The character may be defined as a verbal representation of a human being. But, i think that dumbledore was confident that plan could work because he trusted snape. Is very detailed walk through from snapes pov of the events in the books scene by scene. Author lorrie kim uses multiple sources beyond the rowling books and includes quotes extensively from the series for an intensive analysis of, to my mind, rowlings most interesting characterseverus.
And i read the translated version of the books, which i noticed now, some. Professor snape is dead on voldemorts orders, and harry saw it all. Severus snap character analysis by lindsay hodgson on prezi. He protected harry from voldemort and harry, in the end, is. In a 2004 sketch on saturday night live in which lindsay lohan appears as hermione granger, snape is portrayed by will forte. However, near the end of the final book, as he lies dying, snape gives harry his memories, revealing that he had been loyal to dumbledore the whole time. He doesnt seem to trust most characters he comes across and he has strained relationships with most. The potions professor at hogwarts, and a longtime member of the order of the phoenix. By the end of their terms, the main characters, and particularly harry. Passion, trust, love, were always things made for other people. On the outside, severus snape has death eater written all over him. Poa wasnt about snape getting pathetically angry, because he didnt get his way. Severus created many new spells, such as sectumsempra, levicorpus and muffliato, that were used regularly by other wizards and witches. He hates seemingly everyone, and is a bit irrational when he gets angry.
By the end of book 7, snapes character seems to make so much more sense. Any fan of this character should for sure read this book. A walk inside snapes memories transformed him in harrys mind from sniping potions master to the bravest man he ever knew. Professor severus snape 9 january, 1960 2 may, 1998 was a halfblood wizard who. He is characterised as a person of great complexity, whose coldly sarcastic and. What is something about severus snape that is overlooked. A harry potter character analysis part 2 by jennifer fancher published march 2, 2020 updated march 14, 2020 adolescence is difficult enough without having to fight dark wizards. He was described as a greasyhaired man with a batlike aura and a big nose. He tells them to open their books and make a potion, and then he goes.
Snapes final moments are perhaps the bravest we saw of any character. Now, the amount of integrity snape processed was rather unclear for the majority of the story, and as time progressed it really did not get much better. A professor at hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry, snape is hostile to harry due to his resemblance to his father james, who bullied. Moments before dumbledore is murdered, dumbledore freezes harry. Snape first met lily before they began attending hogwarts. Severus snape in harry potter and the deathly hallows. Its what makes severus snape such a mesmerizing character in the first place. This however, does not account for why snape shows favoritism to draco before the dark lord resurrects after which it is relatively obvious why. An in depth analysis where we look at every major scene over the seven books and discuss possibly the most controversial character. Muggles guide to harry pottercharacterseileen snape. We learn in the last book, after harry collected the memory from the dying snape, that severus knew harrys parents. What are the differences between movie snape s and book snapes personality. After reading his life story, we see the explanations of many of the mysteries and enigmas that have surrounded this character, and yet he remains full of intriguing contradictions.
Even now, months after seeing the movie, i still get choked up when i think about snape and his doe patronus. Personality and traits at times, snape could appear cold, cynical, malicious, bitter, and sarcastic. His words are not always an accurate indicator of how he feels. Analysis of the book snape is a fictional character j. Character analysis snape from the philosopher stone. Which characters in harry potter did severus snape have a.
An in depth analysis where we look at every major scene over the seven books and discuss possibly the most controversial character in the. As the story evolves, we learn snapes story and the side he actually is on. A definitive reading is a must read for general fans as well as those of us who have a snapecentric love of the harry potter series. I had to plot that through the books because at the point where you see what was really going. Jk rowlings famous childrens book series arguably contains one of the most complex characters in literary history. From the beginning of the books snape was a character that was never understood and we were constantly wondering whether. He tended to hold grudges and was extremely spiteful toward those whom he disliked. The character of professor snape in harry potter and the sorcerers. Then, snape officially joins voldemorts side this is a major turning point for snape s character. Rowling described him as a gift of a character whose story she had known since the first book, and elizabeth hand of. Mar 26, 2020 was professor severus snape good, bad, or something in between.
He takes an instant dislike to harry, which quirrell later reveals is due to the fact that snape and harrys father, james, hated each other when they attended hogwarts together. At the startofterm banquet, harry had gotten the idea that professor snape. Even though harry and his friends despise snape, dumbledore continues to trust him implicitly, dismissing harrys stories about overhearing snape plotting with draco and. Snape and the question of good and evil in rowlings harry potter series ba englisch teachers degree sonja wendel bachelor thesis didactics english pedagogy, literature studies publish your bachelors or masters thesis, dissertation, term paper or essay. But after thinking about their argument while planning this blog post, i have an idea where they all came unstuck. Severus snape is certainly a complicated character in the world of harry potter. But by far the most interesting character of the books is the brilliantly drawn severus snape. Dec 03, 2014 when i think about harry potter, i really dont think about harry potter the character much as strange as it sounds. So, now snape is taking it out on harry by making potions class a lot harder than it needs to be, among other things. Maybe the word good is too ambiguous at times, and weve got to be sure were using it in the same way before we begin a discussion. He openly uses his position to torment and bully his students in a way that hinders their education, and when punishing harry he forces him to read various school reports about his fathers days as a troublemaker. I thought he was a good character since reading book 3 when he protected the three children and i believe he had to call lilly mudblood in order to throw readers off the sent i also knew in book 6 that dumbledoor was asking snape to kill him as dumbledoor would never beg.
