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Like many young kids, I was obsessed with the Harry Potter series. Yet, I do remember being annoyed by the series’ main character and hero. Rather it was Hermione who I thought was the coolest, the strongest, the most heroic. I wanted to be like her, I could relate to her. As a child who always had my head in a book, there was a character I could look up to who developed all her bad-ass-ness through learning. I thought she was inspiring. Harry Potter, on the other hand, I could take or leave. He’s the golden boy, although he’s been handed a dark fate. I remember when reading, I thought Harry was off-putting, sometimes ignorant, at other times helpless. And yet, the series is devoted to him. Despite this, I connected to the books. Yet, I don’t think I would have if Hermione’s character would have been replaced or left out altogether.
When rereading a decade and a half later, I found I had the same responses I did as a child. I was surprised by the number of times Hermione is made fun of by Harry and Ron despite how many times she is saving them. While Hermione gets Ron and Harry out of dangerous situations using her intelligence over and over again, Harry is the assumed hero of the series. Yet, the number of times J.K. Rowling has the character say “Errr” made me cringe. I found that I was just as, or perhaps more so, irritated by Harry Potter and intrigued by Hermione.
While rereading this book as an adult and through a feminist lens, it’s hard not to notice how this female character is shadowed by her male counterpart, who also gets all the credit and acclaim along the way. I found myself frustrated with how this dichotomy is familiarly in line with the way we often operate in the real world. Men rule and can be looked up to, but if a woman who is more qualified steps in, they are most certainly annoying. The girl who knows more than a man is just a pathetic know-it-all until she saves the day. When reading the text again, I had to wonder, did I just favor Hermione because she’s a girl and one that I could see myself reflected in? Or is Hermione the underlying hero of the story?
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In the widely acclaimed Harry Potter series, by J.K. Rowling, the character Hermione Granger proves to be a powerful female amongst an otherwise male-dominated cast of characters. Hermione’s character is fueled through knowledge. She gains power through her studies and does not feel limited by her gender. She is meticulous and thoughtful, always questioning and delving deeper than others, making her resourceful. She is as fearless as her male companions and proves that she is an essential asset in the fight against the evil dark lord, and villain; Voldemort. She stands along with Harry and Ron as if she is “one of the boys”. Throughout the series, they don’t let her into the boy’s club all the way. They hold her at arm’s length through mockery.
Hermione’s character is often interpreted as the teacher’s pet or the overachiever. This character trait is reflected by the boys as something that is annoying, when really, Hermione is trying to compensate for her supposed defects. Raised by Muggles, or non-wizards, Hermione starts her life in the wizarding world at a slight disadvantage. This whole world of wizarding is completely new to her. Yet, through intense studying and reading, she learns all she needs to, forming the tools to compete with her peers. Hermione rises above her late start and exceeds expectations. She rises to the top of her class through hard work and dedication. She befriends Harry and Ron, who throughout the first few books in the series find her disciplined scholarly nature annoying and uptight. They often resort to writing her off as a ridiculous nascence. While teasing her, they are completely unaware of how thankful they will be for what they deem irritating about her. Hermione transitions from helping the boys on papers and tests, to later saving their lives on multiple occasions.
Throughout the series, Hermione often fills in the gaps of the boy’s education when needed. She solves problems using things she has learned that the boys ignored and felt were unimportant during their education. Hermione is quoted countless times asking the boys questions such as “Harry, did you ever even open A History of Magic?”, a required text at Hogwarts, to which she receives dull responses such as “Erm, I might have opened it, you know when I bought it…just the once….” (Rowling, 328. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows). Hermione’s ability to soak in information and refer to it in desperate times makes her an essential asset to the quest to destroy Lord Voldemort.
Hermione often acts as the protector of her male friends. She often uses the spells she has learned through her studies that she uses to protect them. When the three characters are hiding in a forest, Hermione uses spells to literally shield them from outside danger. She casts these spells to “ensure their protection” (312, Rowling. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.), acting as their guardian. She proves that Ron and Harry need her for protection, as she provides the power of safety. She is a protector in a way that exceeds a mere motherly nature and proves to be a strong defender against evil forces.
Exhaustingly, it isn’t until the last book of the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, that the boys start really appreciating and admiring Hermione and her abilities. After an instance in which Hermione saves both the boys from being swept away by Death Eaters using an advanced spell, the boys finally give her some credit. Ron states “You’re a genius” with awe, which Harry supports by stating, “I don’t know what we’d do without you.” (Rowling, 425. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows). The boys end up realizing that without Hermione, they would be completely lost. While Hermione is book smart, she’s also street smart, full of pragmatic intelligence. She thinks critically, quickly, and efficiently in high-stress, time-limiting situations. During these life-threatening situations, Hermione is essential to the safety of Ron and Harry who so often act on impulse, leading them deeper into trouble.
