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Snape's Archetype in Literature

The World of Severus Snape

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Snape's Archetype in Literature

[info]torino10154
10/7/08 09:29 pm
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This is a bit different so we'll see how it goes.

I have seen Snape compared with all sorts of different characters in literature: Heathcliff of Wuthering Heights, Childermass from Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, even Pride and Prejudice's Mr. Darcy and the Little Prince (but of course). Is he a classic anti-hero? What separates Snape from his fellows, makes him unique? When you read other novels do you find similarities to Snape or other Potterverse characters? (Wikipedia has a list of literary anti-heroes, including dear Severus, here.)
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  • [info]smallpotato
    10/10/08 02:09 am (UTC)
    I detested The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (I was, I think eleven or so) for two reasons; it felt as if things and characters were pulled out of a high hat by the author, making up the story as he went along. While this was annoying, I really started to detest the book when the beliberated religious allegory bit hit me in the face. Ugh.

    I agree that Narnia's morality is superior to the Potter books, if only because the Potter books are deeply, *deeply* immoral.

    • [info]00sevvie
      4/5/09 03:15 pm (UTC)
      The religious allegory bit always annoyed me too, as did Susan's ultimate fate at the end of the series (though there were bits all along that I did like).

      However, I can at least respect the Narnia books because they take one specific religio-moral framework and STICK TO IT in all its implications, whatever you think of that framework itself. Rowling's work, on the other hand, is some sort of self-contradictory mish-mash (Dan Hemmens has an article on this, the one about the doctrine of the Calvinists) that ends up sending messages fundamentally opposed to the ones it's claimed are being sent. It's infuriating. (Prejudice against Muggleborns is bad, but it's ok against Muggles and poor halfbloods; our choices determine our character, except that your House is the final determinant of your moral status; love means wanting to kill your enemies and get revenge; Unforgivables are gallant for some people and unforgivable for others; verbal bullying is to be condemned but tying someone up, hanging them upside-down and stripping them is just good fun....oh, and being gay is fine, except that it leads you to ally yourself with genocidal maniacs, so it's not fine. ARG!)
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