Why Harry Potter fans hate Umbridge.

Disclaimer: This article is for everybody, not just Harry Potter fans. So read on.

Dolores Jane Umbridge, a name hated by all Harry Potter fans, probably the only character loathed more than the villain, Voldemort himself. Before we go deeper, let us have a brief overview of Harry Potter and The Order Of The Phoenix, because it helps a little.

So, Harry Potter(Our protagonist) arrives at Hogwarts for his fifth year of magical studies. The previous year, through a series of circumstances Lord Voldemort(Our antagonist), has returned at large. The Government is keeping mum about it and since Harry is actively trying to establish the truth, they obviously hate him. Amidst this Dolores Umbridge is sent to Hogwarts where she is later also made the High Inquisitor. The reason why she is loathed so much is the way she treats everybody and her thinking about punishment (Using magic to cut messages through the hand). We don't need to know the whole story but this much will help you understand the things discussed later.

As a reader, I have always thought that our views on a book are based on real-life experiences. So why are we so averse to Dolores Jane Umbridge??

Well of the many reasons we hate Professor Umbridge so much, I think is the pent up anger over the teachers in our real life. Professor Umbridge is as orthodox as many of our teachers and a law-abiding person who will not even speak up for what is wrong. Moreover, she openly admits that she does not like children. This is not something that, thankfully, our real-life teachers do not share with her. Also, according to her school is a place to learn and to pass examinations, something any student in his sane mind will tell you is wrong. She is the epitome of Government control in the school and tries to bring up loyalty to the Ministry. Umbridge is portrayed as that teacher who is in blin infatuation with the Government and refuses to see it's shortcomings.

And then comes this line which completely burnt her reputation:

“You know, I really hate children.”

This line has a special place in all HP fans hearts because it particularly captures the angst against some teachers who would really be doing something else, but circumstances made her our teacher. And add with it a pompous attitude of a woman who thinks that anybody as a problem to be worthless( We will consider their status as half-breeds as a furry little problem, though it should not be one.) and you get one of the deadliest combinations for brewing dislike.

And now here comes a line any person in India, should at least be able to relate:

“Things at Hogwarts are far worse than I feared.” and “I WILL have order!”

Nobody likes being called the worst class or the worst school and order is something that student's and teacher's ideas do not match. The author J.K. Rowling, does a perfect job by these lines to channel our angst towards her. Her version of order completely clashes with any average person's idea of order, invoking even Hermione Granger to blow up a million school rules. (She is that geeky person in class who wants to do everything by the word from the rule book.) And the final bomb comes out portraying her as a witch against teenage love dramas, which can and should exist, although considering that Hogwarts gave no sex education was a risky option, but we will let that pass... Well, here is the quote:

“Boys and girls are not to be within eight inches of each other.”

This showed her determination to remove what she thought was inappropriate from the school. I used the most relatable one but everything she ever tried to wipe out from the school was this very illogical. All these things carefully direct our angst towards her and make her a villain(Unless you are Malfoy or Filch, of course. They liked the regime of Dolores Umbridge that year.)

After almost 8 months of mad rules which made no sense, she finally gets some resistance from the rebels of the school. Finally, they manage to remove her after Harry's claims are proved correct.

Her regime at Hogwarts shows us some important lessons. That a teacher is supposed to be your friend, from whom you may share knowledge. They, however, have no right to thrust their knowledge at us. The school would not be called the "second home" if it's sole purpose would have been exams. And it probably also teaches that we should stand up to our teachers if they are being unreasonable. Now, we definitely are not telling you to go and blow up your school because your teacher changed your school. But sometimes you need to really stand up.

P.S. We are sorry we put in 2 photos of her in here. Mischief Managed.

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