Bravery and courage are important themes in the series and are repeatedly noted as some of Harry’s greatest qualities. Hermione, along with her knowledge, also shows bravery that can at times outshine her male companions. In the final book of the series, Ron leaves Harry and Hermione as he struggles with losing hope in the battle against Voldemort. Hermione, despite her love for Ron, chooses to stay and help Harry in the fight. When Ron returns, she does not welcome him back with open arms. Instead, she keeps her defenses up and protects herself, despite her obvious relief at his return. She is cautious because she has seen Ron’s ability to be weak and cowardly. She, on the other hand, would never think of abandoning her friend, or the fight for the greater good. She shows bravery, commitment, and resilience in the face of uncertainty. (Rowling, 284-384. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows).
Hermione fights with both what she has learned, along with the loyalty she has for the greater good. Her knowledge, her most powerful weapon, comes in handy in many situations throughout the series. She fights with what she has learned, solving problems and constantly researching to learn more, building up her armor. She acts as an essential member of not only the group of friends but in the fight against evil. Unlike Harry, who has been thrust into the situation by fate, Hermione willingly chooses to fight, with intention and passion. She shows compassion, and her wide worldview enables her to see the bigger picture that many members of the wizarding community look over. She fights for wizards, muggles, house-elves, and goblins alike, placing them all on equal ground. She later becomes an activist for creatures who are abused in the Wizarding World.
Like many young girls, there are times in the Harry Potter series where Hermione desires female heroes. On multiple occasions, she insists that females can accomplish just as much as males. In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Hermione reminds the boys that there’s no reason the Half-Blood Prince may not be a woman. She then delves into research as if in hopes that the brilliant potion maker may actually be female (Rowling, The Half-Blood Prince). This can be seen again in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows when another unknown identity needs to be unveiled, whom they only know as “R.A.B”. Both times, the boys automatically assume these powerful beings are male. Hermione piped in the occasional, “Or she” as the boys constantly refer to these secret identities as male (101, Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.). This shows the struggle Hermione faces as one of the only female heroes she knows. Thankfully for readers, Hermione acts as a powerful heroine, even if she lacks one in her own fictional life.
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Rowling, who was very constructive in giving her characters' names, names her heroic female character Hermione, perhaps to highlight her femininity and how she proves her power despite it. (211, Dresang). It’s clear that Rowling portrays Hermione as a strong character, but she is not the strongest. Hermione may be the first real feminist young readers ever experience (Bell, 5). I have to wonder, if Rowling had known how this character would impact young girls, would she have made her the hero and main character instead? Despite the series’ focus on Harry, I was still able to let Hermione be my own hero growing up, and perhaps that’s enough. There have been later series with female main characters who act as a hero, often saving their entire communities. I read the Hunger Games and Divergent series, but Hermione was still the character who stuck with me. Perhaps because of the honest way her character is depicted; an annoying, know it all, too smart for her own good, pest who hangs out in the background. Until, of course, the men need her to save the day.
What are your thoughts on the series and characters? If you are or were a fan of the series, what aspects resonated with you?
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Works Cited:
Bahtiar, Rais Agil, and Muh Arif Rokhman. Scout Finch's Character Development as seen in Harper Lee's" To Kill a Mockingbird". Diss. Universitas Gadjah Mada, 2015.
Bell, Christopher E., ed. Hermione Granger saves the world: Essays on the feminist heroine of Hogwarts. McFarland, 2012.
Dresang, Eliza T. "Hermione Granger and the heritage of gender." The ivory tower and Harry Potter: Perspectives on a literary phenomenon (2002): 211-42.
Lee, Harper. To Kill a Mockingbird. Philadelphia: Lippincott, 1960. Print.
Rowling, J.K.. Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone. New York: Scholastic, 1997. Print.
Rowling, J.K.. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. New York: Scholastic, 1998. Print.
Rowling, J.K.. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. New York: Scholastic, 1999. Print.
Rowling, J.K.. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. New York: Scholastic, 2000. Print.
Rowling, J.K.. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. New York: Scholastic, 2003. Print.
Rowling, J.K.. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. New York: Scholastic, 2005. Print.
Rowling, J.K.. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. New York: Scholastic, 2007. Print.
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