Why Can't You Say Voldemort's Name? - Harry Potter Explained

Welcome to Harry Potter Theory. Today, we'll be discussing why witches and wizards were so AFRAID of Voldemort's...NAME.As you may recall, the first time we're introduced to the evil wizard who murdered Harry's family it is not as "Lord Voldemort"--or even the "Dark Lord"--but as "You Know Who" and "He Who Must Not Be Named". In talking with Hagrid at The Leaky Cauldron at the beginning of The Philosopher's Stone, followed by many other conversations with others in the wizarding world, Harry quickly learns that no one refers to this most evil of wizards by his actual name. Now don't get me wrong--being afraid of Voldemort himself makes plenty of sense. As one of--if not THE--darkest and most evil wizard of all time, the man was absolutely terrifying. Even before his appearance began to resemble that of a snake. I mean, he murdered A LOT of people--Muggles and magical folks alike. And what was truly horrifying was how little he seemed to care, killing off people like he was swatting away irritating little insects. What's more, is that a lot of the murders he committed or had his Death Eaters commit for him had little consequence. Sure, he killed a handful of people in an attempt to become immortal through the creation of his Horcruxes. But he also just...killed people. Period.So, to be afraid of the Dark Lord was, of course, completely understandable. But, the question today is why in Merlin's beard were people SO AFRAID of his name?Socials: https://linktr.ee/hptheory Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices