Bellatrix's love life - does she truly love Rodolphus, or is she actually more the wife of the Dark Lord himself? What is their true relationship, where did it start, and what is it like today? Are they lovers or is it simply an immense loyalty and adoration that she feels for him?

I think that at one time Bellatrix loved Rodolphus; maybe before they both became death eaters and involved in their work. She is not the wife of the Dark Lord, but I am sure she would like to be because it would boost her ego as to thinking she really is the most loyal servant! Their true relationship would be that Bella fantasizes about the Dark Lord, and would want to be in a relationship with him - it is more loyalty, admiration, and envy though. He, however, feels nothing for her in the romantic sort of way, because he has no love left to give. I think it was DD or one of the marauders who said that Voldemort does not know how to love (or perhaps i read it in a fanfic... not sure). So yes, Bella can lust after Voldy all she wants, but it won't do any good if he doesn't know how to return that love.

I think your right on the mark. Bella wouldn't mind at all, but The Dark Lord has other things to think about, like ruling the world.

I've often wondered why Bella even bothered to marry because she's definately more involved with the Death Eaters and their game as opposed to her husband but from what I know, they're both maniacal. They both went to Azkaban for the Dark Lord and I think, if they hadn't, they would have had a child. Neither of them are that much older than Lucius so I do think they were relatively newly weds when they went to prison and having lost so many years, they might have lost their window for children.

But Bella's first love is Voldemort although I don't think it's either romantic or sexual. I think it's pure adoration and loyalty that draws her to him. I think she does love Rodolphus in some sense but being in Azkaban for so long, I think her mind has been deranged to a point where she has blinders for everyone but the Dark Lord. She's the Himmler to Voldemort's Hitler. There's no romantic relationship but very stark admoration for him--she loves his ideals, his goals, his pride, everything that he stands for.

I think Bella would do anything for the Dark Lord, anything at all. But I agree, I think it is more a fascination with the dark power that he holds, she is lured into the whole evil mystique. I don't think Rodolphus means that much to her, except as a companion who joins her in Death Eating. Her dreams and thoughts are totally of the Dark Lord, there is room for no one else in her life.

Yeah I didn't think of it that way, Sissa. But I think your on to something, she likes Voldemort for his power and control, as opposed to liking him in a romantic sense. That makes a little more sense to me now.

I think Bella does lov Voldemort but the feeling is not mutual. I think Voldemort cannot love that has been taken and locked away somewere because he is afraid. So Bella doesn't stand a chance!

Bellatrix I believe married because she wanted to keep her blood pure just in case she wanted a kid or something. Indeed Bella did love Voldemort. She went crazy for him, now what's that saying?

That's saying that she was infatuated with Voldemort; I think at one point she did love Voldemort, until she discovered that he loved no one but himself. And thus she drove herself mad trying to win his heart, but knowing at the same time that it was pointless to try.

Jess(PR) I think you're so right.
Bella did drive herself mad because of her love, it showed she was ready to change, and I feel thats quite hard for a person, her love itself I am guessing was most likely very powerful.

I seem to be agreeing with the consensus on this one...

I definitely think she likely married Rodolphus merely to keep the pureblood lineage flourishing and produce children, though we never hear of her 'family life.' Perhaps she and Rodolphus were imprisoned for torturing the Longbottoms before they ever had the chance to conceive a child... either way, definitely see that relationship as one of duty and convenience.

Now, with the Dark Lord, I definitely think she was infatuated with him and his ideals, to the point where she was almost brainwashed into such an extreme. I think it is quite clear that Voldemort is incapable of loving her back, though I do believe he valued her above many other DEs, not because of any feelings for her, but because he knew that she was more willing to do his bidding than the others. She was as fanatical as he was (if not more so) and he recognized that and capitalized on it. She may have been silly enough to believe he valued her on a personal level, but I definitely don't see that being the case.

Voldemort could have also realsied that Bella ws in love with him and (being who he was) is using her to do his dirty workbecause he knows that she will do anything for him.

Could we say that Bellatrix was in deed in love with Voldemort though? Perhaps it was simply a silly crush, exaserbated by the man's power. Given that the woman seems to in lust with the idea of control, he could simply prove a device to gaining it.

I don't think Bella would cheapen her relationship with Voldemort by wanting him romantically or sexually. Her devotion was total and utterly, and i do believe she was and is capable of love, i think that the years in Azkaban drove her insane, i think the was totally sane when she went in, and i do believe she loved her husband, its just her devotion to Voldemort came first.

I think her love for Voldemort can be related to how someone loves the Queen, or King....Or at least, like they used to when monarchies were totally powerful. To Love him for anything more or less than that would be to cheapen it...She was his servant, he was her King.

At least, that's how I see it....

right o i totally agree

^ditto!
I think it was a kind of love like a subject to his king....like a servant to her master.She must have respected Voldemort a lot!also she was devoted to her husban right?so maybe like caseym said her devotion to Voldemort came first

*and i'm as usual the last person to post here*lol!

Bella was in love with Tom, so now I believe. The idea of Tom being evil, not Voldermort. I doubt she was in love with Voldermort, she tried to target the Tom inside him when she married. She wanted him to react in a jealous manner, but however though she didn't, she kept faithful hoping one day he will realise he loves her.

It's funny, I never really thought about that, but she probably was always in love with Tom. (Even though with Bellatrix you never know, it's possible she really did love Voldemort the way he was.) But, that's a very interesting point. Tom was a very handsome guy, or at least that's how he is portrayed. It's hard to say what was going through her mind, but I'm pretty sure she was in love with one of the two, or both.

I believe that she might have been in love with her husband once, but once Tom or Voldemort came in to her life I believe that she might have felt quite infatuated if not in love with Voldemort. But of course the feeling were not return sense like it been said before he is incapable of loving.

Sorry but i can't see this, i think she repected him, but i dont think she was in love its like i repect my boss, id do anything for him and stand by hif desion. The main reason being I'll be prised for it, and thats what bella did, sge snuck up real close to tom and got rewarded in the long run.