Severus Snape is one of the most complex characters in history.
He played the perfect double (or even triple) agent.
But that often had us wondering:
“Is Snape a good person? Or is he actually bad?”
Read on to learn:
- 5 interesting reasons why Snape is a good person.
- Why Snape switched from the dark to the good side.
- 5 intriguing reasons why the Potions Master chose evil.
- Whether Snape is a hero or villain in the Harry Potter story.
- And more…
Is Snape good or bad?
Snape is neither good nor bad. He is a complex character who has done things that would justify putting him in either category. For example, he used to be a follower of Voldemort. But in the end, he also helped take the Dark Lord down.
5 surprising reasons why Snape is a good person
#1: He did horrible things for the greater good
Severus Snape is quite a conflicted character.
He had a rough past but managed to make his way to the good side.
But by tainting his reputation, the dirty jobs often fell on his lap.
One glaring example of this happens during Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
Here, we see Snape killing the beloved headmaster Dumbledore.
This shocked viewers of the series. And rightfully so.
Just when we thought we could trust him, he kills an important character.
However, we later learn that Snape and Dumbledore planned this out.
But even though they devised this act, it’s still incredibly difficult.
Before this point in the plot, there were no records of Snape killing anyone.
And to kill one of the few people he would consider his friends. That’s, well, difficult.
Regardless, Snape did his job.
This study actually shows how doing things for the greater good impacts us positively. It generally makes us feel happier and more fulfilled.
#2: He saved Harry’s life multiple times
Throughout the entire story, Snape shows how much he dislikes Harry.
He constantly nags him about little things.
And sometimes, he can be outright abusive.
So it comes as a surprise to hear that Snape has actually saved Harry multiple times.
Take Harry’s first Quidditch match, for example.
Professor Quirrell was trying to cast a spell and have Harry fall from his broom.
But it was Snape that muttered a countercurse, saving the young boy.
Furthermore, in Harry’s 5th year, he was interrogated by Professor Umbridge.
She used the forbidden Veritaserum on him. This potion always makes you tell the truth.
But Snape instead gave her a fake version. He knew Harry possessed vital information not meant for Umbridge’s ears.
It was also Snape that sent the Order of the Phoenix to the Ministry of Magic.
And it involved a huge battle within the Ministry itself.
If Snape hadn’t sent the Order, Harry and his friends wouldn’t have stood a chance.
But these are just a few examples of the Potions Master’s heroics.
So even though he never treated Harry correctly, he was discreetly watching out for him.
Here’s a video that showcases all the times Snape saved Harry:
#3: Snape always passed vital information along
Snape was a genius actor.
And no, we’re not just talking about Alan Rickman, the actual actor. However, he fits the very same title.
But the same can be said for the character he plays.
He always manages to come across as being loyal to one side. However, he is almost always devoted to the opposite.
A great example is in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.
Here, professor Umbridge is the villain. And she was always after Harry.
Now, Umbridge took a liking to Snape. Naturally, they bonded over their hatred for the boy.
However, Snape was secretly always on Harry’s side.
Take the time when Umbridge wanted to question Harry, for example.
She asked Snape for the truth potion, Veritaserum, but he told her it was empty.
Another time, he flat-out gave her something else.
This was done to ensure Harry did not spill vital information. But also to make sure Umbridge trusted him.
Another example happens in the same book/movie.
Here, Harry told Snape:
‘’They have Padfoot at the place where it’s hidden’’.
Snape knew what this meant.
He knew Padfoot was Sirius.
And despite his hatred for Harry and Sirius, he still ensured proper help was on the way.
#4: He taught Harry Occlumency
Snape was known to be one of the best Occlumens in the world.
This ability means you can open and close your mind at your will.
Now, this may sound like a mildly cool feat.
But it’s actually extremely important.
See, Voldemort was able to enter Harry’s mind.
He could do so because a piece of him lived inside Harry.
When Voldemort failed to kill Harry as a little boy, a part of his soul ended up within the child.
And by doing so, he could cause a lot of harm.
For example, he continuously showed Harry visions. However, these visions were all wrong.
They were designed to lure him into a trap.
So you see, it’s extremely important to be able to close your mind.
And who other than Snape would be the perfect teacher?
Despite his dislike for Harry, he knew the importance of this.
So he proceeded to teach the young boy.
And this greatly helped him in the following years.
The visions were gone.
#5: He eventually chose the right side
After this section, we’ll get into why Snape is a bad person.
And a lot of it has to do with his past and the decisions he made back then.
But it’s important to remember that he eventually did choose the right side.
He pleaded his allegiance to Dumbledore.
And he proceeded to take on the most dangerous task. A spy.
