I have this theory going that Bellatrix Lestrange is a cannibal. It is alluded to at least twice in Deathly Hallows that I can remember. Did anyone else pick up on it? I asked a couple of my friends to watch for it as they read and they both thought my theory has merit.

The first mention is made by Fenrir Greyback when Bellatrix is torturing Hermoine at the Malfoy's house. I don't have my book in front of me, but Greyback says something like, "Do you think she (Bellatrix) will save me a few bites?" Seeing as we know that Greyback has a "taste for human blood that can't be satisfied once a month", I wrote this off as nothing more than a coincidence. But when combined with the second allusion, I became a little more intrigued.

The second statement (unfortunately I can't remember exactly where it was) said that Bellatrix likes to play with her food before she eats it. Anyone that has their book and can help me out, I would appreciate it - I think it is near the end.

Anyway, are these two comments an allusion to something even more sinister to do with Bella or just pure coincidence? I think its a little fishy and she likes to eat people. What do you think?

I agree that both of these statements added up to some weirdness in my mind as well. Looking back, though, I don't think she is canabalistic. I think that these statements were just used to emphasise that she is totally evil...

The first statement I understood as 'she's going to torture Hermione so badly that less than "a few bites" will be left' (figurativly)

And the second statement indicated that Bella was childlike in here evilness. Like telling a child to not play with their food before they eat it, it's almost like Bella likes to toy with her victims before the final AK!

Perhaps parallels were drawn because Bella was LV's #1 death eater, and the only thing closer to him was Nagani, a creature that would eat the victims. Maybe these statements were just a litterary device to compare bella's relationship to LV to Nagani's relationship to LV? What do you think?

the second one " she likes to play with her food before she eats it" means she doesnt kill fast. Shell " play" with it aka torture that person before she kills

Yeah, I agree with bobbie7781 and FireryPhoinex. I always knew she was twisted and almost as evil as Voldemort himself, but I never would have thought of her as a cannibal! Funny idea though, and I can see where you're coming from.

When the Excellent and Admirable Mrs. Rowling wrote that Bella liked to play with her food before she ate it, she was refering to the fact that Bellatrix received some sort of sadistic pleasure out of torturing and tormenting her prisoners before she dispatched them. However, Bellatrix probably was evil and demented enough to enjoy eating her prey. While I doubt she did, I still wouldn't put it past her. She may be the only character that is on the same plane as Greyback. Se gap lai nhe.

MOD NOTE: I've changed the title of this thread to include discussion on Bellatrix in general, instead of just a specific aspect of the book. Please use this thread for any specific Bellatrix questions AS WELL AS general Bellatrix discussions. Thanks!

"evil and demented enough to enjoy eating her prey"

Would this really be evil and demented? Is it really so wrong to eat another human being? I'm sorry for being a little rude here, but what you guys have been calling (or at least considering to be) evil is simply a practice that is so condemned in our society that is almost unthinkable. This doesn't make it evil. This makes it foreign.

bellatrix was always my fave death eater
totallly mad and paranoid but loyal as hell.
mrs weasley killing her was probably one of the greatest duels in the book

well, i very much doubt she is a cannibal. i mean, COME ON! JKR just meant that she was evil and cruel by using those specific words.

joining in the "general discussion" aerea of the topic, i find the character rather interesting. i think she loved Voldemort more than just as a DE, because she was way too loyal and way to foolish for a woman who just wanted to serve someone. she clearly had a more erotical attraction towards Voldemort, even up to thinking that perhaps he would share his power with her, because she seemed to like not only to brag about the fact that she was his most loyal servant, but she aslso liked ordering the other DEs around. i can't understand how she got married, if she adored another man so much. or why she didn't get separated from Rodolphus (btw, where is the guy? it's always been Bellatrix here, Bellatrix there, but no husband).

on a more subjective note, i dislike the character for having killed off my personal fave, Sirius . but still, that's my own opinion, which is not crucial to the character.

I always wondered this myself. I always found that Bellatrix was attracted to Voldemort in a more than admirational way. I'm sure she was in love with him. You could always tell how she was dying for his admiration, his agreement and his attention. I found it even more obvious in this book.

