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Snape-tember - Week 4 - Discussion


Prof. Tarma Amelia Black

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What is the Discussion Topic for which you have been waiting?  Is there something in particular that you want to talk about and we didn't broach it? 

 

If there is nothing in particular you wanted to write, about Alan Rickman or about Professor Severus Snape, here is a general question --

 

What were you surprised about in the portrayal of Severus Snape by Alan Rickman? Or was there no surprise at all, and you just accepted what you saw on the screen as 'of course'?

 

You may talk about either or both in your answers in here.

 

Write at least 100 words and earn 15 Diamonds!  If you write another post of at least another 100 words, you can earn another 15 Diamonds, too (so remember to leave some information from your first post if you want the additional Diamonds!) 

 

Note:  Do not post twice in a row!  Wait for someone else to post, or 24 hours, before posting again.


You have until the end of September to earn your Diamonds. If you respond within a week of this being posted, though, you earn an additional 3 bonus Diamonds

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I had never seen any movies or films featuring Alan Rickman until I watched the Harry Potter franchise movies, so I didn't have any other character portrayals to compare. Although the way he portrayed Professor Severus Snape did the character justice. The moment I saw him on screen in the Philosopher's Stone, I just knew "that has to be Snape!" because he played him so incredibly well, even before speaking. His acting was so similar to the writing of Professor Snape, from the way he spoke, his mannerisms to his body language and facial expressions. It was a masterpiece to watch Alan Rickman.

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Speaking as a Slytherin, I was VERY disappointed to learn Severus Snape's stated motivation in "A Prince's Tale":  according to his Pensieve memories, his motivation seemed to consist of pining after a long-dead woman who, even in life, was a horrible friend to him!  Then I realized that it was possible to change Pensieve memories so that the viewer would see things differently from how they actually happened (Horace Slughorn did this, for example) - and that Snape would likely be able to change memories very convincingly, given his skills at the related arts of Legilimency and especially Occlumency!

 

Indeed, it makes perfect sense that Snape knew that his legacy would be viewed through the eyes of Harry Potter, so he would need to change his Pensieve in advance to reflect the motivation that would look best as far as Harry was concerned.  Slytherin values (including simply the ability to survive) would mean nothing to Harry; Harry's beloved mother Lily (one of Harry's favourite people, even though she died when he was only one year old), however, would be much more valuable.  So with that as the goal, it would only make sense for Snape to change his memories so that Harry could "see" that Snape's motivation was all about devotion to Lily (if Snape was doing everything to support someone that important to Harry, then of course Harry would remember Snape well!)  And sure enough, Snape was "rewarded" several years later when Harry's second child was given "Severus" as a middle name.

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I feel a lot like Astor in that "I just knew "that has to be Snape!" " The scene in the Great Hall, where he is looking at 'Potter', just looking at him. There he is.  Snape.  Professor Severus Snape. He had the 'heavy' down pat!  He's not that large a person, body wise, but has the presence to portray himself as formidable, someone intimidating, if not daunting. (Actually, Professor McGonagall is much the same! Bless Maggie Smith. :wub: )

 

Much like I didn't have a feeling for Professor Dumbledore until I saw Richard Harris in the role, my 'Snape' was sort of nebulous until I saw Alan Rickman being Snape.   Okay.  That's Snape.

 

 

 

 

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Let me start this off saying that I originally only knew Alan Rickman from the Harry Potter series and seeing him in the movies was the first time I actually saw this great actor in any role. It later changed as I have seen some other movies in which he played, but I saw them after he passed away. Therefore, it would be weird to compare them.

The character or Snape was definitely something very interesting to me. In the first movies I was very much against him and did not like him at all. He seemed like a type of person who is arrogant for no reason.

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Just like Louis and Astor, seeing Harry Potter movies was the first time I actually have ever been introduced to Alan Rickman and his job as an actor. 

In the first Harry Potter movies, I was truly amazed with his acting skills. He played the role of Snape very well to the point it almost looked very real. The voice he made to sound like Snape was truly a great addition to his character and I was very very much in love with his role (but definitely not with Snape himself because let's be honest, he was a total douche). 

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In the later movies of the Harry Potter movies, Snape became a truly confusing and shocking character to me. I could have never expected to see his person change so drastically within just a few...well hours of movies. When it turned out he was working for Lord Voldemort I was absolutely anger and mortified. I was so mad at him and hated him even more. Then, when it turned out that all along he was actually a very good person (I dare to say it - even better than Dumbledore himself who was fine with Harry dying) I was definitely shocked.

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I agree with Louis that as the movie series progressed, the character of Snape also drastically changed and gave me a truly mixed emotions. Originally, when I saw him killing Dumbledore I was absolutely terrified and shocked. I always thought that he madly respected Dumbledore and would never even dare to go against him (not to mentioned being on the side of Voldemort himself). But as it turned out that he was doing it to protect Harry Potter and his friends and to be honest, Draco and other students too, I realized that he was a very good guy and Rickman did a great job.

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I agree that Severus Snape changed a lot as the series progressed, or rather, our perspective of him changed as Harry matured and learned more throughout his Hogwarts years. I also agree that I believe he respected Dumbledore, but not completely. More like he respected him to a point, as he was the man who ran the Order of the Phoenix, gave him the position of Potions Professor, and protected him from prosecution by taking him on as a spy. Though at the same time, Snape wanted to become the Defense professor and likely would have preferred to not teach younger students at all if given the opportunity (at least, not in Potions class).
There's also a part of me that believes Snape may have agreed initially with the Death Eater's beliefs until he discovered Lily Potter (Evans) was being targeted and then secretly switched sides in a vain effort to save her. After all, there were deaths and torture caused by the Death Eaters for years while he was a loyal member, and he didn't seem bothered by it; he likely even participated in it himself.

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Prior to seeing Rickman's portrayal as Snape, I had seen him as the Sheriff of Nottingham (Robin Hood Prince of Thieves, 1991).  Grigori Rasputin (Rasputin, 1996), and Eamon de Valera (Michael Collins, 1996).  All of these roles were quite intense and somewhat menacing, so in my eyes, Rickman seemed the perfect choice to play Professor Snape.  Immediately, he brought the book character to life, and he was Snape in every sense of the word.

 

I agree with Louis (and others) that Snape changed drastically as the series progressed.  I will say that of all the characters, he sent me plunging down the proverbial roller-coaster more than most.  From mean Professor to Voldemort's right-hand-man and then hero, I never knew exactly what to feel about him.  My emotions were seriously all over the place.  All in all, he was truly one of my favorite characters.  

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