Death Eaters: Etymology--& Dark Mark & Snape

[Amanda]

No: HPFGUIDX 80262

We can never have too much etymological hairsplitting, Alshain.

> The term "Death Eaters" have always puzzled me a bit, JKR isn't one 
to
> take names lightly, and on the other hand, it doesn't really make
> sense (whaddayamean, eating death?) So, here's a hypothesis (not 
quite
> a full-fledged theory yet):
> 
> 'Death Eater' could be a pun on 'necromancer', the word itself 
coming
> of Greek 'nekros' (corpse) and 'manteia' (divination); the art of
> divination by communicating with the spirits of the dead. Also, via
> folk etymology, known as the Black Art (Lat. 'niger'). In general, a
> sorcerer, someone who practises the Dark Arts.
> 
> Next part of the joke: Italian 'mangiare' and French 'manger' (to
> eat). My Latin's a bit shaky, unfortunately, so I can't trace this
> further.
> 
> In Tolkien's "The Hobbit", by the way, Sauron goes by the name of 
The
> Necromancer (IIRC).
> 
> Plus, it's something that'd fit in the general style of JKR's 
writing,
> a reference to Antique myths with a witty, whimsical twist.

Good thoughts. It is part of JKR's genius that she can pull names and 
terms from the collective unconscious that "fit" so very well with 
the ambience, atmosphere, and "feel" of their targets. They plug so 
well in with so many related ripples and echoes, only some of which 
she is aware of.

I will add to these tidbits, that my husband mentioned an old Welsh 
folk practice called "Sin Eaters," who took the sins of someone 
(usually someone dying) onto themselves, freeing the other person, 
and doing the confession and penance for them.

I had projected, on this basis, a sinister interpretation of Death 
Eaters, as each taking a bit of Voldemort's death onto themselves, 
and freeing him from it.

Which had also brought me to my Dark Mark thoughts--I think the mark 
is much more than a membership tattoo; I think it is the external 
symbol of an unbreakable bond. I think the Death Eaters are somehow 
instrumental in Voldemort's near-immortality (i.e., if he had not had 
them bound to him, he *would* have died when the spell rebounded off 
Harry). 

All this doesn't need to be true for my other belief about the Mark 
to work, but it does feed nicely into it--I think the Mark is a bond 
to death. I think that not only would the Death Eaters "share" the 
burden of Voldemort's death so that he need not suffer it, I think if 
Voldemort *was* killed somehow, the Death Eaters would share that 
fate.

This has always added a dimension, for me, to Voldemort's fury that 
nobody went looking for him. They would have known some part of him 
survived, because they weren't themselves dead. And they chose to 
leave him there in whatever limbo he was in, knowing he was out there 
to be found.

And it has added a dimension, for me, to Snape's task and choices. He 
has chosen to side with the good. But if the side he has chosen wins, 
and my theory is true, his choice leads directly to his death. Which 
has always made me think that some deep emotional epiphany must have 
happened for him, to keep him on such a course (or to make him not 
care if he's on such a course).

Okay, enough of my lunch break on this. Off to find sustenance.

~Amanda