One of the most controversial harry potter characters. Severus snape the bravest man, the whole story character study. Doc severus snapes character as in the novel of harry. He is an exceptionally skilful wizard whose coldly sarcastic and controlled exterior conceals deep emotions and anguish. Snape is hard on all the gryffindors, true, but hes especially tough on harry and his friends. Was professor severus snape good, bad, or something in between.
The severus snape audiences met in the harry potter films is not exactly the character that was shown in the books. Severus snape in harry potter and the sorcerers stone. Professor severus snape 9 january, 1960 2 may, 1998 was a half. What are the differences between movie snape s and book snape s personality.
On the one hand, he clearly has done some good things. We take a closer look at the chapter from deathly hallows that changed everything. For the purpose of not writing out over twenty pages, this article is only concerned with the events of harry potter and the prisoner of azkaban and how they relate to remus lupim and severus snape. She was a pureblooded witch who married a muggle man named tobias snape. Greasy, illtempered, batlike we hope no one ever has to describe us as batlike, and perpetually frownyfaced, professor snape really seems to fit the mold of the stereotypical villain. The harry potter and the halfblood prince quotes below are all either spoken by severus snape or refer to severus snape.
Have you come across any character like severus snape. In 1997, readers all over the world were introduced to j. Severus snape has death eater written all over him. Severus, whose father was neglectful and possibly even violent, began to identify with his mothers family and created a secret nickname from his mothers maiden name, calling himself the halfblood prince. It is revealed two movies later or one extremely long book later in. Harry potterseverus snape works archive of our own. The character of professor snape in harry potter and the. Harrys father saved snape s life once, and snape never forgave him for doing so. Characters severus snape chapter thirtythree brings us the longawaited truth about snape, beginning with his childhood and stretching almost to his death.
Consequently, severus lived much of his childhood feeling unloved, unwanted and fearful. While not completely evil, snape is one of the most petty characters in the books. Although harry potter and the halfblood prince features a pointed scene in which snape makes an unbreakable vow to narcissa malfoy, promising to protect draco and take over his dark duties, if necessary, there are still signs that point to snapes allegiance to dumbledore. Severus snape in harry potter and the sorcerers stone shmoop. Within deathly hallows lingering final chapters we understood that snape lived his life as a tortured doubleagent, constantly flickering from the good side to the bad like a broken light, and all in the name of an undying love that cemented his loyalty to harry and. Dumbledore trusted snape, even though snape was once a death eater, and harry begins the novel believing that dumbledore was wrong to trust snapesnape killed dumbledore months before and reaffirmed his loyalty to voldemort. He is characterised as a person of great complexity, whose coldly sarcastic and controlled exterior conceals deep emotions and anguish. In the first novel of the series, snape is a teacher who is hostile from the start. Severus snape is a halfblood, his mother is a wizard but his father is a. The analysis in this book pretty much lines with how i saw the character and his conflicting motivations. Also known as the most polarizing, most hated character in the entire franchise. The character of severus snape in harry potter and the.
Book 2 ron and the twins basically have to kidnap him. Severus snape january 9, 1960 may 2, 1998 was the potions master, defense against the dark arts, and headmaster at hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry. He was personally killed by lord voldemort and his snake, nagini. It wasnt the first fantasy novel id read set in a school. Snapes true loyalties remain uncertain until the final book. These books are filled with notes on various potions and a spell that harry later learns is an aggressive spell. Analysis of the book severus snape 1929 words bartleby. I think about my favorite character in the book severus snape. Snape joins the order of the phoenix to combat lord voldemort, apparently acting as a double agent, though, later, snape also serves lord voldemort.
Snape s final moments are perhaps the bravest we saw of any character. The psychobiography of severus snape character created by j. It is said that she was the original owner of the advanced potions book that her son and harry potter would later come to own. A character who i found interesting throughout the novel was severus snape. I have to say i love severus snape he is one of my fav hp character s. But again, its hard to know if snapes seemingly cruel actions are a ploy to further some other end. Get everything you need to know about professor snape in harry potter and the sorcerers stone. What the writer is about to analyze in the novel is a character, but not the main character. Inevitably, snape was cruel to many of his students whom arent slytherins, of course, but now, is the time the tables turn and you see the other side of severus. The book was harry potter and the chamber of secrets, and my friend was right. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one. The character that is going to be analyzed in this study is.
