HP characters 2
I'm so tired today my eyes won't focus, so I hope this comes out coherently.
More of my ramblings on HP characters. Just one today, but by request!
Severus Snape is a bit different from all the other characters, simply because you never know which side he's on. While the other characters have defined roles of good or bad, Snape alone stands firmly on the middle line, and you never know which side he's going to be working for or against. He reminds me of nothing so much as the seven legged orange backed cocklesnork from "The Song of Pentecost" who was a double agent, playing both sides against the middle. I see Snape doing that, and I believe that in the end, he's on no one's side but his own. However, I am getting ahead of myself here.
When we first met him, I disliked him instantly for his treatment of Harry. Harry was an eleven year old child, and Snape was purposely belittling him, and mislabeling him. It was clear they didn't understand, or appreciate one another. Once I got over the fact that a grown man was abusing his position of power to bully and dominate a little boy, I was left with the impression that this was a man who was stuck totally in the past, and cannot let go of either grudge, or hope. He is desperate to avenge himself on those that he believes (rightly or wrongly) have hurt him, or hindered him in his ambition. However, he is equally willing to superciliously suck up to those he believes can help him to further himself, and although he loathed Lockhart's falsities, perhaps because of their overt artificiality (one does wonder how he managed to fool anyone, let alone the whole wizarding world, for so long) he is more than willing to himself play the role that he needs in order to succeed. In fact, it seems that Snape's agenda, whatever it may be, is the only thing he cares for, and since he is the sole soldier on that road, he only appreciates the efforts that he makes, and sneers at everyone else.
Snape's disdain for Hermione's achievements was apparent, but the cause for it was largely unknown until the sixth book, and we simply had to assume that his arguable prejudice against Muggleborns was his motivation. However, when he scorns her for only knowing what the book had to say, and not taking it further, we can see that his value of his mind, and his cunning may be what holds the dearest place in his heart. In other words, it's not so much the end result of his desires that he is interested in, but how you play the game to get there that holds his fascination. This is reinforced by his mockery of Harry's attempts to learn Occlumency. He is all about self control, and cunning.
However, his bias against Harry and co. blinds him to their own brilliance under pressure, and if he has put himself on Voldemort's side at last, he may find that all his calculations and poise do nothing to save him in the end. He's already come close to seeing that as it is, during PoA when he lost his cool over Sirius Black's escape. He may or may not now know exactly how it was that took place, but he does know for certain that it was Harry's doing, with Dumbledore's sanction. That may be one thing that pushed him over towards Voldemort's side and allowed him to kill Dumbledore, or at least to enter into the vow that guaranteed he would.
For all his seeming willingness to do good, I see Snape as someone who embraces the ideals of Voldemort, and who appreciates the game plan and execution of the enemy far greater than the attempts of the "good side." Dumbledore is using trust to govern most of his armies, and appealing to each of them to regulate themselves. In a way it's an every man for himself type system, with love as it's central value.
Snape, we know, did not have a good example of love in childhood, and may not believe that love as it's thought of abstractly actually exists. (This may or may not be compounded by his dealings with Lily and James which are still largely unknown.) He may subscribe to the baser instincts of life as the only and ultimate administrators of mankind. In which case, the mastery of oneself, and subtle control of others, would be the greatest achievement one could muster. Voldemort is that. His appeal becomes clear, then, and yet through the course of their dealings, Snape as an inside man, must have seen the slips that Voldemort made in his control, freeing Snape from following Voldemort, and allowing him to feel superior and use even the Dark Lord for his own purposes. Snape respects Voldemort, and appreciates his talent, but he does not revere him now, whether he used to or not.
In fact, the Dark Arts conform to this idea of subtlety, creativity, and mastery. Crucio itself must be used as Bella tells us, with meaning. These are not spells you can simply throw out or flippantly say. These are spells that require thought, things that channel emotions that must be regulated and restrained. Small wonder that they hold a draw for Snape. He sees them as the epitome of achievement, and only great wizards can wield them with meaning. His reverence for them stems not from the evils they bring about, but the management they require.
For all of Voldemort's mastery over others, there is one thing that he cannot deal with and that is his fear of death. In a way, Snape and Voldemort want the same immortality, and one thing I think is clear to anyone, no matter their position on Snape's loyalties, is that he is a very bitter man. Does this bitterness stem from his frustrated attempts at that immortality? I believe so. Not that he tried to get the philosopher's stone, no. While Voldemort is content to simply EXIST in the world, and the respect and fear people have of him is secondary to his goal, Snape wants to be REMEMBERED. That respect, awe and veneration is what he wants, and he is constantly denied that by his students, his peers, even his fellow conspirators on either side who show little more than contempt for him. All his demonstrations of prowress throughout the years we're shown, and no one takes note of what he sees as extraordinary.