And you've raised a good point. Where was this husband of hers? She was always portrayed as alone...did he die? Was it mentioned? I don't remember anything about him...she's always seemed to be a bit of a lone soldier. I wonder if LV ever recognized Bellatrix's attraction to him...

Her husband is Rudolphus, right? I remember him being mentioned in the chapter where they escape Privet Drive and get attacked. One of the Order members comes back to the Burrow and says they were attacked by someone and Rudolphus. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I also think he was at the Department of Mysteries in the 5th book.

Anywho, I don't think Bellatrix is a cannibal but its a very good theory.

I can't recall any mention of cannibalism in the series that would lend credence to the Original Poster's theory; if we had heard somewhere that 'Bernice Gluttonia ate fourteen witches and wizards in 1583 to gain their strength' (or similar) then I'd be more willing to consider the possibility. But with no expectation of cannibalism presented in the books there's naught (in my opinion) to do but chalk it up to coincidence.

I remember those statements from the book. But I don't think that she was a cannibal. I think she is just evil and is hungry for killing people. She wants to kill and torture as much as possible. She feeds off peoples torture and pain. Sort of like dementor but instead of fear, it what pain she inflicts on other. I think JK rowling wanted to show that Belltrix was animalist but not a cannibal. I could be wrong but its just my opinion.

I also highly doubt that Bellatrix Lestrange is a cannibal. That's kind of ... almost too strange. I know she is strange but not that strange. I think what Fenrir meant was "do you think Bellatrix will destroy her before I get my helping" or something like that. I don't think he meant "do you think Bellatrix will eat her all before I get a bite".

about Fernir's statement, let's not forget that he also liked to play with his "food", before finishing them off. so i think he was just "worried" that she might kill the victim before he got his chance to have some "fun" (as in torture, bite, stuff like that).

i'm very intrigued about Bella on the sentimental side, more than i'm wondering about her food preferences. as i have stated before, Rodolphus's absence around her and the fact that i don't recall ever hearing his "voice" (as in he never spoke, he was just like an echo, only present in attacks such as the MOM gig in OOTP and the Seven Potters asault in DH). on a more personal note, i very much enjoyed Voldemort's rejection towards her in the first DH chapter, when he made fun of her for being related to Tonks. but still i felt a bit of pitty for her, like i feel for most women who fall in love with the wrong men.


later edit: i got this from the JKR on-line chat transcript:

i luv this character so much because she's so evil and i like the way she doesn't care about the others

Mod Edit: Short posts are not permitted in here. Go read the Rules.

Yes, I agree. I love Bellatrix Lestrange! She's not your every day character. She's vile and cruel just like a true evil character should be. It's usually male characters who fill this role, so I think Bellatrix is truly unique. The way she reacts to things and her manic laughter is so grisly, I just love it. Deffinitly one of my favorite characters, no matter how evil she is.

i agree that the statements are just to enphaside how evil she is


i don't like bella she killed sirius

Mod Edit: Go read the Rules, short posts are not permitted.

Bellatrix is one of my favorite characters, I was disappointed with the way she died. I dont think shes a cannabil(sp), when JKR said she likes to play with her food before eating it I think she means that Bellatrix likes to torture the person before dealing the final blow. Just to emphasis how evil Bellatrix actually is.

I think that what he meant was "Will there be anything left of her once she is done with her for me?" or something to that effect. I don't think that Greyback meant that she would eat her.

QUOTE

The second statement (unfortunately I can't remember exactly where it was) said that Bellatrix likes to play with her food before she eats it. Anyone that has their book and can help me out, I would appreciate it - I think it is near the end.

I think that this was just a figure of speech, referring to how she likes to torture before she kills. I really doubt that she was a cannibal. It really doesn't seem like something that JKR would write into her stories.

QUOTE

Her husband is Rudolphus, right? I remember him being mentioned in the chapter where they escape Privet Drive and get attacked. One of the Order members comes back to the Burrow and says they were attacked by someone and Rudolphus. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I also think he was at the Department of Mysteries in the 5th book.

Rudolphus was in the Department of Mysteries with the other Death Eaters. He also was in Azkaban with Bellatrix if I'm not mistaken.

My DH book says differant in the Malfoy Manor chapter. Fenrir Greyback says "Reckon she'll let me have a bite of the girl when shes finished with her?" Greyback crooned as he forced them along the corridor "Id say I'll get a bite or two wouldnt you Ginger?"

