Critical Magic Theory: “He's Just Complicated” – The Gray Space of Severus Snape

Podcast: Critical Magic Theory: An Analytical Harry Potter Podcast
Host: Prof. Julian Womble
Episode: "He's Just Complicated": The Gray Space of Severus Snape
Date: September 17, 2025

Overview

In this highly-anticipated episode, Professor Julian Womble dives into the thorny and polarizing subject of Severus Snape in the Harry Potter series. The central theme revolves around reconciling Snape’s courage and sacrifice with his undeniable bitterness, cruelty, and morally ambiguous choices. Prof. Womble adopts a critical lens, inviting both empathy and skepticism, and insists on holding the “good” and “bad” of Snape side by side—deconstructing the myth without discarding the power of his story.

Throughout the episode, Julian weaves in listener feedback and survey results, foregrounds key questions about morality and intention, and challenges the audience to resist simplistic readings. This is the first of a three-part Snape deep dive, promising an even more nuanced exploration ahead.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Divisive Nature of Severus Snape

• Snape Polarization (03:00)
  • Snape is perhaps the most divisive character in Harry Potter fandom, inviting both fierce defense and harsh critique.
  • Many people see their own experiences—particularly with trauma—mirrored in Snape, complicating personal responses to him.

“So many people can kind of see their own personal narratives in certain aspects of Snape. So many people have experienced Snapes in their own lives... And as a result, some of us are not having him. And some of us really do see him for more than just being this kind of evil, villainous person.” — Prof. Julian Womble [03:54]

2. Favorite Snape Moment: The Shrieking Shack

• Triumph and Petty Vengeance (12:47)
  • Julian recounts Snape’s brief moment of triumph in the Shrieking Shack (PoA), noting its rarity and Snape’s deep desire for validation.
  • The fleeting victory is contrasted with his subsequent petty vengeance—outing Lupin as a werewolf, which endangers Lupin and negates Snape’s compassionate acts like brewing Wolfsbane Potion.

“He actively contains multitudes. Like, he can be the same person who was making the Wolfsbane Potion... who is like, I am so excited that I’m the one who gets to turn you into the Dementors...and then do the petty, petulant thing and expose you for who you are.” — Prof. Julian Womble [15:00]

3. Defining Snape: Complicated, Selfish, Bitter

• Survey Results (20:18)
  • Top descriptors: “Complicated”, “Selfish”, “Bitter”
  • Womble underscores that Snape defies single-lens interpretations: his selfishness coexists with episodes of selflessness; bitterness underpins both his cruelty and his sacrifices.

“He is complicated. Yes, he can be sometimes selfish. And I think he is a very, very bitter, traumatized man. And so these words feel very apropos to me...” — Prof. Julian Womble [25:36]

4. Is Snape a Good Person?

• Community Opinions (21:40)
  • 67% said “No”, 17% “Yes”, 17% “Don’t know.”
  • Listeners debate whether Snape’s protection of Harry and costly espionage balance or absolve the emotional harm and bullying.

Notable Survey Quotes: “A 13 year old’s worst fear should not be their teacher. He can be a good spy all you want, but he’s not a good person.” [22:56] “His obsession with Lily is incel behavior before the word existed, he never grew, never healed, never loved Harry for himself...” [23:25]

Womble’s View:

• Good actions do not necessarily make someone a good person.
• Snape's positive acts largely happen at Dumbledore's direction, making the question of intention central. Left to his own devices, would Snape have chosen good?
• Harm to students—especially Neville and Hermione—cannot be justified by his trauma. Trauma may explain, but not excuse, harmful behavior.

“How do we square the reality of what he means and represents to so many of these students with what he ultimately does? It goes beyond just being a bad teacher. As one of the comments referenced, he is Neville’s worst fear. You don’t just get that by being a bad teacher.” — Prof. Julian Womble [28:35]

5. Is Snape a Good Teacher?

• Survey Results (37:51)
  • 79% “No”, 14% “Yes”, 7% “Don’t know.”
  • While Snape is an expert potioneer and effective at imparting technical skills, his consistent undermining, humiliation, and favoritism create a toxic learning environment.

