show quote history

Ooooo, I never noticed this but you’re right. Good point!

quietnightmare · 03/02/2023 20:18

Dumbledore is a Dumbledick

AnneShirleysNewDress · 03/02/2023 20:23

MilkyWaytoday · 03/02/2023 16:43

Young Dumbledore was fit though 😉

😂

kittenkipping · 03/02/2023 21:02

TheEverdelightfulsamantha · 03/02/2023 15:37

I’m just watching Harry Potter and the Goblet of fire with DD - I’ve been reading the book to her so it’s front of mind but I can’t get over how horrible Dumbledore is when played by Michael Gambon - it’s a totally different character to the kindly but wise character in the books - and the way it’s narrated in the Stephen Fry audiobooks - am I wrong? Am I missing something in the book? And if I’m not, why did JKR approve it?

I agree in that he is so obviously horrible. The point of the Dumbledores character is that he is mysterious, seemingly benevolent but actually manipulative and cold. Scheming and ultimately cruel. The gambon version makes the twist unsurprising. It lacks the depth of the books

MrsMitford3 · 03/02/2023 21:09

EveryDayIsA · 03/02/2023 16:49

Wasn't there a reason he had to stay at his aunts, I'm sure it's in the book. Something to do with family love or along those lines.

yes it was some deep magic where his mother's family offered him protection due to her sacrifice

BigPurpleArm · 03/02/2023 21:12

MG is the perfect dumbledore to me 🤷

LegendOfZeldaFitzgerald · 03/02/2023 21:21

This is the only truly inconsistent Dumbledore characterisation IMO:

twitter.com/lucyjanewood/status/1063817324480876544

claracluck1978 · 03/02/2023 21:29

It's my understanding that MG hated the character and the entire franchise and only took the job for the £££. I've never enjoyed watching him as Dumbledore since hearing that

Saschka · 03/02/2023 21:45

LegendOfZeldaFitzgerald · 03/02/2023 21:21

This is the only truly inconsistent Dumbledore characterisation IMO:

twitter.com/lucyjanewood/status/1063817324480876544

So true! Grin

Kanaloa · 03/02/2023 22:19

Yes he was a rubbish Dumbledore. My kids prefer the Jim Dale audiobooks to SF - I love that Jim Dale does loads of different accents, and will make certain characters Scottish! I mean Ernie MacMillan is hardly likely to have an RP English accent, is he? I think unfortunately Michael Gambon misses all the nuance and performs his part with no subtlety. Part of the whole gut punch of Dumbledore is that he presents himself as this kindly and wise grandfather type figure, so when Harry (and the reader) realise he is in fact profoundly flawed and human it is a really big moment. But Gambon plays him poorly really.

Kanaloa · 03/02/2023 22:24

NotableSilences · 03/02/2023 16:04

I think MG was probably right to ignore the books -- Dumbledore in the series is an inconsistent and strangely-written character, who is at once the world's most powerful wizard, the single-handed vanquisher of the wizarding Hitler equivalent, a sort of dotty professor bumbling about telling bad jokes and losing his way to the loo at night, and an amoral, manipulative character who sets up a child as a sacrificial lamb.

I mean, I get that children's/YA books have to figure out a way of getting adults out of the way in order for the children to be centre stage, or to make them weak if they're not actually evil, but there's a real problem with Dumbledore's characterisation, and the kinds of gynmastics JKR puts herself through in order to make powerful adult witches and wizards (not just Dumbledore, but all the good, powerful magical characters) unable to save the world, while a child can.

I didn’t find him inconsistent or strangely written at all. The whole point is that he presents himself one way/is seen one way by a small boy, and as that boy grows and develops he begins to realise that this god-like saviour figure is in fact flawed and weak, and no better than anyone else. I saw it like most of the bumbling lonely grandfather act is, well… an act! Or at least a manufactured behaviour.

justgettingthroughtheday · 03/02/2023 22:47

Sprogonthetyne · 03/02/2023 17:05

There's no way he didn't know sirius was innocent. Maybe not at the time of James and lily's murder, but once Snape joined him, he will have known who was and wasn't working for Voldamont. He chose to leave sirius in askaban so that Harry would be isolated and easier to manipulate.

He chose to let Harry spend his entire childhood been neglected and abused, there's no way he didn't know that was happening.

He chose to keep Snape at the school and overlook him bullying students. He could easily have just had him as a spy and paid for him to live elsewhere. He owed a magic stone that made unlimited gold (until end of book 1)

Definitely not a nice man

Snape was working for Dumbledore before James and Lilly died. Snape in the early days would have been small fry to Riddle. He probably wouldn't have been privy to who else was spying for Riddle. He also loathed Sirius. Snape wouldn't have cared that Sirius was innocent and locked up he hated him

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