Goblins (Harry Potter)
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In the Harry Potter universe, goblins are small creatures that run Gringotts bank. Very little is known about goblins in general, but they are described as having clever faces and long fingers and feet. Goblins seem to be very greedy, and Hagrid commented that with goblins running Gringotts, you would be mad to try to rob them.
However, it also seems that goblins are being oppressed by the Ministry of Magic. They are reputed to be very disagreeable creatures, and have staged numerous uprisings in their history of relations with wizards. Many goblin rebellions took place in the seventeenth century, and it was commented in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix that if Lord Voldemort offered goblins the freedoms they had been denied for centuries, he would get them on his side (though this may be hampered by the fact his followers killed some goblins during the last war). Their running of Gringotts seems to be part of the Ministry's philosophy of putting potentially dangerous creatures to work where they work best. Another example of this is the Dementors used at Azkaban.
The language of goblins is Gobbledegook, which is one of the many languages known by Mr Crouch. Ludo Bagman had trouble paying off debts to goblins in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, especially since the only word he knows of Gobbledegook is "bladvak" or "pickaxe." The goblins he was having troubles with were very insistent on getting their money.
There are only two modern goblins to be named in the series so far. One of them is Griphook, who took Hagrid and Harry to their vaults in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Griphook is fluent in English and was played by Verne Troyer in the film version. Bill Weasley also mentions a goblin called Ragnok who is said to be raging about the Ministry covering up for Ludo Bagman.
[edit] Historical Goblins
- Elfric the Eager
- Eargit the Ugly
- Alguff the Awful
- Ug the Unreliable
- Urg the Unclean
- Gringott
[edit] Trivia
- According to a question answered on J.K. Rowling's website [1], Professor Filius Flitwick has distant goblin ancestry, which likely accounts for his small size (though he otherwise appears to be entirely human).