Snape and the question of good and evil in rowlings harry. K rowlings fantasy universe in harry potter and the philosophers stone, which was the beginning of a saga that ended ten years later with a total of seven novels. Obviously, he plays the role of the villain for a lot of the first four books with little mention of exactly why. Thats the thing about snape he was almost impossible to label, which is why his character is such a triumph, and a character we are still debating over twenty years later. Book snape seems to be even meaner and nastier when he spea question and answer in the severus snape club. Severus snape is a very complex character from the very beginning. See book 5 analysis for more details still, i think that snape likes both potions. Death eater, ex hogwarts headmaster, professor of defense against the dark arts and exprofessor of potions. Severus snape known as one of the most complex characters in the series, severus snape was portrayed as an unfair professor with a deep hatred for harrys father. Joint character analysis granted, there was little choice other than to entrust snape with the knowledge, under dumbledores harry can only know harrycrux at the end plan. Severus snape was born 9 january, 1960 to eileen prince, a pureblood witch, and tobias snape, a muggle, making him a halfblood wizard.
During her time as a student she was the captain of the hogwarts gobstones team. This comes to a head in the last book, in which snape has pulled an apparent fullblown faceheel turn by returning to the service of the death eaters. Chapter thirtythree brings us the longawaited truth about snape, beginning with his childhood and stretching almost to his death. The light and shade of severus snape wizarding world. Upon further analysis, severus snape, portrayed in the harry potter films by. Character of severus snape severus snape is shown to be a person who is not just a strict teacher but also cold towards most people. Jun 25, 2019 alan rickmans severus snape appears to be a man of sinister intent, but a closer analysis of the harry potter movie and book series reveals otherwise. What are the differences between movie snapes and book. Inspired from a post by a fellow member here, which i read some days ago, i decided to write my own analysis of one of the most famous fictional characters of all time, severus snape of the harry potter series by j. It is clear that he hated harry potter for being james potters son. Through action, speech, description, and commentary, authors portray character that are worth caring about, rooting for, and even loving, although there are also characters you. The chapter that made us fall in love with severus snape.
Harry spends most of the book convinced that snape is trying to steal the sorcerers stone for voldemort. Severus snape sees the unfurled marauders map and takes possession of the invisibility cloak. He emerged fullyformed in the authors mind, lightning scar and all. Severus snape in harry potter and the deathly hallows shmoop. I am surprised because we are supposed to see snape as a good guy, and while it makes sense for him to torment harry, he gains no obvious advantage in helping malfoy. As long as examples in snape s treatment of lupin do not directly show severus snape s character please post your opinions about lupin in the accordant character analysis thread.
As the story evolves, we learn snape s story and the side he actually is on. Severus snape was born into a violent household where he was neglected by his mother, who did not defend him from his abusive father rowling, 2007, p. Severus snape the bravest man, the whole story character. Professor snape is the potions teacher at hogwarts and head of slytherin house. It is also an allusion to a notorious and misunderstood character in the harry potter novels, professor severus snape, for his ability to keep one. John wasnt as sour or excitable or badtempered as snape when i knew him, but that was mainly because when rowl. Dates are very important in the harry potter universe, especially given that rowling eventually made a timeline fans mapped out canon. However there are a few characters we see him close to throughout the progression of the novel. The character of severus snape in harry potter and the half. Yep, we might return to discuss snape s rather than lupins character here again. He had a commanding presence that exuded gravitas, authority and control. Author lorrie kim uses multiple sources beyond the rowling books and includes quotes extensively from the series for an intensive analysis of, to my mind, rowlings most interesting characterseverus snape.
Remus lupin, severus snape, and responsibility the. Many at hogwarts have reason to fear severus snape, a reformed death eater now teaching at the school, who skulks around, sneering and hissing at harry potter. Also an intj personality type character, and a character that i can personally relate to more than any other character in the book. Severus snape was potions master, defense against the dark arts teacher, and head of slytherin at hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry. Towards of the end of the story, snape kills dumbledore and also reveals himself as the halfblood prince.
Snape could heal various people with the ease of a very accomplished wizard medic, as he saved the life of katie bell and draco malfoy, after he suffered the brutal effects of sectumsempra. Muggles guide to harry pottercharactersseverus snape. Snape insults people, even when hes feeling scared. The antihero however, the most important story in all of harry potter is not harrys or nevilles, its snape s. According to the author, severus snapes birthday is 9 january 1960 and he died on 2 may 1998 at 38. Along the way, kim highlights the complex, wending revelation of snapes past and his role in the fight against voldemort. Throughout all the books, he proves to be the most fascinating kind of baddie, the arsehole who isn.
A professor at hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry, snape is hostile to harry due to his resemblance to his father james, who bullied snape during their time at hogwarts. Cold and enigmatic, snape is still nursing his resentment for being bullied by james potter during his time at hogwarts, which he expresses by treating harry with malice and cruelty. Severus never imagined someone could look at any part of him with such burning passion. He helped in the war against lord voldemort, covertly relaying information to albus dumbledore and the order of the phoenix.
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