Comments | perhapspele: Severus Snape, Niccolo Machiavelli, and the Great Prince Debate

perhapspele

Severus Snape, Niccolo Machiavelli, and the Great Prince Debate

Nov 26, 2005 17:29

So, last month, Canisdoofus and I went to The Witching Hour symposium in Salem. And while I didn't think much of most of the presentations I saw, there was one idea that I really liked: the fact that Snape's mother's maiden name was Prince--and his apparent eagerness to adopt her name as his own--indicates the nobility inherent in his character; Snape is both ( Read more... )

snape, prince, literature, machiavelli, hp

Comments 5

canisdoofus November 26 2005, 15:07:03 UTC

OH YEAH! I remember that! Severus is most quintessentially a machiavellian character, so why not?

Would this be a good thing or a bad thing??? I haven't read Machiavelli since high school, either. :p It seems interesting that there's also a "Draconian" character, as well. Both these Nicolo and Draco posessed simmilar trains of thought.

You know who to bug when you have a historical factoid to clear! ^_^

perhapspele November 29 2005, 08:37:14 UTC

You know who to bug when you have a historical factoid to clear!
Thanks, but it's not so much historial as it is literary. Perhaps once my class is done I'll do a bit of 'Prince'-ly reading organize this into a short essay (how many times have you heard me say that?!). :)

The way I recall it, Draconian characters are much more harsh than Machiavellian ones; at least Machiavellians are attempting to reach some sort of decent end. That's why I don't necessarily think it's a disaster that Severus is a Machiavel.

talloakslady November 26 2005, 16:52:36 UTC

How very odd you should mention this today. As I was at work; yes, I worked today as the theatre knows no days off; I was pondering a very similar subject concerning Professor Snape.

However, mine thoughts went to the very first speech he made to Harry's class. " ..."I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death --- if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach." Now, if JK has in fact laid a careful path of hints throughout her books, would this be one? Did he put a stopper in Albus Dumbledore's death over the past year? We know, from earlier descriptions, what the murdering curse does to people. However, JK doesn't mention any of that with Albus' death. Did Snape and Albus somehow fool the Dark Lord as well as the promise Severus made?

perhapspele November 29 2005, 08:45:48 UTC

the theatre knows no days off
You poor thing! And I gripe about my 2-weeks vacation a year! Helps me put things in a bit of perspective.

Did he put a stopper in Albus Dumbledore's death over the past year?
I *definitely* think you have a point here. I think Severus probably saved Albus' life after his duel with the Dark Lord to get Marvolo Guant's ring. Perhaps Severus has saved Albus' life in the past, too, which is one of reasons why Albus trusts him so completely--even until the very end.

Did Snape and Albus somehow fool the Dark Lord as well as the promise Severus made?Interesting theory... But as for Dumbledore being dead now, I'm afraid that I'm quite convinced he is (as much as I wish he wasn't; he's my second favourite character). :( I don't think I would've been so convinced if not for the portrait of him that appeared in his (now Minerva's?) office. I definitely think it's possible to fool the Dark Lord (after all, Severus has been doing it for how many years now?!), but I'm not sure about fooling the Vow. What's up with ( ... )

talloakslady November 29 2005, 16:30:38 UTC

I would be very fascinating if Fawkes wound up going to Severus. It would certainly give a very interesting moment to Harry to think the phoenix went to Snape and remained with him. JK has been very reticent to mention what Snape's Patronus is, saying it would give it all away. Either it has something to do with Dumbledore or Voldemort or possibly Lily!