That's his name? Now I'm trying to look for Shakespearean connections to his character... but I don't see any. He certainly isn't much of a romantic.

Agreed. I've been wondering about that before, it's hard to pinpoint the moment where it starts, but by now it must be. His curiosity seems so much stronger than is reasonable that you'd almost have to assume it's intensified through the connection with Voldemort somehow, as well. A very subtle plan to gradually give Harry both the knowledge and the desire to get to the prophecy. Subtler and smarter than most anything else we ever see Voldemort do, actually, at least the later power-hungry and rather deranged Voldemort.

He appears again later, doesn't he? I seem to recall he does, but I couldn't say how or where. It's not my favourite plotline, either, but it makes for some amusing moments (though it's really a shame to have missed Ron's Quidditch glory).

Doing stupid things for or because of love - romantic or otherwise - is also rapidly becoming a theme.

It's certainly getting more complicated here. Though in fairness, the giants issue was already ambiguous - Dumbledore's opposing their extinction in Britain without informing us of any alternative possibilities - and Grawp merely drives the point home.