[HPforGrownups] Snape as HBP

[Kate Williams]

No: HPFGUIDX 125996




sharon <sharon8880 at yahoo.com> wrote:

"Snape was a prince or some other monarch about to or just coming to power." 


Fitzov:

The biggest issue I have with the identity of the Half Blood Prince, relates to the use of the title "Prince".  JKR has give no hints whatsoever that there is any equivalent of Wizard Monarchy, and her books actually strike me as out-and-out republican.  There are no Kings and Queens, and therefore no Princes and Princesses.  Unless Neville's toad is about to turn into a Prince (viz numerous European fairy tales), I can see no possible connections to monarchy anywhere in the books.

The word 'Prince' must be being used as a metaphor for something else therefore.  I love the idea that the HBP is not a person but a potion, however the term "Half-Blood" (which clearly does relate to a person) seems to contradict this theory.  Many people have speculated that the word 'Prince' is synonymous with 'Heir', but why use the word 'Prince' then?  

Has anyone else puzzled over the use of the word 'Prince' as opposed to the much more discussed term 'Half-Blood'?

Fitzov



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