For all of Snape's ideals and efforts and mastery, he is trying most desperately for that immortality of some of the greatest persons around. To be remembered through the ages, for one's self, and one's achievements and contributions to your fellow man. In other words, he is trying and working so desperately for the one thing he does not believe in, although he may not make the connection. Snape wants to be loved. And, by that statement, I do not mean he wants to be coddled and embraced. He wants to be adored in awe, admired, respected, revered and venerated, perhaps even with a tiny bit of worship. He wants fame, not by a bottle, but by people recognizing what he sees as his greatness. He wants his mind to be immortalized for all the little school kids to learn about, but not grudgingly, no. He wants their avid adoration. He wouldn't mind switching places with Harry, and tasting a bit of that unearned glory. Which brings us back around to his relationship with the Chosen One.
Perhaps nothing has confused Snape's life more, than trying to deal with this upstart that seems to be constantly in his way. He understands the cunning and power of Voldemort and respects it, even embraces it, and this little scrap of a boy with no control, and no respect is destined to overthrow it? One can certainly understand his doubt and disdain. Add to that the fact that his worst enemy is personified in this boy wonder, and that it takes him back emotionally to a state wherein he doesn't have the mastery of control over his feelings and actions, and his hate is set in stone. It isn't Harry or Harry's actions that incense Snape, it's his own loss of restraint and composure, but since Harry (or Sirius when he was alive) is the only one that can bring that about (James being dead,) it is Harry that he focuses his loathing on.
Where will Snape end up then?
I think that fully depends on the further development and motivations of those around him. Snape is not loyal to a cause. He is not loyal to a master. He plays both ends against the middle to his own scruples and satisfactions. He is determined to be someone that his father was not, and someone that can have power over himself, his emotions, his reactions, and his treatment of others. (Even his name Severus fits this philosophy of self-mastery and control) But, he isn't interested in that for the greater good, which is why he feels no remorse for his derision and contempt of those he sees as inferior or unworthy, not for their blood content or magical ability, but for their self-mastery. Small wonder that Neville, the poor clumsy bumbler who loses all control is Snape's favorite target of derision.
I think in the end, Snape will either see past this mistaken ideology that he's held his whole life, or he will die for it.
More of my ramblings on HP characters. Just one today, but by request!
Severus Snape is a bit different from all the other characters, simply because you never know which side he's on. While the other characters have defined roles of good or bad, Snape alone stands firmly on the middle line, and you never know which side he's going to be working for or against. He reminds me of nothing so much as the seven legged orange backed cocklesnork from "The Song of Pentecost" who was a double agent, playing both sides against the middle. I see Snape doing that, and I believe that in the end, he's on no one's side but his own. However, I am getting ahead of myself here.
When we first met him, I disliked him instantly for his treatment of Harry. Harry was an eleven year old child, and Snape was purposely belittling him, and mislabeling him. It was clear they didn't understand, or appreciate one another. Once I got over the fact that a grown man was abusing his position of power to bully and dominate a little boy, I was left with the impression that this was a man who was stuck totally in the past, and cannot let go of either grudge, or hope. He is desperate to avenge himself on those that he believes (rightly or wrongly) have hurt him, or hindered him in his ambition. However, he is equally willing to superciliously suck up to those he believes can help him to further himself, and although he loathed Lockhart's falsities, perhaps because of their overt artificiality (one does wonder how he managed to fool anyone, let alone the whole wizarding world, for so long) he is more than willing to himself play the role that he needs in order to succeed. In fact, it seems that Snape's agenda, whatever it may be, is the only thing he cares for, and since he is the sole soldier on that road, he only appreciates the efforts that he makes, and sneers at everyone else.
Snape's disdain for Hermione's achievements was apparent, but the cause for it was largely unknown until the sixth book, and we simply had to assume that his arguable prejudice against Muggleborns was his motivation. However, when he scorns her for only knowing what the book had to say, and not taking it further, we can see that his value of his mind, and his cunning may be what holds the dearest place in his heart. In other words, it's not so much the end result of his desires that he is interested in, but how you play the game to get there that holds his fascination. This is reinforced by his mockery of Harry's attempts to learn Occlumency. He is all about self control, and cunning.
However, his bias against Harry and co. blinds him to their own brilliance under pressure, and if he has put himself on Voldemort's side at last, he may find that all his calculations and poise do nothing to save him in the end. He's already come close to seeing that as it is, during PoA when he lost his cool over Sirius Black's escape. He may or may not now know exactly how it was that took place, but he does know for certain that it was Harry's doing, with Dumbledore's sanction. That may be one thing that pushed him over towards Voldemort's side and allowed him to kill Dumbledore, or at least to enter into the vow that guaranteed he would.
