Voldemort, the primary villain and face of evil in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, has been called many things. Born under the name Tom Marvolo Riddle, he became known as Voldemort, and was referred to as The Dark Lord. As if that wasn’t evil enough, wizards fear him to the point that they won’t even dare speak his name, referring to him only as You-Know-Who and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. It’s easy to see how many people (even muggles) could view Voldemort as a monster. From the way he acts to the way he looks, Voldemort’s characteristics leave few questioning the extent of his evil.
He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is one of the most well-known fictional villains of the 21st century. Everyone who has ever read the Harry Potter series has a deep impression of Voldemort, who is extremely tall with a skeletal structure. His presence alone can send chills through humans and wizards alike. The dark lord always wears a black cloak and slithers around like a snake. His head has no hair and he has pale white skin and slits for nostrils. When you look at his face, it shows how truly wicked and cruel he is. Voldemort’s face is like that of a snake. His eyes are a window to his soul, scarlet in color and merciless in nature. When he speaks, the voice sounds hoarse and commands attention without even being loud. His looks, as well as his heart, make him a monster. When he was Tom Marvolo Riddle he was a smart and good-looking young man. However, as he grows up, his desire do too. Tom was in hot pursuit of his own ideal pure-blood Wizarding World. As a result, he was addicted to using dark arts in order to conquer the Wizarding World. During this process, with an inflated ambition, Voldemort turned himself into a monster.
With names such as The Dark Lord, You -Know-Who, and He Who Must Not Be Named, it’s obvious that Tom Riddle has changed a great deal since leaving Hogwarts. During the years after his goodbye, Lord Voldemort became known as such a gruesome figure to people that many were too frightened to even speak his name. It was treated almost as if the name “Voldemort” had evolved into a striking new curse word. Many people believed it was actually dangerous to say his name aloud. While violently attempting to conquer both Wizards and Muggles, Harry Potter’s arch nemesis, had blatantly become feared by all. (Harry's battle with Voldemort can be seen here) So what exactly makes Lord Voldemort so monstrous to everyone?
Not only the outlook of Voldemort makes him a monster, but also the fact that he tries to kill Harry Potter, who is the most good-natured character in the Harry Potter series, makes him more like a monster and/or an evil. In my understanding, anything that is related to snakes is not a good meaning in lots of cultures including American culture. Voldemort's ability to talk to the snakes makes readers or audiences of the Harry Potter series view Voldemort bad at first hand. Moreover, the fact that Voldemort turned the displeasing ability over to Harry Potter by accident, making Harry Potter partially similar with him, makes the Harry Potter enthusiasts mad.
Everything about Voldemort is evil; everything he does, how he looks, what he represents is against everything that Harry, Dumbledore, and good stand for. But not everything about him is so cut and clear. Which makes Voldemort more of a monster, his appearance or his actions? Could Harry have grown up to become a truly 100% good-natured wizard without his struggle with Voldemort? Would Voldemort have seemed any less evil without being deformed from his original appearance as Tom Riddle? Many questions surround this monster and the effects he had on his environment. What do you think?
