Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

by

J. K. Rowling

Bertha Jorkins Character Analysis

Accounts differ in regards to the kind of person that Bertha Jorkins was, but it's known to the reader from the beginning of the novel that Voldemort murdered her not long before the story starts and that she was an employee at the Ministry. Strangely, nobody tries to look for her until months after her disappearance. Sirius knew Bertha when they were at school and remembers her as not particularly smart but with an exceptionally good memory for gossip, while Dumbledore remembers that she had a habit of getting herself into trouble by chasing after juicy gossip. Ministry officials, however, talk about Bertha as being comically forgetful and often remark that they expect her to eventually show up in a country with a name that could somehow be confused with Albania, where she was purportedly headed when she disappeared. From Barty Crouch, Harry and Dumbledore learn that twelve years ago, Bertha discovered Barty in Mr. Crouch's home and when she confronted Mr. Crouch about it, his Memory Charm made her forget what she saw--but it also permanently damaged her memory and likely contributed to her reputation as forgetful. Wormtail ran into Bertha in Albania while on the hunt for Voldemort and, to maintain his own cover, took her with him to find his master. After breaking through Mr. Crouch's Memory Charm, Voldemort murdered her.
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Bertha Jorkins Character Timeline in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

The timeline below shows where the character Bertha Jorkins appears in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter One
History, Community, and Coming of Age Theme Icon
Empathy and Love Theme Icon
...attempting to desert him and insists that he won't use anyone else. Wormtail notes that Bertha Jorkins 's disappearance will soon raise suspicions, and the two men discuss killing one more person... (full context)
Chapter Five
Reading, Critical Thinking, and Truth Theme Icon
...head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports, isn't being helpful and isn't pursuing Bertha Jorkins 's disappearance, even though she works for Bagman’s department. Percy and Mr. Weasley discuss how... (full context)
Chapter Seven
Empathy and Love Theme Icon
Good, Evil, Power, and Choice Theme Icon
...to translate for him. He settles himself and unconcernedly says that there's no news of Bertha Jorkins . Mr. Crouch arrives. He's dressed in a crisp suit and looks highly polished; Harry... (full context)
Chapter Ten
History, Community, and Coming of Age Theme Icon
Empathy and Love Theme Icon
Good, Evil, Power, and Choice Theme Icon
...and as he eats his dinner, he tells everyone that Skeeter has finally learned that Bertha Jorkins is missing and so is making trouble. (full context)
Chapter Nineteen
Empathy and Love Theme Icon
Good, Evil, Power, and Choice Theme Icon
...Karkaroff would want to kill him. Sirius mentions all the recent Death Eater activity and Bertha Jorkins , who disappeared near where Voldemort was rumored to be. Sirius says that he knew... (full context)
Chapter Twenty-Four
Activism and Diversity Theme Icon
...a secret, as Rita Skeeter is likely to insist that Mr. Crouch is missing like Bertha Jorkins . Bagman changes the subject and asks Harry how he's doing with the egg and... (full context)
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Empathy and Love Theme Icon
Reading, Critical Thinking, and Truth Theme Icon
Good, Evil, Power, and Choice Theme Icon
...notices headlines talking about Mr. Crouch's illness, which make it seem like he's dying, and Bertha Jorkins 's continued disappearance. (full context)
History, Community, and Coming of Age Theme Icon
Reading, Critical Thinking, and Truth Theme Icon
...write to Percy and see what Mr. Crouch is up to, especially in regards to Bertha Jorkins . Sirius says that people say that Bertha was forgetful, but he knew her. She... (full context)
Chapter Twenty-Eight
History, Community, and Coming of Age Theme Icon
Reading, Critical Thinking, and Truth Theme Icon
Good, Evil, Power, and Choice Theme Icon
...Crouch while he fetches Dumbledore, but Mr. Crouch grabs Harry again and says something about Bertha Jorkins , Barty Crouch, and Voldemort. (full context)
Chapter Twenty-Nine
History, Community, and Coming of Age Theme Icon
Reading, Critical Thinking, and Truth Theme Icon
Activism and Diversity Theme Icon
Good, Evil, Power, and Choice Theme Icon
...at "cockroach cluster." Harry climbs the staircase but waits outside, listening to Fudge talking about Bertha Jorkins 's disappearance and insisting it's not linked to Mr. Crouch's. Fudge wonders if Madame Maxime... (full context)
Chapter Thirty
Reading, Critical Thinking, and Truth Theme Icon
...back. Dumbledore prods the thoughts again and a scowling girl rises up. She's a young Bertha Jorkins . (full context)
Chapter Thirty-Three
History, Community, and Coming of Age Theme Icon
Reading, Critical Thinking, and Truth Theme Icon
Voldemort says that before Wormtail found him, he ran into Bertha Jorkins and kidnapped her. She was able to tell Voldemort about the Triwizard Tournament and, after... (full context)
Chapter Thirty-Four
Empathy and Love Theme Icon
Good, Evil, Power, and Choice Theme Icon
...a ghostly Cedric appears. An old man, Frank Bryce, appears next and encourages Harry. Then, Bertha Jorkins steps out, followed by Lily and then James. They approach Harry and tell him that... (full context)
Chapter Thirty-Five
Empathy and Love Theme Icon
Good, Evil, Power, and Choice Theme Icon
...home. Barty was kept under the Imperius Curse and an Invisibility Cloak and nobody but Bertha Jorkins knew he was still alive. Mr. Crouch altered her memory to make her forget, but... (full context)
History, Community, and Coming of Age Theme Icon
Reading, Critical Thinking, and Truth Theme Icon
Then, Barty says that Voldemort arrived, having discovered from Bertha Jorkins that he was still alive. Voldemort put Mr. Crouch under the Imperius Curse and sent... (full context)
Chapter Thirty-Six
Empathy and Love Theme Icon
Good, Evil, Power, and Choice Theme Icon
...to fight each other, this will happen. Harry explains that he saw Cedric, Frank Bryce, Bertha Jorkins , and his parents, and tells them about Cedric's final request. Fawkes moves to the... (full context)