In her paper Keeping Promises to Queer Children: Making Space for Mary Sue at Hogwarts, Ika Willis notes that Snape is described in a manner consitent with the tropes of the Gothic romance. With descriptions of his dark hair, piercing stare, coal black eyes and silky voice, Snape's physicality calls to mind other anti-heroes of classic literature, such as Heathcliff, Frollo and Rochester. Canon both sexualises and romanticises Snape with these descriptions, albeit perhaps unintentionally. The argument that Snape is written in a manner which can be likened to the anti-hero of conventional romance; the Byronic man of “loneliness and mystery” is given further support by the revelation of his unrequited love for Lily Evans which he appears quite willing to literally die for.
That Severus and Harry could build a life together seems improbable – if not impossible – on first blush. The two characters seem to loathe one another with Snape’s already nasty and bitter side looking even more unappealing when viewed by the reader through Harry’s eyes. There is a reasonable age gap between them and a dark and bitter history which inextricably links the two characters.
However, it is precisely this animosity and hatred which originally drew me to this pairing. Even before I discovered slash, the relationship which fascinated me the most, was that of Harry and Severus. I thrived on the tension between the two characters and I loved Snape in all his bitter, flawed glory and the relationship dynamic between Harry and Snape was, quite genuinely, the key relationship of the series for me.
I love seeing that acrimonious relationship retextualised as sexual tension and I firmly believe a relationship between the two could work successfully. The parallels noted above run deep throughout canon. I do not find it a stretch at all to believe they could find themselves in a situation where they began to recognise their common bonds, from their childhood through to their adulthood and their respective roles in the war.
Where would I be without someone to save me, someone who won't let me fall?
Severus has always given me ALL THE FEELS. I just can't even begin to articulate how much Severus, as a character, and the Snarry ship means to me. LOVE.
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timeasmymeasure
Re: Severus Snape: The Byronic Hero of the Potterverse - Part II
Date: 2014-02-09 02:46 pm (UTC)That Severus and Harry could build a life together seems improbable – if not impossible – on first blush. The two characters seem to loathe one another with Snape’s already nasty and bitter side looking even more unappealing when viewed by the reader through Harry’s eyes. There is a reasonable age gap between them and a dark and bitter history which inextricably links the two characters.
However, it is precisely this animosity and hatred which originally drew me to this pairing. Even before I discovered slash, the relationship which fascinated me the most, was that of Harry and Severus. I thrived on the tension between the two characters and I loved Snape in all his bitter, flawed glory and the relationship dynamic between Harry and Snape was, quite genuinely, the key relationship of the series for me.
I love seeing that acrimonious relationship retextualised as sexual tension and I firmly believe a relationship between the two could work successfully. The parallels noted above run deep throughout canon. I do not find it a stretch at all to believe they could find themselves in a situation where they began to recognise their common bonds, from their childhood through to their adulthood and their respective roles in the war.
Where would I be without someone to save me, someone who won't let me fall?
Severus has always given me ALL THE FEELS. I just can't even begin to articulate how much Severus, as a character, and the Snarry ship means to me. LOVE.