You know how Snape comes across as evil?

[MorningsEleven]

Is he really just misunderstood?

Maybe evil people should speak more slowly and clearly so not evil people can understand them better.

He's not evil, as he continuously risks his life for the sake of good. And he is capable of love. But he is not a nice person, his treatment of his students is evidence enough.

He's not misunderstood, he's many-faceted.

And he's constantly reminded of the love he lost, first to James, then to Voldemort by having Harry so close.

He's not evil. Sometimes a.bit if an arse hole. But generally a good guy.

I have said this before I think JK watched Truly Madly Deeply. So she knows deep down that Alan Rickman will be as nasty as is necessary, to protect the people he loves.

A hurting good guy, well hidden.

He was never evil. Voldemort was evil.

Snape was bitter, unloved, highly intelligent and fiercly loyal.

Oh so did he have a thing for Harry's mum?

I've been watching the film's on a Saturday and I'm trying to work him out.

I really want one of those huge bird things as a pet.

He was hopelessly infatuated with Harrys mum. She was and still is the love of his life.

All will become clear OP. Just have patience

The character is set up to be sinister, the head of Slytherin and his unfair levels of favouritism towards his house, his classroom in the dungeons, swooping around in his black robes, his unexplained hatred of Harry in the early books and his supicious behaviour about the Philosophers Stone.

That level of suspicious behaviour from the begining contrasts with Dumbledoor's trust in him, the reasons for which become apparent quite late on in the series.

Dumbledore is a decent judge of character, although sometimes underestimates the best way to do justice to people (such as keeping Sirius too confined for his protection) but overall, he has a decent measure of whether people are trustworthy or not. The only error I can think of was Peter Wormtail.

You need to read the books if you want to analyse Harry Potter. There's so much that's missed out or that can't be articulated in the films.

Is there an incantation for patience? I need one.

Unfortunately not... just know that things will come to light!!!

Another one with a vote for reading the books, so much stuff was left out of the films that make so much more sense when you read the books instead. I did books first and then films which I think is the right way to do it.

I'm reading the first book with DS. Snape is so OTT evil that he's a pantomime. I have seen all the films and i do hope the books explain more because the films were shit.

Definitely read the books. Snape is a complex character, like most of us!

After you have watched all of the film's watch this:

It will contain spoilers if you haven't seen all of the films.

Snape is nominally on the side of light. That doesn't mean he's not horrible to his students and weirdly obsessed with a dead woman who fell out with him because he was cruel towards her.

Initially he was a genuine death eater and he only changed sides because of Lily's death. If Voldemort had kept his promise to Snape that he could "Have" Lily he'd never have changed sides.

Yes, he is a complex character and whether he is evil or not depends on your defenition of evil but he's not a person I'd want to know in real life.

@ItsAllGoingToBeFine

I watched it ☺. It explains a lot. He's my favourite character because he's dark and you never know what he's going to do. And obviously Alan Rickman was just built for that part.

If you want to understand the characters you have to read the books - the films barely touch the top of them!

Just reading third book and Neville makes a mistake in portions and Snape feeds it go his Toad even though Neville is terrified of making mistakes in his class. He is mean to other students not in Slythern plenty of examples. Maybe that was just part of his cover....

He only came across as evil to the characters who he needed to have that view of him. As a reader, I never saw him as evil. Mean and cold at the start but never evil. Maybe the films don't do him justice? I've never watched them.

One thing you have to understand is that he's a spy for Dumbledore, teaching the children of Death Eaters who would not hesitate to tell their parents if he was seen to be anything but antagonistic towards children of 'light' families.

He spends his life on the thin edge, trying to redeem himself and not be slaughtered in the process.

He isn't a happy person. He is bitter and has little patience for children who make mistakes but you can't class that as evil in a world with Bellatrix and Voldy. Crule is probably the strongest word you could use.

Good is not nice.