For all his seeming willingness to do good, I see Snape as someone who embraces the ideals of Voldemort, and who appreciates the game plan and execution of the enemy far greater than the attempts of the "good side." Dumbledore is using trust to govern most of his armies, and appealing to each of them to regulate themselves. In a way it's an every man for himself type system, with love as it's central value.
Snape, we know, did not have a good example of love in childhood, and may not believe that love as it's thought of abstractly actually exists. (This may or may not be compounded by his dealings with Lily and James which are still largely unknown.) He may subscribe to the baser instincts of life as the only and ultimate administrators of mankind. In which case, the mastery of oneself, and subtle control of others, would be the greatest achievement one could muster. Voldemort is that. His appeal becomes clear, then, and yet through the course of their dealings, Snape as an inside man, must have seen the slips that Voldemort made in his control, freeing Snape from following Voldemort, and allowing him to feel superior and use even the Dark Lord for his own purposes. Snape respects Voldemort, and appreciates his talent, but he does not revere him now, whether he used to or not.
In fact, the Dark Arts conform to this idea of subtlety, creativity, and mastery. Crucio itself must be used as Bella tells us, with meaning. These are not spells you can simply throw out or flippantly say. These are spells that require thought, things that channel emotions that must be regulated and restrained. Small wonder that they hold a draw for Snape. He sees them as the epitome of achievement, and only great wizards can wield them with meaning. His reverence for them stems not from the evils they bring about, but the management they require.
For all of Voldemort's mastery over others, there is one thing that he cannot deal with and that is his fear of death. In a way, Snape and Voldemort want the same immortality, and one thing I think is clear to anyone, no matter their position on Snape's loyalties, is that he is a very bitter man. Does this bitterness stem from his frustrated attempts at that immortality? I believe so. Not that he tried to get the philosopher's stone, no. While Voldemort is content to simply EXIST in the world, and the respect and fear people have of him is secondary to his goal, Snape wants to be REMEMBERED. That respect, awe and veneration is what he wants, and he is constantly denied that by his students, his peers, even his fellow conspirators on either side who show little more than contempt for him. All his demonstrations of prowress throughout the years we're shown, and no one takes note of what he sees as extraordinary.
For all of Snape's ideals and efforts and mastery, he is trying most desperately for that immortality of some of the greatest persons around. To be remembered through the ages, for one's self, and one's achievements and contributions to your fellow man. In other words, he is trying and working so desperately for the one thing he does not believe in, although he may not make the connection. Snape wants to be loved. And, by that statement, I do not mean he wants to be coddled and embraced. He wants to be adored in awe, admired, respected, revered and venerated, perhaps even with a tiny bit of worship. He wants fame, not by a bottle, but by people recognizing what he sees as his greatness. He wants his mind to be immortalized for all the little school kids to learn about, but not grudgingly, no. He wants their avid adoration. He wouldn't mind switching places with Harry, and tasting a bit of that unearned glory. Which brings us back around to his relationship with the Chosen One.
Perhaps nothing has confused Snape's life more, than trying to deal with this upstart that seems to be constantly in his way. He understands the cunning and power of Voldemort and respects it, even embraces it, and this little scrap of a boy with no control, and no respect is destined to overthrow it? One can certainly understand his doubt and disdain. Add to that the fact that his worst enemy is personified in this boy wonder, and that it takes him back emotionally to a state wherein he doesn't have the mastery of control over his feelings and actions, and his hate is set in stone. It isn't Harry or Harry's actions that incense Snape, it's his own loss of restraint and composure, but since Harry (or Sirius when he was alive) is the only one that can bring that about (James being dead,) it is Harry that he focuses his loathing on.
Where will Snape end up then?
I think that fully depends on the further development and motivations of those around him. Snape is not loyal to a cause. He is not loyal to a master. He plays both ends against the middle to his own scruples and satisfactions. He is determined to be someone that his father was not, and someone that can have power over himself, his emotions, his reactions, and his treatment of others. (Even his name Severus fits this philosophy of self-mastery and control) But, he isn't interested in that for the greater good, which is why he feels no remorse for his derision and contempt of those he sees as inferior or unworthy, not for their blood content or magical ability, but for their self-mastery. Small wonder that Neville, the poor clumsy bumbler who loses all control is Snape's favorite target of derision.
I think in the end, Snape will either see past this mistaken ideology that he's held his whole life, or he will die for it.