Harry Potter and the Hero Journey of Draco Malfoy

Abstract

The first volume of the Harry Potter septology was published in 1997, and since that time tens of thousands of pages have been written analyzing the stories, characters, and content. In all those pages, very rarely is Draco Malfoy ever mentioned, and even more rarely as anything other than a footnote. This is a great oversight, because he is the character with one of the most difficult and important changes throughout the storyline. Although Draco Malfoy is a relatively minor character within the series, a closer inspection of his character development reveals that this young boy, who grew up idolizing and imitating his father, comes to be a young adult wizard that rejects his father’s path. This paper will explore the journey that he takes, how this journey qualifies as a hero journey, and the importance of his transformation. Harry Potter is the protagonist of the series, and there is little question that he is also the hero of it; many papers have been written already proving that very point. What is more contentious is the idea that Draco Malfoy is a hero in his own right and takes a journey that many readers can relate to and learn from. Before looking at what constitutes a hero in the field of literature, it is important to look at Draco Malfoy and the progression of his character throughout the books.