Hm odd lol.

urgh right bellatrix is the most loyal death eater because she worships LV and she is maniacally evil
she loves to torture her captives and tormenting them to insanity or to death whichever comes first lol
i like her character there's so much evilness and dark glamour yet she's beautiful, she's rich, and she's a pureblood, what can you ask more lol

bellatrix is a real characte risnt she!!!! of course bella loved voldy more than sanity wise. she was madly in love with him. even jkr said bella only married the guy she married because he was pure blood and that was expected of her. dont you remeber indh, bella told voldy that there was no higher satisfaction of having him in her sisters hous! and at the end when harrys pretending to be dead he hears bella talking to voldy like a LoveR would have.... a lover. no duh she was in love with him. but jkr said in her web chat interview that voldemortwould neverlove anyone, only value them. and yes, i would say that bella would go to any circumstances for pleasing voldy.. even eating someone. ill. butthink of the time when voldy saved bella at the ministry. remeber. and when he screamed in pain because mrs.weasely killed her!!!!!!! interesting... right!!!!!!!

+To snapewasgreat+ I agree with you, I found it funny when she said "There is not higher pleasure then having you here in OUR familys house". Im pretty sure the only reason LV screamed when Mrs Weasley killed Bella was because she was his best fighter, hes last resort, the best he had left, I mean if I were him, Id have screamed too lol.

yeah ur right
after snape's death bella's the last great supporter of the dark lord that has any real value to him as she's great at battles look at the numbers of opponents she have, the same as her master.
LV really lost a great fighter on his side at the time when he really needed someone like bella

Bellatrix may be an evil woman, but she wouldn't do that to her victims. Although, I can see her being a cannibal

I hate Bella to DEAH, yet, she's my favourtie death eater. It's a love/hate relashionship between us

About bella's husband, rudolphus, wasn't he one of the death eaters that got killed on the way from Privet Drive to the safe houses. I'm not sure excatly where, but doen't it mention that the Order killed at least one of the death eaters, although they lost moody?

Bellatrix... she's totally mad, evil and twisted, her killing Sirius made my blood boil... however if she wasnt all of that i'd kinda admire her... her loyalty, but there is a point, a load of people reckon she loved Voldemort, so maybe it wasnt loyalty at all... maybe love that made her like she was? hmmm... I'd sorta feel sorry for her too... Loving someone that didnt know love, doing all she could to impress him - or maybe try and make him love her?- Yet knowing she had no real chance to be anything more than his most loyal servant... But i dont feel sorry for her, her unspeakable evil makes pity kinda hard...

Oh also... I think they got her just right in the film... i think it showed her just as she was supposed to come accross... EVIL and possibly INSANE... anyone disagree?

[font=Comic Sans Ms][color=#009900] Personally, I think Belatrix is the perfect villaness, sort of like the sidekick to LV. I mean, you always have a bad people in every story, and I think she is perfectly written to fit that role. She is totally devoted, twisted, evil and yes, -</3-Unseen-to-you-</3 definetly insane. I love it.

Bellatrix has been the character since the 5th book that I love to hate. She is the most devoted Death Eater to Voldemort, I mean she was almost crying when Voldemort praised her in the first chapter of Deathly Hallows. I definitely think she admired and loved Voldemort, too bad he could never love her. I really like the actress that plays her in the movies, I think she is perfect. I think it's great how they show her as literally falling apart at the seams. Even though I think she's absolutely horrible, I was a bit sad when she was killed. She would have to be my favorite character behind Neville and Ron.

all i can say is:

NOT GINNY WEASLEY YOU B!+<h!!!!

but i can also say that:
wow i hate her. and absolutely love her...and hate her even more. i mean, when she was torturing Hermione...!!!! and like ron was sobbing 4 her! and she was torturing her!! and DOBBY!! omg, dobby!!! omg, and sirius!! AND TONKS!! DID U KNO SHE KILLED TONKS TOO? JKR SAID SO!!! TONKS!!! who doesnt love tonks?! and bellatrix kills her too!! grrr...

i think the line should've been Ron's:

NOT MY FUTURE WIFE YOU B!+<H!! lol...totally

hi Merlin_most_baggy_y_fronts,
nice name


yeah i totally agree, i am a r/hr shipper. as for bellatrix, she was really an awesome and mad death eater, she really did what she promised to the dark lord, cutting those unhealthy parts by killing tonks. poor nymphadora. . .

