Comments on: Guest Essay2: “Ten Lessons I’ve Learned from Albus Dumbledore” http://www.hogwartsprofessor.com/guest-essay2-ten-lessons-ive-learned-from-albus-dumbledore/ Thoughts for the Serious Reader of Harry Potter Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:44:04 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.3 By: bubbygirl1972 http://www.hogwartsprofessor.com/guest-essay2-ten-lessons-ive-learned-from-albus-dumbledore/comment-page-1/#comment-617 bubbygirl1972 Fri, 13 Jul 2007 14:00:52 +0000 http://hogwartsprofessor.com/?p=94#comment-617 Oh wow that was just the most amazing essay!! I don't know what to say, but I totally agree. How do people miss the gems in these books? maria Oh wow that was just the most amazing essay!! I don’t know what to say, but I totally agree. How do people miss the gems in these books?

maria

]]> By: esoterica1693 http://www.hogwartsprofessor.com/guest-essay2-ten-lessons-ive-learned-from-albus-dumbledore/comment-page-1/#comment-616 esoterica1693 Fri, 13 Jul 2007 05:10:42 +0000 http://hogwartsprofessor.com/?p=94#comment-616 It just occurred to me that when AD says, "No, it is my mercy, and not yours, which matters now," he may have meant it in two ways. The obvious one is "which matters now *to you, Draco,* b/c it may determine your future." That is how I've 'heard' it the first half-dozen times I've sobbed my way through the scene. (I think I need to simply glue a box of tissues to my copy of HBP...) But I now think there could be a second meaning too. "it is my mercy, and not yours, which matters now *to [i]me[/i] as I make my last choices as I am dying.*" AD knows that one way or another he's likely not leaving the Tower alive, whether he's killed by Malfoy, Snape, another Death Eater, or the potion. What will his last actions be? How will they complete the definition of his identity as he exits the world of the living? Will he choose what is right or what is, if not easy, at least more instinctual and 'natural'? Whether Draco 'has mercy' on him or not is irrelevant--he is dying either way--what is relevant to him in his last moments is *how* he dies. And he chooses to die showing mercy rather than fighting or taunting or any other number of things which one might be sorely tempted to do in the circumstances. This is even more primary, I think, than whether or not the manner of his death gains the Order something strategically. It just occurred to me that when AD says, “No, it is my mercy, and not yours, which matters now,” he may have meant it in two ways. The obvious one is “which matters now *to you, Draco,* b/c it may determine your future.” That is how I’ve ‘heard’ it the first half-dozen times I’ve sobbed my way through the scene. (I think I need to simply glue a box of tissues to my copy of HBP…)

But I now think there could be a second meaning too. “it is my mercy, and not yours, which matters now *to [i]me[/i] as I make my last choices as I am dying.*” AD knows that one way or another he’s likely not leaving the Tower alive, whether he’s killed by Malfoy, Snape, another Death Eater, or the potion. What will his last actions be? How will they complete the definition of his identity as he exits the world of the living? Will he choose what is right or what is, if not easy, at least more instinctual and ‘natural’? Whether Draco ‘has mercy’ on him or not is irrelevant–he is dying either way–what is relevant to him in his last moments is *how* he dies. And he chooses to die showing mercy rather than fighting or taunting or any other number of things which one might be sorely tempted to do in the circumstances. This is even more primary, I think, than whether or not the manner of his death gains the Order something strategically.

]]> By: pritchettHogProfan http://www.hogwartsprofessor.com/guest-essay2-ten-lessons-ive-learned-from-albus-dumbledore/comment-page-1/#comment-615 pritchettHogProfan Thu, 12 Jul 2007 18:22:12 +0000 http://hogwartsprofessor.com/?p=94#comment-615 I wholeheartedly agree! Regarding Dumbledore's courtesy, I believe this is an excellent example of what Christ says in Matthew 22:37-39: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." Can you imagine how the magical world and our world would change if we all did this? I wholeheartedly agree! Regarding Dumbledore’s courtesy, I believe this is an excellent example of what Christ says in Matthew 22:37-39: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Can you imagine how the magical world and our world would change if we all did this?

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