Professor Karkaroff Character Analysis in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

The headmaster of Durmstrang, a school of magic in Eastern Europe. Karkaroff wears sleek furs and openly favors Viktor Krum over all of his other students. Harry describes Karkaroff as "fruity" and as having an "unctuous" voice, which makes Harry suspicious of Karkaroff from the start. Karkaroff appears afraid of Professor Moody and Harry later learns that this is because Karkaroff used to be a Death Eater and spent time in Azkaban with Sirius. When Harry takes a trip into Dumbledore's Pensieve, he has the opportunity to watch Karkaroff's trial in front of Mr. Crouch where Karkaroff accuses many people of being Death Eaters, including Snape. For this reason, when Voldemort summons his Death Eaters, Karkaroff runs away rather than obey the call--he put many of Voldemort's supporters in Azkaban and fears retaliation.

Professor Karkaroff Character Timeline in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

The timeline below shows where the character Professor Karkaroff appears in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...seem bulky, but Harry realizes that this is because they're wearing fur cloaks. The headmaster, Karkaroff, greets Dumbledore and leads his student Viktor inside first, as he has a cold. Ron... (full context)

Good, Evil, Power, and Choice Theme Icon

...the crowd looking for Krum and sees the Durmstrang students heading back to their ship. Karkaroff offers Krum mulled wine and snaps at another student who asks for some. Harry steps... (full context)

Reading, Critical Thinking, and Truth Theme Icon

Dumbledore, Mr. Crouch, Madame Maxime, Karkaroff, Snape, and McGonagall interrupt Bagman as they enter the room. Madame Maxime and Karkaroff are... (full context)

Karkaroff asks Mr. Crouch for his opinion. Curtly, Mr. Crouch says that they must follow the... (full context)

Maxime and Karkaroff insist that whoever put Harry's name in wants to give Hogwarts a better chance at... (full context)

History, Community, and Coming of Age Theme Icon

Harry hits something and falls. He realizes he ran into Karkaroff, who appears to be sneaking out to see the dragons. Harry races through the castle... (full context)

Harry asks why Karkaroff would want to kill him. Sirius mentions all the recent Death Eater activity and Bertha... (full context)

...score out of ten. Maxime, Mr. Crouch, Dumbledore, and Bagman give Harry high scores, but Karkaroff gives Harry a four. Ron shouts indignantly and Harry thinks that Ron's support is worth... (full context)

...an update on Harry's performance, Harry and Hermione fill Ron in on Sirius's information about Karkaroff. Then, they return to the common room for Harry's party. When people ask Harry to... (full context)

...on finding Hermione as they watch other students arrive in the front hall. Harry sees Karkaroff lead his students in and sees Krum with a pretty girl he doesn't recognize. However,... (full context)

...that Hermione is deep in conversation with Krum about Durmstrang and listens to Dumbledore and Karkaroff argue about keeping their schools' secrets. He notices Hagrid a few tables away and smiles... (full context)

...after a minute, Ron pokes Harry. They step outside where, curiously, they hear Snape and Karkaroff using each other's first names and talking about something that's getting clearer. A little further... (full context)

Karkaroff lets himself into Snape's classroom and tells Snape that they need to talk. Snape insists... (full context)

...of Snape's friends at school became Death Eaters. Harry tells Sirius about Snape's conversation with Karkaroff yesterday, which Sirius can't make sense of. After a moment of thoughtful silence, Sirius asks... (full context)

Hagrid arrives and Dumbledore sends him to fetch Karkaroff. Moody arrives and begins searching the woods for Mr. Crouch. Hagrid returns with Karkaroff, who... (full context)

...allow everyone to view the chair in the middle. Two dementors escort a much younger Karkaroff into the room and place him in the chair. The chains bind him. Mr. Crouch... (full context)

...that there's a Death Eater at Hogwarts. Harry wildly asks if the Death Eater is Karkaroff, but Moody says that Karkaroff fled. He admits that he, Moody, put Harry's name in... (full context)

...Mark, all Death Eaters are to Apparate to him. He says that this is why Karkaroff fled. Fudge curtly whispers that he needs to return to the Ministry and he drops... (full context)

...and sees the real Moody at the staff table. Madame Maxime sits with Hagrid and Karkaroff is absent. Harry wonders what Snape did for Dumbledore and wonders if Snape is really... (full context)

...her English. After she leaves, Ron wonders how the Durmstrang students will get home without Karkaroff. From behind Ron, Krum gruffly says that Karkaroff didn't help anyway; the students steered the... (full context)