Albino Peacocks

[AirForbes77]

When we first saw the albino peacock in the first chapter and Yaxley says "Lucius always did himself well" I thought that Voldemort had turned Lucius into a peacock as punishment for being so incompetent.

I was disappointed that it really was only a peacock!

[selfdestruct]

i loved the peacock. i thought it was the perfect touch, because i always associate them with wealth and palaces. quite fitting that the arrogant malfoys would have peacocks in their yard for all to see.

[Lairy_Fights]

J.K. Rowling has put too many years into the stories to not consider each word she uses. Two of the things I LOVE about her books are the imagery and symbolism. In fact, discovering the Christian, alchemical, and mythical symbolism and allusions in her books turned me from a casual fan of the books to a real admirer of the author's skills. An albino peacock, then? It must be there for a reason. Quicksilver's list (thanks for that!) is just more evidence of the profundity in the stories.

[fang25]

Lots of symbolism, I agree! Personally, I just enjoyed the fact taht it further showed the Malfoy's arrogance in comparison to their falling out from the inner circle of LV to protect Draco. However, I also see peacocks as graceful and feminine and I was reminded of Narcissa.

[Onyma]

In Greek mythology, Argus was a Giant with 100 eyes, sent by Hera to guard Io. After Hermes killed him, Hera put his eyes in the tail of the peacock. Same story really, except that this one does not randomly romanize Greek deities and does not turn Egyptian gods into royalty.

[stunnedtina]

Interesting to learn these things about peacocks. I never knew the stuff ya'll are talking about with the myths or whatever of peacocks. So I can kind of see the significance and such it had in the book.

I'd never heard of an albino peacock either.

[potty4potter]

I am re-reading Goblet of Fire at the moment and I had a small idea...
When they go to the Quidditch World Cup, Harry sees an elaborate castle-like tent with peacocks tethered out the front...it would be interesting if this was the Malfoy's tent. I always wondered where they would stay because I don't see them roughing it in a shabby tent like the Weasley's...

Probably nothing, but just a thought!

[meena_beena]

Anyone remember Gilderoy Lockhart? He was the only wizard to use a peacock feather quill. The peacock is a traditional symbol of vanity--I think this fits both characters quite nicely. The albino thing though is a nice touch. I think it means that the Malfoys were exceptionally rare vain people.

[Pigleto972001]

Originally Posted by potty4potter

I am re-reading Goblet of Fire at the moment and I had a small idea...
When they go to the Quidditch World Cup, Harry sees an elaborate castle-like tent with peacocks tethered out the front...it would be interesting if this was the Malfoy's tent. I always wondered where they would stay because I don't see them roughing it in a shabby tent like the Weasley's...

Probably nothing, but just a thought!

i like it! it makes sense

when i first read the book, i thought initially that the peacock was lucius' patronus, but i guess it was just a real peacock all along. very fitting!

[Wab]

Just a bird. Peacocks are a rather gaudy symbol of wealth and arrogance. Albino are rarer and therefore more valuable.

[cybobbie]

Originally Posted by Tiphany

The albino peacock is visually a bit like the Malfoys, isn't it? Handsome and pale and proud...

I think it's there to symbolise the manor - the wealth, the opulence, the traditions.

I agree. Probably just a symbol of wealth, class and also purity (not in the good way, but in the purity of blood).

[Iqen]

Originally Posted by Weasleytwin

I'm pretty sure it's just a peacock. The same peacock shows up in the first chapter, when Snape and Yaxley are entering the Malfoy's yard. 'Peacocks! That Lucius always did himself well!' or something like that.

True, Yaxley has said it in the first chapter. So I think , this as proof, that they're just peacocks. As people has said, it's just (one of) the symbols of the Malfoy's wealth and arrogance.

[pandabear18788]

Originally Posted by potty4potter

I am re-reading Goblet of Fire at the moment and I had a small idea...
When they go to the Quidditch World Cup, Harry sees an elaborate castle-like tent with peacocks tethered out the front...it would be interesting if this was the Malfoy's tent. I always wondered where they would stay because I don't see them roughing it in a shabby tent like the Weasley's...

Probably nothing, but just a thought!

Good catch!

I'd say that it's far more than likely that the tent you spotted with the peacocks out front is, in fact, the Malfoys'. That seems like the kind of thing Lucius would want to do -- take his symbols of wealth and showcase them outside his tent for everyone passing by to see. I have a gut feeling that your observation is not another "Mark Evans theory".

