In the Potterverse, if there is one character that has the most complex yet the most captivating aura is Severus Snape. The way J.K Rowling designed the plot in and around the complexity of Snape was amazing and he quite skillfully stood out to be the most fascinating character in ‘Harry Potter’, the best-selling series of modern children’s literature.
One of the ‘Harry Potter‘ books’ most nuanced and mysterious characters is Severus Snape. He is a man of paradoxes, and his activities seem to be perpetually cloaked in mystery throughout the series. Also, fans can never deny that it was because of the way Alan Rickman portrayed the character with the utmost enigma that this character remains fresh in all our minds even years after the release of the franchise’s final installment.
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Who Is Severus Snape And What’s His Significance In ‘Harry Potter’?
As the Head of Slytherin, the house for the seemingly cunning, resourcefulness and power-hungry wizards and witches, this Half-blood Prince was a master of Dark Arts and his mastery of potions remained unparalleled. Defined as cold, calculative, concise, sarcastic, and gloomy sometimes, Severus Snape was an inventor of numerous magical spells and deadly curses like Sectumsempra. He was an exceptional wizard who won the favor of not only the Darkest wizard of all time, Lord Voldemort, but also stood out as the most dependable ally to Albus Dumbledore.
There seems to be a mystery surrounding Snape’s past. He once served as a Death Eater and was a trusted ally part of Voldemort’s close sanctum. He does indeed have a flawed character owing to his tragic history. He would, however, later act as a spy for Dumbledore to take down Voldemort, which remained a question of Snape’s loyalty, making his relevance to the series even stronger and suspicious, until the very end of the last few chapters of the book series. He was all along only looking out for the ‘boy who loved’ – Harry Potter.
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Severus Snape: A Grey Character In Potterverse
Severus Snape’s past and his deeds have been shrouded in secrecy for all of his life. His character is a maze of contradictions in ‘Harry Potter’. He is frequently characterized as vicious and vengeful and takes pleasure in degrading and mocking his pupils, especially Harry Potter. He was always viewed as a traitor who made bad decisions that allowed Voldemort to reclaim his full power and was the cause of Dumbledore’s demise. But did he deserve all the hatred he received from every reader and viewer up until the sixth book in the series?
Well, Snape did not fail to deceive each and every single person until his hurtful death looking at Lily’s eyes, which were inherited by her son, Harry Porter. Despite Snape’s love for Lily driving him to loathe Harry and treat him poorly, it also drives him to keep Harry safe and secure throughout the story. From helping Harry in a dire situation with his Patronous charm to taking the blame for killing Dumbledore on his request against his own will, he displays acts of bravery and self-sacrifice but is also prone to bouts of anger and resentment.
Every reader was shocked and dismayed by Snape’s inevitable fate. Many are still shocked by his demise at the hands of Voldemort in the last book. Despite all of his flaws and ambiguities, Snape is regarded by many readers as a hero when his loyalty to Dumbledore and his efforts to protect Harry Potter professes his fatherly love for him, out of selfless compassion toward Lily. His death puts an end to his tumultuous journey and his final moments with Harry are heartfelt and tragic.
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