Bellatrix Lestrange got what she deserved. She seemed to like killing off my favourite characters. gurr. Anyway to the point of her being a canniable i don't think so. I just think she's demented. I mean the playing with her food bit proably meant she likes to toture them as she did with Hermione and Nevilees parents. I think DD was referring to neviless Parents. But she's evil enough to be a canniable make no mistake. Though i doubt it but it's a nice.. well it's a horrible thought but a good theory.

Helena Bowen Carter - ( is that right?) Plays her prefectly though so i'll be glad the dakrness she puts into Bella in the Deathly Hallows movie.

I have to say that I don't think that Bella was a cannibal but I do think that she was not right in the head. I also thought she would have a bigger role somehow in Deathly Hallows. I am not saying that she wasn't important, but I guess I thought that since she was so devoted to Voldemort that he would use her more to get things done. I don't know if I liked her as a character since I still don't see that she really had any real importance other then the fact that she killed Serius.

I have already discussed Bellatrix so much in two other threads (The Malfoy's and Molly Weasley vs. Bellatrix Lestrange to be exact), that I am very relieved that there is finally an all Bella thread. Anyway, I think she deserved to die, now that she has killed two valuable family members (Tonks and Sirius), and that she has killed so many others, including Dobby. It was good that she is gone, and the world is a better place without her.

P.S. I wish Neville had done it though, he needed some revenge after what she did to his parents.

neville did his part already and destroying a horcrux is even better. well back to bella, she did killed her relatives as she would in any blood traitors. she was the one that killed poor dobby and with just a knife, how sad. she was really a death eater in all it means to be one and of great value to the dark lord.

Would anyone else agree with the fine writer (tonks&lunalvr) in this thread who has suggested that Rodolphus was the death eater killed when they left Privet Dr. with the 7 Potters? I have been trying to track him also, and he seems to be one of those invisible charaters. I call them the 'Ivanhoe Trent' characters- he was a famous movie actor in a play I wrote a long time ago, but he nevers appears, just everyone screams and faints with excitement when his name is mentioned. Rodolphus is a sort of useful character like, who fills a role, but one never has to hold auditions! Anyway, I would think he'd be feeling pretty insignificant, as his wife probably ignored him whether Voldemort, or as I like to call him now, scabby Tom Riddle, was around or not. Probably a relief for him, on the whole, to die and get it over with! Anyway, she is a truly scary person, and the insanity is very well done - she doesn't seem to care what kind of attention she gets from LV/STR, just as long as she gets it. Also, I agree, very well done in the movie. Especially her face when she exits after killing Sirius, very scary and horrifying, because she is so happy. And we aren't.

I understand the two mentioned examples of Bellatrix's "cannibalism" as mere metaphors Ms Rowling uses. The "food" with which Bellatrix likes playing might mean that she sees her victims as something much inferior to herself, but of course not as food in literal sense.

As other people have pointed out before me, the comments add to our seeing her as a twisted character. The eating and food imagery is only a way of showing the readers how much evil and eager to torture people she is. Actually, another food-related word can be found in the very name of the Death Eaters. And again, we don't suspect them of cannibalism. It's just that eating is one the basic human needs and as human beings/wizards have to eat to sustain their lives, those who turn to Dark Magic need to commit violence and evil deeds so that they can keep on living and giving meaning to their lives, too.

snapewasgreat, Voldemort actually does not scream in pain, when he sees Mrs. Weasley kill Bellatrix. The book says that I think he screams simply because Bellatrix was the most faithful of his Death Eaters and also a very capable warrior whom he now loses. There are no intimate feelings for her from his side. Remember, Voldemort is still incapable of love.

Despite Bellatrix being evil and twisted, I agree with RIP_Sirius on that she is rather a pitiful character. To be honest, I actually did not enjoy the scene where Lord Voldemort makes fun of her in the first chapter. I think I was sorry for her reading how much she admires him and he is so incapable of seeing it and instead hurts her with his comments. And, sdoane, I don't think I agree with you here, I think that as every person in love she hates any negative attention she gets from the person she is in love with. Otherwise her face after Lord Voldemort's remark wouldn't be described as having turned
What she longs for is appreciation and recognition, in my opinion.

