Justice, Wisdom, Trials, Harry, Dumbledore and Snape

[cindysphynx]

No: HPFGUIDX 38508

In case anyone missed it, Porphyria posted a truly marvelous essay 
drawing parallels between the story of Job and HP.  It is really 
thought-provoking and outstanding!  It is in the files section at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/files/Essays/job.html 

Porphyria's essay is so good, in fact, that it is not easy to 
comment other than to proclaim, "Me too!" or "I wish I had thought 
of that!" or even "Why didn't I pay better attention in Sunday 
school when we covered this?"  ;-)

Still.  There are a number of fine HP observations throughout 
Porphyria's essay, and I have a few questions related to it.  So 
here we go.

*********************************

Right up front, I have to acknowledge that I was quite intrigued by 
the idea of Snape as satan.  I mean, it is practically a dream come 
true for me.  :-)  I was thinking, however, more of your standard 
Hollywood/Halloween satan caricature, not the historical view of 
satan that Porphyria describes so well:

>"In her book An Adversary in Heaven Peggy L. Day explains that the 
>Hebrew word "satan" is best translated as "adversary" or "accuser" 
>and that this often has the strictly forensic sense of a 
>prosecuting attorney or the opponent in a legal case."

All kidding aside, this really is Snape's role, or part of his role, 
throughout the HP books.  Snape is acting, as Porphyria noted, in 
the role of public prosecutor as well as a loyal member of the 
divine counsel.  Again and again, Snape accuses Harry of misconduct, 
allegedly in Snape's role as loyal servant of Dumbledore.  

But the parallel might not be perfect, because Snape's loyalty is 
far from perfect.  In PoA, Snape openly questions Dumbledore's trust 
of Lupin, eventually disobeying Dumbledore's instruction that 
Lupin's werewolf status remain confidential.  In GoF, Snape may have 
played a role in allowing a dementor in the castle, despite 
Dumbledore's express wishes.  

This may be an area in which the parallel between the satan of Job 
and Snape begins to break down just a bit.  As Porphyria 
explains, "satan remains completely loyal and obedient to God" 
and "never exceeds [God's] instructions." But can the same be said 
for Snape?  Does Snape exceed Dumbledore's directives out of malice 
or pursuit of his own agenda?  Well, it appears so.  Even if we 
attribute laudable motives to Snape's actions in revealing Lupin's 
condition, the fact remains that this was done in violation of 
Dumbledore's express directive.  The satan of Job, of course, never 
exceeds the boundaries God establishes for satan's treatment of Job.

Porphyria:

>"The frequency with which Snape takes the role of prosecuting 
>attorney points up both his importance within the school and his 
>function within the text. His interactions with Harry often figure 
>as courtroom scenes, and his diction is filled with forensic 
>allusions."

This is certainly true, and a very interesting observation that 
hadn't really occurred to me in exactly this way.

But what exactly is the meaning of the malfeasance Snape is trying 
to establish?  In CoS, it is perhaps an attempt to prove Harry is 
evil.  In PoA, during "Snape's Grudge," it is that Harry has 
endangered himself by going to Hogsmeade.  In CoS, Snape raises the 
possibility of expulsion as punishment for Harry's ill-fated flight 
to Hogwarts, purportedly for damaging the Willow.  In GoF, it is 
that Harry has endangered himself by placing his name into the 
Goblet.  

So a question:  If Snape is functioning as satan (specifically 
defined as the satan in the story of Job), what is the *purpose* of 
Snape's prosecutorial role?  Surely the satan in Job was not acting 
to protect Job, although Snape occasionally appears to be motivated 
by a desire to protect Harry.  Conversely, Snape's activities do not 
seem calculated to test Harry's loyalty or allegiance, which seems 
to be the mission of satan in the story of Job.  

What, then, is Snape hoping to accomplish, consistent with the idea 
that Snape fulfills the role of satan to some extent?

Porphyria:

>"Here we can also see how the satan has the duties a divine 
>prosecuting attorney; he states the opposing case and casts 
>aspersions on the hero, while God's argues for the defense."

Yes, that makes sense.  But if Snape fulfills the role of the satan, 
then who in HP fulfills God's role, the role of arguing for Harry's 
defense?

Oddly, it often seems to be various Hogwarts teachers.  Certainly 
Lupin fulfills that role in PoA, "Snape's Grudge."  Lupin goes so 
far as to intentionally mislead Prosecutor Snape as Snape attempts 
to build a case against Harry.  We see the same thing in GoF, where 
Moody intervenes on the staircase to prevent Harry from being 
discovered by Snape.  McGonagall comes to Harry's defense in 
CoS:  "Really, Severus, . . . There is no evidence at all that 
Potter has done anything wrong."  

Ironically, it seems that Dumbledore is almost neutral when Harry is 
being accused, which seems to suggest that Dumbledore's role is not 
God's role of arguing for the defense.  (If anything, Dumbledore 
acts as a judge or impartial observer when Harry's name comes out of 
the Goblet:  "Did you put your name into the Goblet of Fire, 
Harry?"  And later:  "Did you ask an older student to put it into 
the Goblet of Fire for you?"  It is McGonagall who argues Harry's 
case most vigorously:  "He could not have crossed the Age 
Line . . . . [A]s Professor Dumbledore believes that he did not 
persuade an older student to do it for him, I'm sure that should be 
good enough for everyone else."  As we see teachers (McGonagall, in 
particular) rather than Dumbledore mount vigorous defenses of Harry, 
is it fair to say that the various teachers act in the role of God 
to Snape's satan?

Further, if the various teachers seem to fulfill the role of God 
more completely than Dumbledore, then what role, if any, does 
Dumbledore play?  Is he part of the composite of characters who 
fulfill a small part of the role of God to oppose Snape's satan, or 
is there another parallel that can be drawn?

Porphyria:

>"[L]et us examine a few details of the satan's role here. For 
>starters, he belongs to God's inner circle of servants, functioning 
>as something like a confidante and adviser. However malicious he 
>is, he remains completely loyal and obedient to God; <snip>
>Although Snape antagonizes Harry, he is still one of Dumbledore's 
>most loyal adherents."

Ah, my inner anti-Snape is intrigued.  :-)  

Yes, it is true that Snape is frequently present at pivotal moments, 
as Porphyria points out.  But he is curiously absent at other 
moments -- moments when one would expect Dumbledore's inner circle  
to be accounted for.  Significantly, Snape is not present when 
Dumbledore makes his first important decision about Harry's future --
 when Harry is left with the Dursleys.  Snape is also inexplicably 
absent during all three of the tasks in GoF.  In fact, Hagrid (who 
is not a fully qualified wizard) is selected to monitor the third 
task instead of Snape, despite Dumbledore's apparent concern about 
Harry's safety and the meaning of several mysterious events 
throughout the school year.  Can Snape be more than a prowling 
nuisance if Dumbledore does not seek his counsel during Dumbledore's 
most difficult decisions?

One final question about the parallel between Snape and the satan.  
I assume that the satan in the story of Job is the supreme adversary 
to God, that there is no entity more powerful than the satan other 
than God.  I think it is clear in HP, however, that Snape is far 
from the most powerful wizard in the books.  I assume Voldemort is 
more powerful, and it is beyond dispute that Snape is quite 
intimidated by Moody.  Even Dumbledore is likely more powerful.  

So, Porphyria.  Is there anything about the satan in Job or in other 
Biblical references that can explain some of Snape's vulnerabilities?

Cindy