[persian85033]

I think they might have been the same peacocks or a clue that the miniature palace with peacocks at the entrance was the Malfoy's.

[BlackSerpent7]

Hmm, I wonder if the Malfoy's are as "old money" as they act. Albino Peacocks seems like a stunt that would pulled by someone who is "newly rich" or those that spend their newfound wealth on ostentatious show. Whereas, someone who is "old money" might live in what appears to be a more modest house but in reality it was a house that was bought when in was the hieght of upper crust fashion, sort of like Grimmauld Place.
Maybe part of the Weasley-Malfoy feud is that Lucius Malfoy has everything that Arthur Weasley doesn't have except the older family name and more than one heir to carry on that name. Just my two sickles.

[Tromos]

Originally Posted by all4music

I think the albino peacock was a sly reference to the Malfoy attitude in general. Traditionally peacocks represent vanity. (Ever heard someone accused of strutting around like one?) Also to get albino ones would require careful breeding. To get several on purpose would almost certainly require inbreeding. Sound like anybody we know?

I particularly like this comment.

Many people have established the peacock as a symbol of vanity, and certainly I would think that appropriate. But an albino of any variety is a genetic anomaly. There is certainly a running, buried theme of inbreeding amongst the "purebloods" that never comes into the open. The danger of inbreeding, of course, is that it increases the risk that dangerous, recessive genetic anomalies will surface.

I see it as one more symbol of purity and arrogance by the Malfoys that, when examined more closely, is really an ugly mutation of the intended beauty.

[TheInvisibleF]

Originally Posted by potty4potter

I am re-reading Goblet of Fire at the moment and I had a small idea...
When they go to the Quidditch World Cup, Harry sees an elaborate castle-like tent with peacocks tethered out the front...it would be interesting if this was the Malfoy's tent. I always wondered where they would stay because I don't see them roughing it in a shabby tent like the Weasley's...

Probably nothing, but just a thought!

I remember laughing when I read about the Peacocks because there was a fanfic up here on CoS a while ago about Tonk's first year as an Auror. In it (as far as I remember) the Malfoy's owned the tent with the Peacocks so I just thought it was great that the author of the fanfic got it right, most likely.

Originally Posted by BlackSerpent7

Hmm, I wonder if the Malfoy's are as "old money" as they act. Albino Peacocks seems like a stunt that would pulled by someone who is "newly rich" or those that spend their newfound wealth on ostentatious show. Whereas, someone who is "old money" might live in what appears to be a more modest house but in reality it was a house that was bought when in was the hieght of upper crust fashion, sort of like Grimmauld Place.
Maybe part of the Weasley-Malfoy feud is that Lucius Malfoy has everything that Arthur Weasley doesn't have except the older family name and more than one heir to carry on that name. Just my two sickles.

Before I start anything, is wealth the same to wizards as blood status? Because we know that on the Black side Narcissa was pureblood back to the middle-ages. Sirius Black said something about Narcissa and Bellatrix making good or desirable marriages which shows pureblood and wealth in the families they married into.

I love the image of the albino peacocks wandering around Malfoy Manor while all this dark stuff is going on. It also meant that when Harry, Ron and Hermione got snatched we knew where they were a minute or so before they did.

[Snapes_Girl]

Originally Posted by fang25

However, I also see peacocks as graceful and feminine and I was reminded of Narcissa.

Me too.

[YellowRose]

Originally Posted by Tiphany

The albino peacock is visually a bit like the Malfoys, isn't it? Handsome and pale and proud...

Exactly how I see it. Peacocks have always been linked with the words 'vain' and 'proud' and you can't get whiter than the Malfoys.

[chapter33]

Originally Posted by AirForbes77

When we first saw the albino peacock in the first chapter and Yaxley says "Lucius always did himself well" I thought that Voldemort had turned Lucius into a peacock as punishment for being so incompetent.

I was disappointed that it really was only a peacock!

Here's an interesting thing that I found:
According to feng-shui, Peacocks are a symbol of beauty reminding us to take pleasure in the finer things in life.
That sure sounds Malfoy-ish...

And a pic of a white peacock...
http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/9...emsg113uh4.jpg
[Never liked peacocks in particular but this one looks absolutely GORGEOUS!]