[HPforGrownups] Snape's goatee? NOOooooooooo!

[Amanda Geist]

No: HPFGUIDX 79875

Erin wailed:

> A few months ago, when I first joined this group, my attention was
> drawn to a picture of Professor Snape, drawn by J.K. Rowling, which
> is in the photos section of HP for Grownups.  In it, he has a
> goatee.  This startled me, as never in my wildest dreams had I ever
> pictured a bearded Snape.  He's never described as having one in the
> books, right?

If you have the American editions, look in Book 1 as well. The chapter
illustration for The Potions Master shows him just like this; balding, and
bearded. (I think it's The Potions Master; I don't have my books and it's
been a while.)

Point is, while this *is* a Grandpre thing--because the Brit versions don't
have the chapter illustrations--it goes way back. There was lively debate
before the first, um, large-screen visual interpretation, as to whether
Snape would have a beard or not.

I'd tend to let the "visual interpretation" carry the day. Besides JKR's
involvement in it, there's the canon fact that it is never mentioned. While
the argument *can* be made that other things that are not mentioned surely
exist there (bras; athlete's foot; toe gnur; head lice; etc.), most of what
can be mustered as evidence for this argument falls into the realm of things
that never cross Harry's mind or path. The fact is that a beard is a
prominent facial feature, one often used to define a shading of mood, and
the lack of any mention of one on the face of someone whom Harry sees often
and judges shades of mood in, argues strongly (to me at least) that it is
not there. No stroking of beard, no smile hidden in beard, nothing, nada,
zip.

Sorry. Long day at work, unwinding.

~Amanda