Morfin Gaunt Character Analysis in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Marvolo’s son and Voldemort’s uncle. Encouraged by his father, Morfin attacks Muggles living in the village near the family’s home and is sent to Azkaban for his behavior. As a young man Voldemort returns to his ancestral village, murders his Muggle father and grandparents, and frames Morfin for the crime. Morfin is sent to Azkaban and, despite Dumbledore’s eventual proof of his innocence, dies there.

Morfin Gaunt Character Timeline in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

The timeline below shows where the character Morfin Gaunt appears in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...opens up into a dark copse sheltering a dilapidated cottage. As Ogden proceeds cautiously, a filthy man in rags drops from a tree, brandishing a knife and telling him to go away.... (full context)

...Ogden addresses as Mr. Gaunt, sends his son inside. When Ogden protests, saying that it’s Morfin he’s come to see, the father changes the subject and asks aggressively if he’s a... (full context)

...Wizarding law.” Reluctantly, Mr. Gaunt allows Ogden to enter the grim and dirty cottage, where Morfin sits on a couch playing with a live snake. At the stove, a “defeated-looking” teenage... (full context)

In a stern voice, Ogden accuses Morfin of performing magic in front of a Muggle last night. Merope suddenly drops a pot... (full context)

Turning to the Ministry wizard, Mr. Gaunt dismisses the charges, saying that Morfin “taught a filthy Muggle a lesson.” Undeterred, Ogden produces a scroll summoning Morfin to the... (full context)

As Ogden, stone-faced, reads out the date of Morfin’s hearing, a loud carriage filled with laughing people passes by. Merope looks out the window... (full context)

Morfin taunts his sister in Parseltongue, saying that the Muggle clearly has a girlfriend, and would... (full context)

...eliciting a yell from Harry. Ogden jinxes Gaunt, causing him to fall back; but when Morfin leaps up, Ogden has to run away from the cottage. On his way down the... (full context)

Immediately, Harry asks if Merope survived. Dumbledore responds that Ogden soon returns with reinforcements; both Morfin and his father, Marvolo, do stints in Azkaban for their history of Muggle attacks. Recognizing... (full context)

Moreover, Dumbledore reveals that the Muggle attacked by Morfin is Tom Riddle Sr., Merope’s secret love and Voldemort’s father. Harry can’t believe that two... (full context)

...the Pensieve, Harry sees that he’s again in the Gaunt cottage, which is occupied by Morfin, now old and drunk. The door opens and a handsome boy, Tom Riddle, appears. Morfin... (full context)

...and his grandparents. While the Muggle authorities are confounded by the crime, the Ministry blames Morfin, who’s already known as a Muggle-hater. Morfin admits to the murders, seeming proud at the... (full context)