Is Molly Weasley From ‘Harry Potter’ a Good Parent?
The Harry Potter series is known for many things: Harry’s lightning bolt-scar, his fights with Voldemort, and the death of his parents. Given that tragic loss, Harry spends a lot of time searching for parental figures. He finds them in Albus Dumbledore and Sirius Black and Molly Weasley.
Molly Weasley is known inside the universe of Harry Potter and outside of it for her warmth and her dedication to those she cares about. However, is she really a good parent? Find out, ahead.
Who is Molly Weasley in ‘Harry Potter’?
Molly Weasley is the matriarch of the Weasley family. She cares deeply about all of her family members. She has a large family, with seven children. Yet this is not how her story really starts.
She is born Molly Prewett in either 1949 or 1950. She has two older brothers, Fabian and Gideon, who are part of the original Order of the Phoenix. Her two brothers are then killed by Death Eaters in the first war against Voldemort. She, therefore, has extra motivation to join the revived Order of the Phoenix during the Second Wizarding War.
During the War, she fights hard for those she loves, and becomes known as the witch who defeated the terrifying Death Eater Bellatrix Lestrange. She gets the motivation to kill Bellatrix when she sees the woman threatening her daughter Ginny. The fact that she defends her daughter so eagerly would seem to suggest that she is a good parent, yet is she?
Reasons why Molly Weasley from ‘Harry Potter’ is a bad parent
Though she always has her children’s best interests at heart, she does sometimes go too far with certain things. She can be too overprotective with her children and Harry and Hermione as well. While this is not the worst flaw a parent can have, it is still a flaw. Especially since it got Harry, Ron, and Hermione left out of the revived Order of the Phoenix.
Though they were a bit young to be fighting Voldemort, Harry especially clearly had a stake in the battle. And as his best friends, Ron and Hermione should have been involved as well. Another flaw of Molly’s is letting her temper get the better of her. She often would yell at Fred and George and sent Ron a Howler during Chamber of Secrets, which may not have been the best approach to parenting.
Another problem that Molly has is that her protectiveness over her children sometimes leads to her being blind to their flaws and overcritical of the flaws of others. For example, when her son Bill gets engaged to Fleur Delacour, Molly judges Fleur harshly. While Fleur is certainly not perfect, she should have been treated better by Molly, especially as her son’s future wife.
So is Molly a bad parent? Perhaps not.
Reasons why Molly Weasley is a good parent
Despite her flaws, Molly Weasley is a good parent. Her children grow up knowing that she loves them and that is very important. She also opens her home to others like Harry and Hermione, giving them just as much love and affection as her own children. Without Molly’s warmth and constant presence in Harry’s life, the Boy Who Lived might have had a different fate.
As it is, Harry Potter fans are glad that Molly Weasley is around to take care of Harry, as well as her own family. She is the quintessential mother figure and everyone loves her, both inside the Harry Potter universe and outside of it. She and her husband Arthur make sure their children — and Harry and Hermione — know that they are loved and supported and that is something that cannot be forgotten.
Molly Weasley also provides her children with discipline, not allowing them to run amok. That combination of support and discipline shows that Molly is a good parent, caring for her children while letting them know who is in charge. Finally, Molly’s claim to fame is her defeating Bellatrix to protect her daughter Ginny. This shows what a strong and fierce protector she is when she keeps that aspect in line, and that’s another quality that makes her a good parent.
Overall, Molly Weasley is a good parent. And Harry Potter fans wouldn’t see her any other way.