A lot of what Snape has done can be questionable.
But it’s good to know that he did choose the right side.
And he became an invaluable member. Often doing what others could not.
Even Dumbledore saw the value in him.
He trusted Snape to give Harry vital pieces of information.
Whether it was about Harry’s necessary sacrifice or teaching him important skills.
5 surprising reasons why Snape is a bad person
#1: Snape was a Death Eater
Did you know that Snape used to be a follower of Voldemort?
It’s true.
When Snape was about 18 years old, he became a Death Eater.
This, of course, didn’t happen out of the blue.
Snape had a rough past. And that ultimately pushed him into the dark side.
His father was an abusive man. And on top of that, he was a muggle.
This led to Snape forming a bad opinion of muggles.
Just like Lord Voldemort has.
Snape also didn’t have the best of friends.
They were all very interested in the Dark Arts. And most of them ended up as Death Eaters themselves.
We also touched on how Snape was continuously bullied.
There really was only 1 person that kept him in check.
And that was Lily Evans.
See, Snape loved her ever since they were children.
But when Lily chose James or him, nothing was stopping him anymore.
He fully committed to the dark side.
And only after learning that Voldemort was about to kill Lily did he switch back.
But that doesn’t excuse him from becoming a Death Eater in the first place.
This isn’t something you just ‘become’ overnight.
It’s choosing to be constantly vile.
#2: He believed in pure-blood supremacy
Snape shared Lord Voldemort’s philosophy about bloodlines.
In his opinion, pure-blooded witches and wizards are superior.
It’s actually also one of the reasons Snape became a Death Eater.
And I don’t think I need to explain why this form of blatant racism is terrible.
Snape developed his dislike for muggles and half-bloods in his youth.
As I stated before, his father was abusive. And that left a mark on him.
But he grew in anger. All the way to the point where he believed that muggles and half-bloods don’t have a right to exist.
Now that sounds like pure evil to me.
#3: Snape was borderline obsessive
Earlier, we touched on Snape’s love for Lily Evans.
And at first glance, it might look innocent.
But in reality, Snape was borderline obsessive.
See, he mainly felt this way because Lily was friendly to him.
That act alone was the reason Snape took a liking to her.
It’s also a bit sad when you come to think of it.
Someone was finally nice to Snape, and he latched onto it immediately.
In the end, his feelings for Lily dictated his actions.
When she ‘betrayed’ him by choosing James Potter, he turned dark.
But when she needed help, he was willing to do anything.
#4: He treated Harry like trash
Alright, there’s no denying that Snape showed massive favoritism.
Harry always seemed to be his little outlet for anger.
And while the main character got most of it, Snape wasn’t too friendly to anyone outside Slytherin.
In the end, there are some reasons why he behaved this way.
But you have to remember that these are children.
And there’s no excuse to mistreat them.
His favoritism towards Slytherin can be explained, though.
See, he was the head of this house.
So naturally, he wanted to see his students thrive.
And also, he wanted them to win the House Cup.
This is an annual event where the 4 houses race for points. The house with the most points wins.
But there is no excuse for the way he treats Harry sometimes.
See, this hatred is rooted in the professor’s youth.
When Snape was a little boy, he was bullied by none other than James Potter.
This is Harry’s father. And Snape never forgot.
But instead of leaving an innocent young boy out of his feud. He channeled his anger towards him.
Harry, of course, had no idea why Snape treated him this way.
It goes to show that Snape holds a heavy grudge.
And an unfair one at that.
#5: Snape was a bad teacher
J.K. Rowling herself once said that she ranked how well the teachers perform.
And as an example of the best teacher, she chose Remus Lupin.
He taught Defense Against the Dark Arts in Harry’s 3rd year.
However, she had Severus Snape as the worst teaching experience.
And it’s easy to see why.
Yes, his students did always get good results.
But Snape didn’t make their lives any easier.
He was always angry, snappy, and sometimes abusive.
And while this looks like some comedic relief initially. We must not forget that he’s actually hitting students here.
Overall, Snape did manage to teach his students what they needed.
But he was not a kind teacher.
Conclusion: Was Snape a hero or villain?
Personally, I would say Snape sits somewhere in the middle of both titles.
He was never a true villain.
Yes, he made some bad choices when he was young, but he also switched back.
I know we should not forget someone’s past actions. However, Snape has made up for his mistakes.
On the other hand, Snape also isn’t a hero.
If it weren’t for his love for Lily, he would never have switched to Dumbledore’s side.
That being said, he did do some heroic things.
He was invaluable for Harry to succeed. He always protected the young boy.
And he even died for the cause.
Snape is the perfect example of a character that isn’t just morally black or white. He sits in the grey area in between.