Despite what I've said about Bellatrix being evil and twisted I cannot help but love her. I think her character is so very-well written, very full and complex and in a way even mysterious. We don't know how or when she joined the Death Eaters and under what circumstances she fell in love with the Dark Lord and what makes her love and admire him so much. And I personally think she is a very skilled and powerful wizard and a fearless warrior, though she decides to offer her powers to the wrong side.

~Jana

seriously she cant be my fave character coz she killed two of my faves...Sirius and Tonks...

but I think she is very well described and such an evil person that I have to say that Rowling did maybe the best job with her...I've never imagined somebody that evil..lol..
oh and I disagree with the theory that she is a cannibal..she is just cruel...and as a many others said before me ..she is just metaphorically playing with her food...

but I have another question...when bellatrix got killed by molly weasley...why the heck did lV freak out then? I mean it cant be because he cares for her or loves her...because we all know that he cant do neither nor...but yet he was annoyed and wanted to finish molly ... but why? he could have just moved on like he did when he himself killed snape who was (in his eyes) even more useful and also very faithful... but he actually...screamed...duh..was it grief?

Gwenog, as for your question,

I think I've already expressed my opinion on that in my post above, but when I'm thinking about it more, I'm convinced his was a scream of anger. I certainly agree with you that Lord Voldemort does not scream out of care or love for Bellatrix. Neither from grief, I would say.

I think Lord Voldemort is only too well aware that he has some really faithful and powerful wizards on his side, namely Severus and Bellatrix. And in order to gain what he wants he decides to sacrifice one of them, Severus. But he knows that even after Severus is dead, he will be left with one more such servant, Bellatrix. She is actually the one that can equal him in the final duels – as I’ve said, I think she is a very fierce warrior. So he is simply enraged when she falls. At that moment Lord Voldemort realizes that there is no one of Severus's or Bellatrix's qualities left on his side.

How does that sound?

~Jana

yeah I also thought in the same way as you do but I really think that its still a little odd as he is like...expressing emotions due to this...this is so unusual for LV..he is like a icebox..he never laughs really, cries or well..he just gets annoyed when his plans fail...but really being annoyed or even...sad(can he actually be sad?)
i really got the impression that he maybe did care a little at least for bellatrix but then again doubt that...duuh

i think LV screamed when bella died because she wasn't any dead eater,she was a great witch,LV himself was teaching her. if i remember it correctly she was the only dead eater who blocked dumbledore's spell in OotF in the battle of DoM

No, I wouldn't say she was a cannibal - playing with her food before she eats it, I believe, means she likes to torture before she kills.

She is a wonderful character, one of my favourites actually, very intriguing and interesting.

I think Lord Voldy screamed when Bellatrix died was because it's not what he wanted to have happened. He wanted to lose as few Death Eaters as possible (Severus, of course being an exception. ), and Bellatrix was quite faithful. She would do whatever Voldy said, and losing that follower would be like losing some power.

I find it hard to belive that Bellatrix is a canibal, though graybacks quote suggests some severe madness of her. he quoted "reckon she'll let me have a bit of the girl when she is finished with her, I'd say I'll get a bite or two" he seems to be talking to Ron. and ron's proposal for an extangue of prisoners to be interogatued before they were taken to the cellar would suggest close friendship, so grayback might try and intimidate Ron by saying these things.

Well, I just have to comment here..
- Bellatrix is my favourite character - she's so mad, insane and all that evil makes her wow adorable. I can't explain why I like her so much but sometimes I feel sorry for her - she's in love with The Dark Lord *nobody could change my opinion* and she would do anything for him.. maybe to die for him? but he'll never love her 'cause he's not avaible for love? it's diffulct to agree with that fact, but let agree..
- She's not a canibal, she's just so evil and likes to play with her victums before killing them. That's clear already, I think.
- Well, I don't like the way that she finished.. killed by Molly, come on, it's stupid, isn't it? I think she didn't have to die 'cause if she didn't die, we would see what she'll do when Voldemort dies.. and I don't know there are many things that JKR has to show us about her.

But for now RIP my sweety Bellatrix