Queen Malodora Grymm was a hag who lived in Medieval Europe.[1]
Biography[]
She used a Beautification Potion to transform herself into a beautiful woman, and married a king. She used a charmed mirror to compliment her looks and reinforce her self-image. However, she became jealous of the most beautiful girl in the kingdom and plotted to get rid of her by using a poisoned apple.[1]
Legacy[]
Grymm's plot, despite being known as historical fact to the wizarding world, appeared to have directly inspired the Muggle fairy tale, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.
Etymology[]
Malodora consists of the noun "malus", "apple" in Latin (as in "malic acid", the acid which was named after apples and is found in many fruits) or adjective "malum", "bad" or "evil" in Latin; and "doron", "gift" in Greek (as in "Pandora" in Greek mythology, gift from all the gods). Thus, Malodora is "she who gifts apple" or "she who gives evil gift", which is a clear foreshadowing to her giving a poisoned apple to her victim.
Grymm is a nod to the Brothers Grimm. It can be also a reference to the word grim, meaning "ghastly" or "sinister".
Behind the scenes[]
- Her appearance before her transformation is unknown.
- Before playing Rita Skeeter in the the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, actress Miranda Richardson took part in the 2001 film Snow White: Fairest of Them All, playing Queen Elspeth, who, like Malodora, was a hag turned into the beautiful and wicked Queen of the fairy tale.
Appearances[]
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game) (First appearance) (Appears on a Famous Wizard Card)
