So I've been trying to place this as I've been looking over the series and I continually seem to draw blanks as to how Voldemort actually regarded Blood Status.

In summary, Voldemort himself is a Half-Blood, who decides to attack the Potters and their half-blood son in place of the Pure-Blood Longbottoms, despite surrounding himself with a contingent of Pure Blood fanatics.

He calls upon the Basilisk to purge Hogwarts of Muggleborn students, yet respects Lily enough that he offers her a place among the Death Eaters alongside James. One of his most trusted servants, Severus is a half blood as well.

Through it all, how obsessed with Blood Status was Voldemort? Did he value an individuals ability more than their blood or vice-versa?

Because JK seems to throw these little pieces about and when we hit Book 7, Wizarding England essentially begins hunting down muggleborns despite their magical prowess.

Or was the ministry in that time more Voldemort letting the Pure-Bloods run rampant while he tried to find and kill Harry once and for all?

 

I don't think he really cared at all. It was just a way to gain followers. The anti-muggleborn stuff in book 7 I just account to him not giving a fuck and knowing that his servants expected it of him.

He probably did really hate muggles, though.

 

Where did you get that from?

 

It was stated by JK, that one of the three ways in which they defied him was when he offered them a spot among the Death Eaters.

It's a small little piece I picked up somewhere and have remembered down the line, I'll see if I can find it.

Here:

 

I only remember him offering to spare her on his way to kill Harry, but even that was just a bare-minimum attempt to fulfill Snape's request. I'm still kind of surprised he bothered at all.

I think Voldemort's a sociopath and just used already-existing resentments to build his power base. I mean he did hate Muggles and he was very proud of his heritage, but in the first case it's as an extension of his hatred for his father, and in the second it's because it gives him power. I don't think he really cared about the ideological part, just his own power.

 

You misinterpreted that quote. Nowhere is it said that Lily was offered a place in his ranks.

 

Them, plural, i.e. both Lily and James.

 

I think he cares more about his own heritage that anything else, and tries to surround himself with people of notable blood lines, and why he was so anxious to discover his own. Though people being loyal or at least sharing the same beliefs, like Snape who is a halfblood as well.

 

That's his interpretation. Not a part of the interview. Unless I'm mistaken.

 

No, that's a legitimate quote from JK, sorry for the confusion.

Link: http://www.accio-quote.org/articles/2007/1217-pottercast-anelli.html

 

I'll admit the paragraph-break confused me. But its cleared now.

 

Isn't Voldemort openly hiring mudbloods completely against his own propaganda? Regardless of whether he cares for blood purity or not, surely he wouldn't make a muggle born a Death Eater.

 

My read on Voldemort (from only the canon books, I don't know about the interviews) is that he was really obsessed with his own lineage - he was really proud of being Slytherin's heir, he used the Founder's objects as Horcruxes, and he looked at Hogwarts itself with the closest he'll probably ever get to sentimentality.

Taking into account the way he talked about wizards and magic during his conversation with Dumbledore at the orphanage, I think it's fair to say that he's very pro-wizard and anti-Muggle. This intersects pretty well with pro-pureblood, but it's not the same thing.

 

I've always thought that Voldemort valued magic more than anything else when he started out. The anti-Muggleborn status, as it's been said, is to integrate himself with the obviously wealthier, more steeped in heritage side of the community, who already hold grudges against Mudbloods.

Plus Crabbe and Goyle seem easier to bring into the fold than Lily/Hermione

 

Well, Voldemort has used the word 'Mudblood'. Take it as you will.

 

I don't think death eaters knew all of eachothers identities during the first war. Voldemort would be willing to hire competent muggleborns because he doesn't actually care that much. Of course, no muggleborns would be willing to actually join him.

 

Yeaaahh......let's just pretend he didn't like or want them. A Voldemort who wants muggleborns in his ranks just can't be comprehended.

 

I've always subscribed to the theory that to Voldemort, blood status is largely a useful level to pull for Pureblood support; that said, the man hates muggles with a fiery passion, is extremely proud of being the last heir of Slytherin and seems to crave affirmation of his power and lineage from members of distinguished families.

At the same time, he appears to have a bit of a fetish for talent regardless of source.

So it matters, but not like it matters to say Lucius Malfoy. More of a time, place, phase of the moon thing.

Basically, he's a man of contradictions. Par for the course for a madman really.

 

The man was a halfblood. Clearly he wasn't the biggest pureblood fanatic around.

 

I'm not so sure he didn't care about it. I mean, for all intents and purposes the entire reason Tom Riddle became Voldemort was to separate himself from his halfblood heritage. That and a rather extreme case of narcissism.