Notable Survey Quotes:

• “He’s clearly a master of potions. In a different environment, he could have been brilliant at teaching. If teaching were just about knowledge, he’d be excellent.”
• “He is abusive. He humiliates students, bullies Neville, mocks Hermione and plays favorites. That’s not teaching. You get to call that abuse.”
• “He delights in tormenting children. That is not pedagogy.”

Womble’s Reflection:

• Learning outcomes don’t trump emotional well-being. A teacher’s job is to foster growth, not trauma.
• The real-world analogy: If you wouldn’t want your own child in Snape’s class, should he be teaching at all?
• Snape’s effect on Neville is used as a central example: “He can make you feel incapable” [41:51].

“Would we want to have our kids, our nephews, our friends’ children, our people, young people that we cared about... in a class with this man? And if you say yes, what advice would you give that child to avoid his rancor?” — Prof. Julian Womble [49:32]

6. Is Snape a Good Death Eater?

• Survey Results (54:12)
  • 64% “No,” 24% “Yes,” 12% “Don’t know.”
  • Discussion shifts from ideology to effectiveness and intent.
  • Voldemort’s trust in Snape and Bellatrix’s jealousy are used as evidence of Snape’s proficiency as a Death Eater, regardless of his underlying convictions.

Notable Survey Quotes:

• “He was skilled, ruthless and Voldemort trusted him completely. That makes him a good Death Eater.”
• “Snape is anti-Voldemort but not anti-supremacy. His allegiance was always personal, never ideological. That’s not redemption, it’s survival.”

Womble’s Take:

• Snape’s ambiguous allegiance may be less about ideology, more about personal loyalty or “daddy issues” with both Dumbledore and Voldemort.
• “Yeah, he’s a good Death Eater, even if he completely undermines what Voldemort’s trying to do. He gains [Voldemort’s] trust more than any of the other people. It’s Snape.” [59:54]

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• “How you die doesn’t redeem how you lived. Snape’s sacrifice deserves acknowledgment. What he did was brave, but bravery in death does not erase cruelty in life.” — Prof. Julian Womble [65:54]
• “Snape found power in reliving the past through children who could not escape him. And that is insidious.” — Prof. Julian Womble [69:39]
• “We don’t have to reconcile those truths. We don’t have to pick sides. We don’t have to be either a Snape hater or a Snape sympathizer. We can hold those truths together.” — Prof. Julian Womble [71:18]
• On the impact of intention: “Would Snape have done these things voluntarily? Was his intention ever truly to bring down Voldemort? Or was his intention simply loyalty to Dumbledore?” [68:40]

Reflection & Closing

Professor Womble closes by reading lengthy audience contributions and reflects on the contradictions at the heart of Snape:

• Sacrifice and cruelty exist side by side.
• Trauma explains but does not excuse toxic behavior—especially from an adult in power over children.
• Much of Snape’s heroism is done at Dumbledore’s request, muddying the waters of true redemption.

In the end, Julian urges listeners not to force a resolution between Snape’s heroism and cruelty, but rather to hold both in mind—embracing complexity as the true magic of the character and series.

Timestamps for Major Segments

| Timestamp | Segment/Discussion | |----------------|---------------------------------------------------------| | 01:31 | Introduction and framing of Snape as divisive/complex | | 12:47 | Prof. Womble’s favorite Snape moment (Shrieking Shack, PoA) | | 20:18 | Top words to describe Snape: complicated, selfish, bitter | | 21:40 | Survey: Is Snape a good person? | | 37:51 | Survey: Is Snape a good teacher? | | 54:12 | Survey: Is Snape a good Death Eater? | | 65:26 | Reflection with listener commentary | | 68:40+ | Reflection on intention, trauma, and the impossibility of absolution |

Final Thoughts

This episode offers an incisive, deeply personal, and community-informed exploration of Severus Snape’s contradictions. It challenges the audience to acknowledge pain and heroism, to see intention as central to morality, and to resist simplifying the hard truths about complex people. The episode ends with an open invitation to keep the conversation alive—true to the podcast’s promise that the magic lies in the wrestling, not the resolution.

“Be critical and stay magical, my friends.” — Prof. Julian Womble [73:08]