Severus. Freakin'. Snape.
♫ I'm too sexy for my robes... too sexy for my robes... ♫
Hero. Villain. Readers are always wondering which side he's truly fighting for. Aside from the ever-awesome Lord Voldemort, he's the richest and most complex character in Rowling's novels. *dodges bullets from Dumbledore fans* Yes, Dumbledore is rich and complex and uber-smart and incredible, but you know from the start the type of person he is--an honest and kind advocate for justice.
Snape? Not so much.
It might be all that black wardrobe action. It might be the abrupt ways he cuts off his students (i.e., Hermione). I don't know 100% what it is about him that appeals to fans, but I do have a theory.
He's a badass with a heart.
Deep down, there's something beating in that body of his.
Very. Deep. Down.
And that's why he's so much fun to read about--you're always looking for that moment when he'll show his heart to the world. When it happens, it. Is. Epic.
What about you? Got some love for Snape? Or do you wish someone would Avada Kedavra his boo-tay?
Personally, I would have his "boo-tay" either Avada Kedavra'ed or repeatedly thrown off a cliff by a lesbian seagull.
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I absolutely agree. Snape is an amazing character. What's better is that when the series started, you had no idea what he was like long ago, and Rowling slowly revealed his true character.
ReplyDeleteSnape's character was masterfully created and slowly revealed. All of his motivation made sense. Snape was more of her masterpiece then Harry could ever be.
ReplyDeleteI agree. Snape is one of those complex characters that you want to hate, but like. I am still in awe at the amazing layers Rowling added to all her characters. Genius!
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. Throughout the whole series I was constantly going back and forth on whether I liked Snape or not. By the time the last book came around, I was definitely on the like side. Rowling did a fantastic job of painting him in shades of gray (which I love in characters).
ReplyDeleteSnape is my all time favorite character in Harry Potter, with Sirius Black coming in second. I LOVE how Rowling kept us wondering about him and provided us with enough background and experience to keep him sympathetic.
ReplyDeleteOh. Yeah. Love Snape. He is a real hero--deeply flawed but true.
ReplyDeleteI think Snape embodies what an antagoist needs to have--the dark side, the vulnerable side--yup, it's there--and the side where you're just not quite sure if he can be trusted or not.
ReplyDeleteI've always had a soft spot for Snape, and I defended him when nobody knew for sure whether he'd [spoiler alert] killed Dumbledore out of evil or mercy.
ReplyDeleteYou're so right about complex characters--they're not always black-cape-wearing weirdos, but they are always conflicted. Their inner conflict drives their actions, but remains a mystery to us, which keeps us turning pages like mad for the grand reveal. Hmm... must create a snape-like character in my WIP.
Snape is just one of those characters you love to hate. The other character from the Harry Potter universe which always got under my skin was that Professor Umbridge from HP5.
ReplyDeleteSnape is my fave character!!! And it helps so much that he's played by the ever so yummy Alan Rickman (oh that voice!!)!! He's a goody overall - I truly think that - he good guy in a bad guy's suit!!! :-)
ReplyDeleteTake care
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Snape is my favorite for sure! Then comes Bellatrix cause I like crazy people.
ReplyDeleteI love this post and I completely agree. I wrote about him this week too, check it out here if you like!
ReplyDeleteYay for all the Snape love, everyone!!
ReplyDeleteOld Kitty--Alan's voice is uh-may-zing. He makes being bad look sooooo much more fun than being good ;)
Matthew--Loved your post! Snape should rule the world. That is all.
You know what I love about Harry Potter and I guess books in general? The main characters are normally not to complex but still awesome, while all the other characters are so much cooler and more complex and interesting!
ReplyDeleteI think some of the most interesting of revelations were about Snape. For example in one of the books you read about the darker side of Harry's Dad and then in the last book when you found out about his past and feelings for Harry's Mom.
ReplyDeleteI remember in the 4th book i loved the revelations about Barty Crouch's son. JK rowling is very good at revealing things slowly