Despised Lackey or Social Equal?: Snape's 'Respectability'

[Brian]

No: HPFGUIDX 90153

Julie writes:
> I was following the recent discussion about Professor Snape's 
> supposed "desire" for the DADA position (Good points
> all),when a point was raised as to whether or not Lucius Malfoy 
> considered Severus Snape of sufficient social standing to treat as 
an 
> ally vs. a lackey, and that the way Draco "sucks up" to Snape might
> indicate his family doesn't "look down on Snape socially".
> 
> What I've been wondering about—and perhaps those of you
> familiar with class structure and the British boarding school 
system 
> could sound in — where would Snape's position as Head of Slytherin 
> House place him in the social context of Wizarding Britain in 
> general?  Ignoring Snape's unpleasant appearance and demeanor, what 
> type of status does a "job" like Head of House confer as opposed to 
> just being a Potions professor/Master?  
> 
> > 
> Brian replies:
Your post touches on an issue that I've seen before, Snape's 
designation as Potions Master.  My impression, based on two things, 
is that Master is a general title that could be applied to all fully 
qualified male teachers in the school.  When Snape attempts to 
command the Marauder's Map to reveal itself, he says something 
like, "I, Severus Snape, master of this school...."  This usage 
of "master" goes along with Dumbledore's title of head_master_.  Here 
in the U.S., private schools (called "public" schools in the U.K.) 
often have a "headmaster."  A teacher at such a school can be called 
a master.  Dumbledore is the head "master," that is, head teacher.

Now it's true that Snape is the only one referred to as "master."  
JKR's exclusive application of this traditional title to Snape could 
be significant.  

As for Snape's social position, the incident between Malfoy and 
Dumbledore in COS could be helpful in understanding the 
relationship.  Malfoy is "on the board" at Hogwarts, thus in a 
position of power over any and all teachers.  What remains to be 
seen, however, is how Malfoy and Snape rank in relation to each other 
in Voldemort's organization.  It could well be that Snape is higher 
in the order of Death Eaters than is Malfoy, or vice versa.  
Teachers, in all Western societies I know about, occupy a position of 
some regard, but with little, if any, statutory power, save for that 
exerted over a child's grade.