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The December Challenge: Double Agents

sylvanawood

12/1/10 09:56 am

This month's challenge was suggested by oryx_leucoryx

The December Challenge:

Double Agents in literature and movie

oryx_leucoryx writes:

How about double agents in literature and movie? Especially when they are essential for the success of the more 'obvious' hero?

A while back my husband and I watched Dark City. We quickly realized that while John Murdoch is supposed to be the main character, the hero and savior, actually he couldn't have done anything without Dr Schreber. He couldn't have understood the situation, nor could he have prevailed in the confrontation with the Strangers. And considering that Schreber attempted to contact Murdoch from the very beginning of the movie, it seems he had a plan in place for a while and was waiting to find a person who had the traits that allowed to carry it out. IOW he was Severus, except there was no Albus in the picture.

This thread is for the listing of stories and/or movies where a double agent is central to saving the day. Where the plot depends on the actions of the one who joined the enemy but ended up sabotaging it.

Don't only list stories and movies, discuss them, compare them to Severus, point out similarities and differences.

But please, since this is going outside of the Potter fandom: leave a brief synopsis for the books/films you want to discuss and preferrably give us some links where we can learn more.

Have fun! There will be banners. Really. Promise...

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• (Anonymous)

  12/3/10 12:09 pm (UTC)

  I'm afraid this is slightly O/T since the spy I'm writing about is more a single than a double agent, and he doesn't end up saving the day. However, there are some close similarities to Snape in his story, and particularly some descriptions which made me think of Snape straightaway.
  
  This spy is Razumov in 'Under Western Eyes' by Joseph Conrad.
  
  Razumov lives in Tsarist Russia, and is solitary and studious young man. He is working for exams which will give him preferment as he is poor (he may be the illegitimate son of a Prince :)). Razumov has made the aquaintance of a fellow student, Haldin. Haldin is a revolutionary and after carrying out a political assassination, he seeks help from Razumov. Razumov feels trapped, and that his future is being taken away. When escape plans fall through, Razumov panics and betrays Haldin to the authorities. Haldin is executed and Razumov later recruited as a secret agent. He spies on the revolutionaries who believe him to be have been a co-conspirator of Haldin's and do not suspect his betrayal. He dislikes them but at the same time feels remorse over Haldin. He then meets Haldin's sister who views him as a friend. Having lived a life without affection, Razumov takes a while to realise that he loves the girl. In an act of atonement, he confesses to her and to the revolutionaries and suffers a beating which disables him permanently.
  
  There are obviously points where Razumov' story touches that of the young Snape and the story examines guilt, remorse and responsibility. The descriptions that seem very Snape-relevant are:
  
  The narrator observing Razumov the spy: 'It occured to me that his clean-shaven... face was really of the very mobile sort and that the absolute stillness of it was the acquired habit of a revolutionist, of a conspirator everlastingly on his guard against self-betrayal in a world of secret spies'.
  
  Two reflections about and by the secret police chief who recruited Razumov:
  
  'The power of Councillor Mikulin consisted of the ability to seize upon...that side in the men he used. It did not matter to him what it was - vanity, despair, love, hate, greed, intelligent pride or stupid conceit - it was all one to him as long as the man could be made to serve. The obscure, unrelated young student Razumov, in the moment of great moral loneliness, was allowed to feel he was an object of interest to a small group of people of high position....a young man who had near to him no trusted intimacy, no natural affection to turn to'.
  
  'He saw great possibilities of special usefulness in that uncommon young man on whom he had a hold already, with his peculiar temperament, his unsettled mind and shaken conscience, and struggling in the toils of a false position....It was as if the revolutionists themselves had put into his hand that tool so much finer than the common base instruments, so perfectly fitted, if only vested with sufficient credit, to penetrate into places inaccessible to common informers'. (quotes from the OUP paperback edition 2008)
  
  Voldemort and Dumbledore, much?
  
  Maidofkent

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  • mary_j_59

    12/3/10 04:55 pm (UTC)

    Oh, yes! Voldemort and Dumbledore, absolutely! And Sydpad, over on livejournal, has already compared Severus Snape to Razumov. I haven't read "Under Western Eyes", but I think perhaps I should.
    
    

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