Well we'll have to agree to disagree then. ^^ You're saying she doesn't think of herself as ugly, and I say she acknowledges and uses that ugliness, and neither of us has any canon evidence to directly back that up. We do agree that she carries herself with more dignity and as you said, majesty, than JKR portrays, which is a laudable thing.
I don't equate ugliness with evil, yes, but I also don't equate it with weakness or negativity. I'm not name-calling or anything, in fact I view it as a positive within the character analysis. She's not going to change herself with cosmetics or diets or hiding herself.
Just because the narrator is unreliable doesn't mean we can't glean information from the character's reactions. That's a hallmark of good storytelling. Harry has been exposed to ugly and/or unpleasant people all his life, and it's still a reaction of shock to see Millicent -- I'll interpret that as a credible judgment on her appearance. She's never done anything to him before which would color his opinion. With a reliable narrator I wouldn't have to go through all those steps, is all. Of course this is physical appearance; in my RP I've done everything I can to emphasize her unpleasant looks and at least two characters believe her attractive.
As for ugliness... it's a Slytherin trait to use appearances against others or for one's own gain. As you said, not everyone has the same standards of beauty -- but those perceptions can be used against people. I won't sit here and list all the ways Millicent can turn that to her advantage-- it is all speculation. You're right, it doesn't advance the plot. JKR has thrown out more than one Slytherin in favor of Harry's plot. But in the wider universe we're certainly free to toy with meanings and possibilities.
Again, I'm the last person to suggest that 'Slytherins are evil : Slytherins are ugly :: ugly people are evil.' That's one of my biggest quibbles about JKR. However for this particular character, even her brief canon appearances point to certain physical characteristics. I hazard to say that Millicent herself wouldn't sit around for political-correctness.
in the eye of the beholder
I don't equate ugliness with evil, yes, but I also don't equate it with weakness or negativity. I'm not name-calling or anything, in fact I view it as a positive within the character analysis. She's not going to change herself with cosmetics or diets or hiding herself.
Just because the narrator is unreliable doesn't mean we can't glean information from the character's reactions. That's a hallmark of good storytelling. Harry has been exposed to ugly and/or unpleasant people all his life, and it's still a reaction of shock to see Millicent -- I'll interpret that as a credible judgment on her appearance. She's never done anything to him before which would color his opinion. With a reliable narrator I wouldn't have to go through all those steps, is all. Of course this is physical appearance; in my RP I've done everything I can to emphasize her unpleasant looks and at least two characters believe her attractive.
As for ugliness... it's a Slytherin trait to use appearances against others or for one's own gain. As you said, not everyone has the same standards of beauty -- but those perceptions can be used against people. I won't sit here and list all the ways Millicent can turn that to her advantage-- it is all speculation. You're right, it doesn't advance the plot. JKR has thrown out more than one Slytherin in favor of Harry's plot. But in the wider universe we're certainly free to toy with meanings and possibilities.
Again, I'm the last person to suggest that 'Slytherins are evil : Slytherins are ugly :: ugly people are evil.' That's one of my biggest quibbles about JKR. However for this particular character, even her brief canon appearances point to certain physical characteristics. I hazard to say that Millicent herself wouldn't sit around for political-correctness.